Dental enamel is the most mineralized and hardest material in the body. Enamel is one of the three main parts of the tooth, the other two being dentine and dental cementum.
Enamel is the visible surface of the tooth, supported by dentine from the inside. 96% of dental enamel is mineral, the rest is water and organic matter. As dental enamel is translucent, the colour of the dentine significantly determines the colour of the enamel. The colour of enamel can vary from light yellow to greyish white. Its thickness varies over the entire surface of the tooth. It is usually the thickest at the crown part of the tooth (max 2.5 mm) and becomes thinner towards the gingiva until it reaches the cemento-enamel junction.
Tooth decay is caused by bacteria living in our mouths that produce acid using the food we consume. The acid attacks the dental enamel and leads to the loss of important minerals. Minerals lost during the acid attack can be replaced by minerals carried in saliva, and fluoride also helps strengthen dental enamel.
Unfortunately, the appearance of dental caries can also make dental fillings necessary.