{"id":43,"date":"2019-06-24T20:43:24","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T20:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.riverplacedds.com\/blog\/?p=43"},"modified":"2019-06-24T20:43:24","modified_gmt":"2019-06-24T20:43:24","slug":"dentist-downtown-portland-enamel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.riverplacedds.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/dentist-downtown-portland-enamel\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Tooth Enamel? Why Is It Important? A Dentist in Downtown Portland Has the Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Are your teeth sensitive to hot and cold? Do they stay yellow even after teeth whitening treatments? If so, you may have tooth enamel loss. The erosions of your enamel can cause serious problems down the road, including increased sensitivity. But what exactly is enamel? What does it do? A dentist in downtown Portland<\/a> is here to answer these questions.<\/p>\n

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What is Tooth Enamel?<\/h2>\n

Enamel is the material on the outside, visible part of your teeth. It is the hardest surface in your body and is even stronger than bone. It\u2019s made up primarily of minerals, mainly hydroxyapatite. Because of its strength, it does an excellent job of protecting the inner layers of the tooth. However, everyday acids from certain foods and drinks can put your enamel at risk for erosion. Allowing plaque to build up in your mouth can attract bacteria that weaken and destroy enamel over time.<\/p>\n

Why Is Enamel Important?<\/h2>\n

Enamel plays an important role in shielding the inside of your tooth from decay. It also protects the inner layer of the tooth from becoming sensitive to extremely hot or cold temperatures. If your enamel is worn down or destroyed, it cannot regenerate, because it contains no living cells. Therefore, it\u2019s important to protect the enamel that you have.<\/p>\n

How Can I Protect My Enamel?<\/h2>\n

There are a few ways to prevent damage to your enamel in downtown Portland:<\/p>\n