Question

What is tooth enamel chemically? Show the condition when it starts corroding. What happens when food particles are left in the mouth after eating.

Answer 1

Hint: The following points can infer you towards the answer-
(a) Tooth enamel chemically is the same as the compound that is mostly used in fertilizers.
(b) It is basically the phosphate salt of the electropositive metal that is present in the bones of the human body.

Complete step by step solution:
Enamel is the first layer of the tooth that is visible in the mouth. It is a porous and calcified substance made from crystalline calcium phosphate. Enamel appears to be a soft yellow to white color, yet it is semi-translucent allowing the color of the dentin layer to penetrate through.
It is also the hardest substance present in the body.
Chemically, we can say that it phosphate salt of calcium, $\text{C}{{\text{a}}_{3}}{{\text{(P}{{\text{O}}_{4}})}_{2}}$which gets affected when the pH of our mouth falls below 5.5 i.e. in acidic condition.
When we eat food, sometimes the food gets struck in between the teeth. Further, bacteria acts upon the food to decay it and releases an acid. This acid further acts upon calcium phosphate i.e. enamel. This happens because the bacteria present in our mouth breaks down the sugar and food particles to acids which damage our teeth by corroding them. To cure this, we should clean our mouth after eating with toothpaste which is basic in nature and will neutralize the effect, thereby keeping our teeth fit and fine.

Note: These factors result in tooth decay and tooth sensitivity. Also, it has been found that fluoride has been proven to remineralize and strengthen the enamel, along with the use of the proper brushing and flossing techniques. But also, it should be kept in mind that the concentration level of fluoride should not cross certain ppm.