Some other compounds create scrubbing power, but these are two of the main ones.
Another is silica gel, which is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. One example is calcium carbonate, which is made up of carbon, oxygen and calcium atoms. These create scrubbing power and sometimes give the toothpaste a gritty texture.Ībrasives are combinations of atoms, which are like building blocks, that join together to form something called a chemical compound. Leid said some ingredients that help get rid of the acid and leftover food in your teeth are called abrasives. When you brush your teeth with toothpaste, it helps get rid of that acid. That’s part of the reason it is so important to brush your teeth. That acid can break down your enamel, which can lead to cavities or tooth decay. They are so small, you’d probably need a microscope to see them, but they like to eat the leftover food bits that get stuck in your teeth.Īs they eat those leftover bits, they also make acid. Inside your mouth and on your teeth, there are lots of tiny living things called microorganisms. It’s the hardest tissue in the whole human body – even harder than bone – and it helps with things like chewing your food. He is also dean of the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.įirst, he told me the outer covering of a tooth is called enamel.
Leid spent part of his career teaching future dentists. My friend Mark Leid was happy to tell us about how they work. Toothpaste gets its cleaning power from a few different ingredients. If you are anything like me, every day you squeeze a little toothpaste onto your toothbrush and brush your teeth. Universe: How does toothpaste clean your teeth? – Lucy, 10, Pullman
0 kommentar(er)
