I’m wondering what happens to different molecules on teeth, what toothpastes are made of, how does it fight sugar etc.
In: Biology
Toothpaste is a mild abrasive (really more of a polishing compound) and a soap-like ingredient (or two) to cause it to make lots of little bubbles into a foam, and usually (but not always) a pleasant smelling and/or tasting flavor.
You don’t ‘fight sugar’ with it. You suspend the plaque and other bits of food in the foam, which lets you spit it out of your mouth easier. The physical bristles on the brush get into the tiny crevices of your teeth/gums/tongue and that is what dislodges them. You can brush your mouth with water, nearly as effectively as with toothpaste–it is just messier, as the foam doesn’t want to run out of your mouth whenever you open it to breathe or to adjust the head of the toothbrush. The foaming agent is also usually what is classified as a ‘surfactant’ which just means that it can get ‘under’ the plaque, and coat the teeth as you brush to prevent the plaque from re-adhering. But, with enough water and time brushing–this is unnecessary.
‘Plaque’ is what happens to food that the enzymes and bacteria in your mouth consume, and then eliminate, and that adheres to the enamel of your teeth. It also creates an area where those bacteria/enzymes can stay in relative safety, and then they create more and more plaque. It is also acidic, which is what wears down the enamel and lets them gain access to the much softer parts of the tooth. And, once they are inside the damage cannot be repaired. You can only slow down the progress. This is why we fill those holes–called cavities–with a compound, so that the bacteria cannot get food and continue the cycle.
This is why the crevices on the ‘crown’ of the molars are usually where cavities form. It is hard to get in there, and it only takes a little bit of time to get those bacteria/enzymes working and making more plaque.
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