Why are teeth alive if they’re just bone and can’t regenerate? Why do they need blood flow and are able die?
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the outermost part of a tooth is no longer alive in a sense. the enamel is hard casing of mostly minerals and some proteins to hold it together, as the cells that build it grew out and then died off and your saliva largely maintains its upkeep. however the enamel is supported from inside by the dentin and tooth pulp, which is very much living tissue with cells and a blood supply. if these parts of the tooth are too badly compromised or die, the tooth tends to break down quickly and fall out.
bone is similar, but not the same. there are many living cells scattered within and around the harder bone tissue that maintain it, and bones are usually porous to some degree to allow nutrients and bloodflow through.
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