• Question: why does the bone in your teath lose coler when it diyes ??

    Asked by tom tom to Hussain on 14 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Hussain Jaffery

      Hussain Jaffery answered on 14 Nov 2015:

      When you lose a tooth, or look at teeth form someone who is dead, you can have teeth that are discoloured.

      With teeth, you have to keep in mind that though outer surface of the tooth is really hard, the inside is alive with activity. There are blood vessels that deliver blood cells which keep the bone teeth alive and there are also nerves which are bundles of cells that feel things and tell the brain what they feel. So teeth are alive when the person is living or the tooth is attached.

      When the tooth falls out or the person dies, the inner bits of teeth can start to decompose. In the process, bacteria from the environment find the tooth soft cells that have dies and start eating them. This releases all sorts of chemicals which stain the teeth. The longer the tooth is exposed to the elements, the most decayed it can get.

      If teeth aren’t brushed properly, when you are alive, bacteria can eat away at them and dissolve and discolour them. So brush your teeth! 😀

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