Teeth Can Tell a Story about Childhood!

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. It begins forming during pregnancy and the way it forms can provide valuable information about early life. The cells that produce enamel are extremely sensitive to disturbances, so when a child experiences some kinds of stress during enamel development (childhood diseases, fever, or low concentration of oxygen in the blood for example), layers of enamel may contain “scars” reflecting the stressful experience. The type of enamel scars can tell dentists a story about what may have happened before the person was born or shortly after birth. Understanding enamel development is important for knowing the difference between normal enamel and abnormal changes, and such knowledge can help dentists to diagnose and treat enamel issues, to keep the teeth healthy.