Functional Role of Inorganic Trace Elements on Enamel and Dentin Formation

Abstract

Calcium and phosphate are the major components of hydroxyapatite crystals that form the inorganic portion of the teeth. Apart from these, certain elements are present in little amounts in enamel and dentin of the human teeth. Although they are required in minute quantities, their absence may alter healthy development of enamel and dentin and may result in developmental tooth defects as well as dental caries. Furthermore, excessive intake of some trace elements may inversely affect tooth development and health. The exact of effects that trace elements have on teeth and oral health is still an unexplored territory. The present paper reviews the presence of trace elements in teeth and their role in tooth health and development.

Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH): microspatial distribution of trace elements in hypercementosis-affected and unaffected hard dental tissues

“…Disorders of tooth mineralization can cause chronic pain and deformities affecting appetite and general health. Teeth are composed of a number of essential minerals including calcium, manganese, zinc and magnesium 1 , 2 . These and other trace minerals are essential nutrients, and optimal maintenance of body stores is important for health and performance in horses, including oral health.…”

“…These and other trace minerals are essential nutrients, and optimal maintenance of body stores is important for health and performance in horses, including oral health. During tooth development, ameloblasts facilitate ion transport that allows hydroxyapatite crystal formation 1 , 3 . The hydroxyapatite crystals in enamel contain many trace elements acquired through the process of mineralization and maturation.…”

“…The hydroxyapatite crystals in enamel contain many trace elements acquired through the process of mineralization and maturation. Dentin has a similar accumulation of trace elements over time, as secondary dentin is continually formed and mineralized post-eruption as long as the tooth remains vital 1 , 4 . Cementum, the final mineralized dental tissue that is the peripheral layer of the root, goes through a similar biomineralization process when forming and establishing its attachment to the periodontal ligament 5 .…”

“…In humans, metabolic disorders that alter the natural body balance of essential elements can cause dental pathologies 1 , 2 , 7 . Calcium, phosphate, and magnesium 2 play an important role in the remineralization and demineralization of enamel.…”

“…Beyond accumulation in dental tissues during tooth formation, elements are also involved in interactions involving shared transport pathways. For example, lead and zinc ions are known to compete with calcium and phosphate ions, thus creating an offset in normal concentrations of these essential elements in teeth and disrupting the architecture 1 , 7 , 8 . When incorporation of these essential elements is disrupted, by changes in zinc in saliva for example, dental pathology such as carious lesions can result 7 .…”