Over the centuries, the knowledge and technology around dentistry has been steadily improving. Dentistry, and the science behind it has always been a top priority for people. The further science and technology get, the more we know about dentistry, and how to improve upon it.

Researchers at Northwestern University have made some interesting discoveries looking at the enamel of different animals, in particular, the beaver. Last time I checked beavers cannot brush their teeth, yet their enamel has a very strong protection against tooth decay. The chemical structure in a beaver’s teeth has an unlikely ingredient which is highly resistant to acidity and tooth decay. The mystery ingredient: iron, which is also found in the majority of rodents’ enamel.

Using powerful and expensive atom-probe technology, researchers were able to map the enamel’s structure atom by atom. By identifying bio minerals in the enamel’s structure, particularly iron and magnesium, scientists were able to better understand how to improve the enamel strength of humans. A beaver’s teeth are chemically different than ours, and through this research, we can better understand how to improve our enamel and its resistance to acidity.