Human teeth (and those of many other animals as well) are covered with dental enamel, which is the hardest substance in the human body. It consists primarily of calcium phosphate, in the form of hydroxyapatite crystals. As fluoride is very reactive substance, it chemically bonds to this hydroxyapatite, resulting in fluoridated hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite. This resulting material seems to be more resistant to acids than the hydroxyapatite itself. | Human teeth (and those of many other animals as well) are covered with dental enamel, which is the hardest substance in the human body. It consists primarily of calcium phosphate, in the form of hydroxyapatite crystals. As fluoride is very reactive substance, it chemically bonds to this hydroxyapatite, resulting in fluoridated hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite. This resulting material seems to be more resistant to acids than the hydroxyapatite itself. |