Which element is found in your bones and teeth?

Mineralized tissues, such as bone, teeth, antler and horn, are important elemental storage sites in animals. These tissues contain necessary elements, both major, such as calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S), and trace elements, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and cadmium (Cd).

Bones are living tissue. They’re made up of the protein collagen and the mineral calcium phosphate. This enables bones to be strong but flexible.

Collagen is like scaffolding that provides the bone’s framework. The calcium fills in the rest. The inside of the bone has a honeycomb-like structure. It’s called trabecular bone. Trabecular bone is covered by cortical bone.

Teeth are not living tissue. They’re comprised of four different types of tissue: dentin, enamel, cementum, pulp

While teeth and bones might appear to be the same material at first glance, they’re actually quite different. Bones can repair and heal themselves, while teeth cannot. Teeth are more fragile in that respect, which is why it’s so important to practice good dental hygiene and see a dentist regularly.

 

Picture Credit : Google