Pearly Whites: Not Just About the Mouth
Published by Many bones of the body demand consistent attention and care – the 32 bones of the mouth and the 33 bones of the spine.
Daily attention and care are necessary to keep teeth vital and healthy. Many undertake the effort to properly care for their teeth to be able to chew delicious food and sport a beautiful smile for years to come. The 32 small bones of the mouth are brushed, flossed, and rinsed by the individual and regularly checked by a dentist or dental hygienist.
In contrast to these 32 small bones of the mouth, many rarely consider the health and well-being of the 33 bones of the spine. These bones keep one mobile, healthy, and alive; they protect the spinal cord, maintain posture, and directly affect the health of the nervous system. With so many important functions, the prized “pearly whites” may be better classified as the individual bones that compose the spine.
Maintain Spinal Health
The spine does not require a brush or floss for proper care, but it does require regular exercise, good posture, proper lifting, and regular check-ups – ensuring a strong spine and lack of abnormal motion or degeneration. Follow these suggestions to ensure that the spine and the nervous system are properly cared for:
- Maintain good posture while driving, sitting at the computer, reading, etc. Every few minutes, move around and stretch. The body was designed to move.
- Protect the spine from injury by lifting properly. Lift with the legs, not the back. The legs have large muscles designed for lifting while the back has small muscles designed only for maintaining posture.
- Strengthen the “core” musculature by performing abdominal crunches, squats, balance exercises, and back extensions. The core musculature should support the body rather than the small spinal musculature.
- Receive regular, quality chiropractic treatments to ensure proper alignment and function. The nervous system travels through the spine and is affected by malpositions of the vertebral column.
As you take time to think about your spine, you will enjoy a life full of energy, health, and vitality.
Keep your back healthy – you only have one!
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On March 22, 2011 at 3:12 pm
The 32 teeth are not considered \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”bones\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”. They are made of enamel, cementum and dentin. The crown of the tooth is covered with enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The inside of the tooth is dentin, not as hard as enamel and the outer layer of the roots are covered with cementum, which is a \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”bone-like\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\” substance. The teeth grow in the jaw bone and erupt through the gums. They sit in sockets in the maxilla and mandible bone. They are held in there by ligaments and attachments. Just to clarify…the teeth are not \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”bones\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”
K. Fabricius, RDH
On March 22, 2011 at 3:14 pm
The 32 teeth are not considered bones They are made of enamel, cementum and dentin. The crown of the tooth is covered with enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The inside of the tooth is dentin, not as hard as enamel and the outer layer of the roots are covered with cementum, which is a bone-like substance. The teeth grow in the jaw bone and erupt through the gums. They sit in sockets in the maxilla and mandible bone. They are held in there by ligaments and attachments. Just to clarify…the teeth are not bones.
K. Fabricius, RDH