Supposedly, the dentist works enamel over our teeth, as I understand it. So, why not simply have a toothpaste that’s all enamel??? Or, would it put dentists out of their jobs? - Jinx
Dentists don’t apply enamel to teeth. They clean teeth with an abrasive paste, and drill and file and pick with various metal implements and apply metallic or ceramic crowns or fillings, but the only enamel they work with is the stuff that’s already there.
Regular toothpaste contains fluoride, which helps to re-mineralize enamel that’s been softened by acids produced by bacteria, but toothpaste that actually contained enamel a) would have to get that enamel from somewhere, and I don’t think most people would fancy putting ground-up cadaver teeth in their mouths, and b) would be incredibly abrasive – since it would be the same hardness as your teeth, it would etch and grind them down.
Is enamel simple enough to have a chemical formula, or is it more varied, like, say, hair?