Why don't teeth glow?

Question

Hydroxyapatite is the main component of tooth enamel. It contains phosphorus in the form of phosphates, pyrophosphates etc. that are found to exhibit the the property of phosphorescence. But why don't the teeth glow in the dark ?

Answer 1

For objects to grow in the dark, they need to be supplied with energy. For example, glow sticks are supplied their energy by the mixing of the chemicals. However, teeth do glow when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. We have known about this phenomena since a publication in Science entitled, " Phosphorence of Human Teeth."