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Teeth life & times – From Tiny teeth to Wisdom teeth
Although babies have their first teeth even before they are born, teeth don't become visible until babies are about 7 to 12 months old.
These first teeth are called the primary or baby teeth, and there are 20 in all.
When a child gets around 5 or 6, these teeth start falling out.
The baby teeth fells out because their being pushed up by the permanent teeth that are behind them. Slowly, the permanent teeth grow in and replace the baby teeth.
By about age 12 or 13, most kids have all their permanent teeth.
There are 28 permanent teeth in all.
Between the ages of 17 and 21, four more teeth called wisdom teeth usually grow in at the back of the mouth.
They complete the adult set of 32 teeth.
The part of the tooth you can see, which is not covered by the gum, is called the crown.
The crown of each tooth is covered with enamel, which is very hard and often shiny. The Enamel protects the inside parts of the tooth.
Inside the Enamel is the Dentin. Dentin is most of the tooth. Although it is not as tough as enamel, it is also very hard.The Dentin protects the innermost part of the tooth, called the Pulp.
The pulp is where each tooth's nerve endings and blood supply are found. The Pulp is the part of the tooth that hurts.
The nerve endings inside the pulp send messages to the brain about what you are “feeling”. The pulp also contains the tooth's blood vessels, which feed the tooth and keep it alive and healthy.The pulp goes all the way down into the Root of the tooth, which is under the gum.
There are many different types of permanent teeth , each one with its own function.
The two front teeth and the teeth on either side of them are Incisors. There are four on the top and four on bottom. These teeth are used for cutting and chopping food.
The point shaped teeth beside your incisors are called Canines. There are four of them, two on top and two on bottom. These teeth are used for tearing food.
Beside your Canines are the Premolars. There are eight premolars, four on top and four on the bottom. Premolars are bigger, stronger, than all the others we’ve mentioned and have ridges, which make them perfect for crushing and grinding food.
Behind the Premolars there are the Molars. There are eight of these, four on the top and four on the bottom. They are even wider and stronger than premolars, and they have more ridges. The molars grind the food until it's mashed up and ready to be swallowed.
Finally, the last teeth a person gets are wisdom teeth. These are also called Third Molars. They are one in each corner back in the mouth.Wisdom teeth aren't used for anything and they are often removed because they normally cause problems in the mouth. They're called wisdom teeth because they come in later in life, when a young person is older and wiser.
Taking good care of your teethBrushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and a good toothbrush is the best you can do for them.
Brush after eating or at least twice a day.
It's basic to brush before bedtime.
Brush up and down, rather than side to side. And after brushing clean between your teeth with dental floss.
Brushing removes food and plaque that get stuck in between your teeth.
You can also brush your tongue and gums to keep your breath fresher!
It's also important to visit your dentist and dental hygienist on regular basis.
If necessary the dentist will take X-rays to get a better picture of what is going on with your teeth.
It’s also good to get a fluoride treatment while you're there.
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