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Dental Health by Abbey Flick

Why Our Teeth Are Important  Right now, you have 20 baby teeth.  By the time you are about 18 years old, you will have 32 adult teeth.  Eventually, you will lose your baby teeth. They will be replaced by your adult teeth.  Your adult teeth will be permanent. You will not get another set. So, you must take very good care of your teeth.

Adults have 4 different types of teeth. Incisors Canines Premolars Molars

Incisors “Cutting teeth” Incisors are the flat, sharp teeth in the front of your mouth. They are used to cut food. You have 8 incisors.

Canines “Tearing teeth” Canines are the sharp teeth at the corners of your smile. They are used to rip and tear food. You have 4 canines.

Premolars “Grinding teeth” Premolars are the lumpy teeth between your canines and your molars. They are used to grind food. You have 8 Premolars.

Molars “Chewing teeth” Molars are the broad, lumpy teeth in the back of your mouth. Molars are used to chew food. You have 12 molars.

Tooth Truth Did you know each tooth actually has different parts? Let’s take a closer look at a tooth and the surrounding area.

Crown The crown is the white part of a tooth you see when you look into someone’s mouth.

Root The root holds the tooth in the jaw.

Pulp The pulp is the innermost layer of a tooth. It contains nerves that feel pain, and blood vessels that carry food to the tooth.

Dentin The dentin is the yellow substance that surrounds the pulp. It is harder than bone and makes up most of the tooth.

Enamel Enamel is the hard covering on a tooth. It is the hardest tissue in the body and protects a tooth during chewing.

Cementum The cementum is about as hard as bone. It surrounds the dentin in the root of the tooth. The cementum and enamel usually meet where the root and crown join.

Gum The gum is the soft, pink tissue that surrounds and protects the root of a tooth.

Here are a few things you can do. Caring for Your Teeth Caring for your teeth is very important. Each person gets one set of baby teeth. They will be replaced by one set of adult (or permanent) teeth. Your adult teeth must last the rest of your life. To make sure they do so, you must take good care of them. Here are a few things you can do.

Brushing We should brush our teeth after every meal. But, sometimes that’s difficult. So, you should remember to brush at least twice a day. Brushing helps remove plaque from your teeth. Plaque is a sticky coating on your teeth that is caused by bacteria and food particles. If left on your teeth, it can cause cavities.

Tips for Proper Brushing Use a brush with soft bristles.  Using gentle strokes, make your brush move in small circles over the outside of each tooth.  Remember to do the back of each tooth, also.  Now, brush the lumpy surface of your teeth. Be sure to remove any food that may be stuck in the grooves.

Flossing  Flossing helps to remove food and plaque from between teeth - areas that your brush cannot reach.  You should floss at least once a day.

Visiting the Dentist A dentist is a person who helps us take care of our teeth. You should visit the dentist at least two times a year for check-ups. Dentists can help us prevent cavities. They can also fix any cavities we may already have. They use special tools to care for our teeth.

Eating Healthy  Eating “tooth friendly” foods can also help keep your teeth in great shape!  Milk and foods made from milk make your teeth strong. They are rich in calcium.  Fruits and vegetables are also healthy for your teeth.

Foods That Are NOT“Tooth Friendly”  Some foods are not “tooth friendly”. These foods contain a lot of sugar.  Sugary foods cause plaque to build up on your teeth. This plaque can cause cavities.  You should avoid foods that have a lot of sugar and foods that stick to your teeth.

More Tips In addition to the tooth care tips you just learned, here are a few more things you can do to care for your teeth!  Fluoride - Use a fluoride rinse or toothpaste with fluoride. Fluoride helps keep the outside of teeth strong. Mouthguards - Wear a mouthguard while playing sports.

Tooth Decay If we do not care properly for our teeth, we may get cavities. Cavities are holes in teeth caused by plaque. Often, cavities are very painful. To fix a cavity, your dentist will drill out the bad part of the tooth and fill the hole with a filling. It may be white or silver in color.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll surely keep all four types Summary Since you only get one set of permanent teeth, you need to be prepared to take good care of them. That means you need to…  Brush at least twice a day  Floss at least once a day  Visit the dentist at least 2 times a year  Eat “tooth friendly” foods If you follow the tips above, you’ll surely keep all four types (incisors, canines, premolar, molars) of teeth and all their parts healthy and bright!

Thanks Submitted by Kavita Delhi

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