T E E T H

Teeth Unlike your heart or brain, your teeth were not ready to work from the day you were born. Although babies have the beginnings of their first teeth even before they are born, teeth don't become visible until babies are a few months old.

After that first tooth breaks through, more and more teeth begin to appear. Most children have their first set of teeth by the time they are 3 years old. These are sometimes called milk teeth or baby teeth, and there are 20 in all. When a child grows to age 5 or 6, these teeth start falling out, one by one.

A baby tooth falls out because it is being pushed out of the way by a permanent tooth that is behind it. Slowly, the permanent teeth grow in and take the place of your baby teeth. By about age 14, most of you will have lost all of your baby teeth and have a full set of permanent teeth.

Different types of teeth You have different types of teeth to do different jobs. Incisors Incisors are at the front of your mouth. They have flat, sharp edges like a knife because they have to cut your food when you bite it.

Canines Canine teeth are the fang-like teeth at the front of your mouth. They are long and pointed so that they can tear through tough food like meat.

Premolars and Molars These teeth are at the sides and back of your mouth. They grind the food up so it is easier to swallow. premolars molars

This picture shows a full set of adult teeth This picture shows a full set of adult teeth. There are 32 teeth in an adult mouth. When you are very young you only have 20 teeth. Your jaw has to grow to fit all your teeth in!

If you cut a tooth in half the inside would look like this. Inside your teeth If you cut a tooth in half the inside would look like this. The part of your tooth that shows is called the Crown. enamel dentin pulp The part of your tooth that is in your gum is called the Root. gum cementum jaw bone

enamel The crown of each tooth is covered with enamel which is very hard and often shiny. Enamel is a very tough substance and it acts as a tooth's personal bodyguard. Enamel works as a barrier, protecting the inside parts of the tooth.

dentin If you were able to peel away the enamel, you would find dentin. Dentin makes up the largest part of the tooth and is similar to bone. Although it is not as tough as enamel, it is also very hard.

pulp Dentin protects the innermost part of the tooth, called the pulp. The pulp is where each tooth's nerve endings are found. When you eat very hot soup, cold ice cream, or fall and hurt your teeth, it's your pulp that hurts. The nerve endings inside the pulp send messages to the brain about what's going on. The pulp also contains the tooth's blood vessels, which feed the tooth and keep it alive and healthy.

cementum Both the dentin and the pulp go all the way down into the root of the tooth, which is under the gum. Cementum which is like your body's glue, holds the root of each tooth to your jawbone.

Lets have another inside our mouth at our teeth. Incisors are for cutting our food. Canines are for tearing our food. Premolars and Molars are for grinding our food.

Animations available from www.clipart.com www.communication4all.co.uk