Teeth
IDid
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we have Some of
different types areteeth and that
Teeth are part of the body called the Digestive System.
thin
Why and
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They turn food into small pieces so we can swallow it.
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teeth. What them.you feel?
Types of Teeth
Click on a tooth to find out more about it.
next
Incisors
Incisors are used for biting and cutting
food. Think about biting into an apple. It is
your incisors that bite into the apple and
cut it up. They are at the front of your
mouth and you have eight of them, four at
the top and four at the bottom.
Children have 20 teeth. A full adult set
Did You Know? back
contains 32 teeth.
Canines
Canines are used for ripping and tearing
food. Your canines are either side of your
incisors and you have four of them. The
word ‘canine’ means ‘something connected
to dogs’. As you can see, canine teeth are
often pointy, a bit like the teeth of a dog
or wolf.
Carnivores (animals that eat only meat)
Did You Know? back
have large canine teeth to help rip their food.
Premolars and Molars
Premolars and molars are towards the back
of your mouth. They are bigger and wider
than incisors and canines and this is
because of their functions. Premolars are
used for holding and crushing food. At the
very back of the mouth, are molars (bigger
versions of premolars). They chew and
grind up food, working with your tongue to
prepare food for swallowing.
Babies are born with all their teeth,
even their adult ones! The teeth just
Did You Know? back
haven’t emerged through the gums yet.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are an extra set of molars at
the very back of the mouth. Despite their
name, wisdom teeth are nothing to do with
being clever! Scientists think wisdom teeth
come from a very long time ago, when our
ancestors ate a diet of coarser, rougher
food. They needed an extra set of molars to
chew up the food. Over time, humans’ diets
have changed and now wisdom teeth have
no function. Wisdom teeth usually emerge
in adults when they are around 18 years
old or older.
Lots of adults never have wisdom
teeth emerge. Sometimes they have just a
Did You Know? few come through. Ask your teacher if they back
have any wisdom teeth.
Inside a Tooth
crown – The part of the tooth above the enamel
gum that you can see.
root – The part of the tooth hidden
dentine
under the gum.
enamel – The shiny, white surface of a crown
tooth. Enamel is the hardest substance
in the human body.
dentine – A hard substance which
protects the inside of the tooth.
pulp – The part of the tooth which root
contains blood vessels and nerves. The pulp
blood vessels keep the tooth alive. The
nerves send messages to your brain, for
example whether you are eating
something very hot or very cold.
cementum
cementum – The layer which covers
and protects the root of the tooth.
How to Care for Your Teeth
In 30 seconds, write down as many ways as you can
remember of how to look after your teeth.
How many could you think of? Here are some ideas.
•
•
Brush your teeth twice a day.
Brush your teeth for two minutes each time.
7
5
2
19
6
4
83
10
12
14
20
23
24
13
25
28
26
27
30
29
22
18
16
21
17
15
19
11
• Avoid too many sugary foods and drinks.
• Visit the dentist regularly.
• Choose drinks such as water and milk when possible.
Why Do We Need to Care for Our Teeth?
If
Mywe don’t
little lookhas
sister after
justour teeth,
lost a substance
one of her teeth, called plaque
but that’s will because
alright
appear
it is oneon of them. Plaque
her milk teeth.has
Shebacteria in itanwhich
will have adultcauses our teeth
tooth grow in itsto
decay If
place. and turnone
I lose rotten.
of myEventually rottenhave
teeth, I won’t teeth will fall
another oneout.
grow in its
place. I need to look after my teeth!
When a shark loses a tooth, another one
Did You Know? always grows in its place. A shark may
get through 20,000 teeth!
How many teeth does a child
have?
How many teeth does an adult
have before their wisdom teeth
come through?
How many after?
20
28 (4 wisdom teeth)
32
