Dental Health

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Dental Health
by Abbey Flick
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Topics ? What You Will Learn ?Why Our Teeth Are
Important ? Types and Purposes of Teeth ? Parts
of a Tooth ? Tooth Care ? Tooth Decay ?
Summary
Its time to brush up on dental health. Are you
ready?
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Learning Outcomes You will... ?learn why caring
for your teeth is important ?be able to name and
describe the different types of teeth ?be able
to name and describe the different parts of each
tooth ?learn the proper way to brush and
floss ?be able to describe how to keep your
smile healthy and bright ?name and describe
foods that are good for your teeth and those
that cause tooth decay
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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.
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Types of Teeth Adults have 4 different types of
teeth. Incisors Canines Bicuspids Molars
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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.
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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.
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Bicuspids grinding teeth Bicuspids are the
lumpy teeth between your canines and your molars.
They are used to grind food. You have 8
bicuspids.
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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.
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The Tooth Truth
Did you know each tooth actually has different
parts? Lets take a closer look at a tooth and
the surrounding area.
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Crown
The crown is the white part of a tooth you see
when you look into someones mouth.
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Root
The root holds the tooth in the jaw.
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Pulp
The pulp is the innnermost layer of a tooth. It
contains nerves that feel pain, and blood vessels
that carry food to the tooth.
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Dentin
The dentin is the yellow substance that surrounds
the pulp. It is harder than bone and makes up
most of the tooth.
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Enamel
Enamel is the hard covering on a tooth. It is
the hardest tissue in the body and protects a
tooth during chewing.
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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.
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Gum
The gum is the soft, pink tissue that surrounds
and protects the root of a tooth.
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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.
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Brushing
We should brush our teeth after every meal.
But, sometimes thats 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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, youll surely keep all four
types (incisors, canines, bicuspids, molars) of
teeth and all their parts healthy and bright!