Plenty of people take their teeth for granted; that is until they feel something wrong with their teeth. Aside from helping you chew your food, your teeth also play a very crucial part in speaking, and they also affect your overall health.
That said, to help you take better care of your teeth and oral health, here’s a primer on the different kinds of teeth and how they help you on a daily basis:
The Incisors
Basically, these are your eight front teeth, four teeth on the bottom and four teeth on top. They are responsible for helping you bite your food. These teeth are typically the first ones to erupt, usually approximately six months after birth, and will be replaced with permanent ones around the ages of 6 and 8.
If you have kids, the American Dental Association recommends that you have their teeth checked by a kids dentist here in Lehi once their first tooth erupts.
The Canines
These are your fangs and are the next ones to erupt after the incisors. They’re very sharp, so they’re used to tear and rip food apart. Canines erupt around 16 or 20 months after birth and will be replaced with permanent ones at about nine to 12 years of age.
The Premolars
Also known as bicuspids, these are used to grind and chew food. The first and second premolars erupt between the ages of 10 and 11, and will replace the primary molars. Essentially, adults will have four premolars, two on top and two on the bottom.
The Primary Molars
These teeth are used to grind and chew food. These are also called deciduous molars and erupt 12 to 18 months after birth. They will be replaced with premolars at ages 10 to 11. Take note that permanent molars don’t replace the primary molars because these will erupt behind them.
It is also vital to note that permanent molars will come at about age 6 before the primary morals falling out, and the others will follow at about 11 to 13 years old.
The Third Molars
These are what you know as the wisdom teeth. They are the very last teeth to come in and usually erupt between the ages of 18 and 20. Take note though that some individuals won’t develop wisdom teeth. But in individuals who do develop wisdom teeth, there’s a chance that these teeth might lead to overcrowding so they will have to be extracted.
On the other hand, if wisdom teeth fail to erupt fully, they’ll be considered impacted and might likewise need to be extracted.
Although your mouth is just a tiny part of your body, it is composed of many different parts that function together so that you can easily eat, speak, drink, and flash a beautiful smile. Your mouth is immensely vital, so proper oral hygiene is essential.
For optimal oral health, make sure to brush and floss your pearly whites twice a day, eat a healthful diet, don’t smoke or stop smoking, and go to your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.
