Pearly Whites... A.K.A Your Teeth!

Why teeth are important Teeth bite and chew food so that it is small enough to be swallowed. Teeth help you to form words so that you can speak properly.

Questions Have you lost any front teeth yet? Did you find that your words sounded different for awhile? Maybe you found it hard to say 's'.

Your first teeth are called deciduous teeth (say dee-sid-you-us). (They can also be called baby teeth or primary teeth.) They are called deciduous because like the leaves of a deciduous tree you lose them. You have 20 d eciduous teeth and they start growing into your mouth from about 6 months of age. All 20 teeth have grown into your mouth by about two and a half years of age. From about 6 years of age until 12 years of age you start to lose them, BUT that doesn't mean you don't have to look after them. They are there to keep a space for your second lot of teeth (like saving a seat for someone – if they don't save the place the second teeth can't fit very well!).

Your second teeth are called permanent teeth (say perm-an-ent) (also called adult teeth). You will have 32 permanent teeth. They are called permanent teeth because if you look after them you can have them for all of your life. They begin growing through your gums from about 6 years and all 32 have finished growing into your mouth by about 18 – 25 years. The permanent teeth push out your deciduous teeth as they grow into your mouth.

Why do teeth have different shapes? Different teeth do different jobs.Incisors (say in-si-zors) are for cutting.Canines (say cay- nines) are for tearing.Molars and pre-molars (say mow-lers) grind up food until it's small enough to swallow.Each type of tooth has a special shape so that it can do its job.Look at the shape of these teeth. Can you tell what kind of teeth they are?

What does sugar do to your teeth? Taking care of your teeth helps prevent plaque, which is a clear film that sticks to your teeth. The film itself might not sound so bad, but it's very sticky, and it acts like a magnet for bacteria and sugar. Like ants at a picnic, bacteria go crazy over the sugar on your teeth, breaking it down into acids that eat away tooth enamel, causing holes called cavities. Brushing is very important in order to remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth.

Sugar content of foods How Sweet It Is Results: