Caring For Your Teeth

Objectives of this presentation Identify reasons for keeping your mouth healthy. Discuss what causes teeth and gums to become unhealthy. Identify that different teeth have specific functions. Understand that different food choices can decay or stain your teeth. Identify the parts of a tooth and explain how to keep teeth healthy. These are the points that we hope you take home from our presentation.

Babies Vs. Adults How many teeth does the average baby have? How many teeth does the average adult have? Why is there a difference?

Human Teeth 20 Primary teeth (baby teeth) 32 Permanent Teeth Humans have two sets of teeth: primary teeth (baby teeth) and permanent teeth. Children have 20 baby teeth which are pushed out and replaced by 32 permanent teeth by about age 13 or 14.

There are four different types of teeth. Incisors and canines molar pre molar

What are they all for? Teeth Incisor- teeth in the very front, sharpest teeth, built to cut food and shaped to shovel the food toward the back of the mouth.. Teeth

What are they all for? Teeth Canine- corners of the mouth, meant for grasping and tearing food, they have very long roots. Teeth

What are they all for? Teeth Premolar- flat chewing surface because they're meant for crushing food. Molar- last teeth towards the back of your mouth, much bigger than the Premolars and have bigger, flatter chewing surfaces because their job is to chew and grind the food into smaller pieces. Teeth

What are your teeth made of? Crown Enamel Dentin Pulp Root Gums Neck Like your bones, your teeth are made up primarily of the minerals calcium and phosphorus. Permanent teeth all have different shapes but they are all made of the same tissues and they all have the same basic parts. Use model of model of teeth and pointer. The crown is the part of your teeth you see in your mouth: the tops of your teeth. Enamel is the tough, shiny, white outer surface of your teeth, and it’s harder than bone. Dentin is the hard but porous tissue underneath the enamel. Dentin is also harder than bone, like enamel. Pulp is in the soft center of your teeth. Nerves and the blood vessels that take nourishment like minerals (calcium and phosphorus) t your teeth are in the pulp. Nerves in the pulp transmit signals (like hot, cold, and pain) from your teeth to your brain. The roots are the bottom parts of your teeth that reach through your gums down into your jawbone. The cementum and the periodontal membrane on the roots are tough tissues that attach your teeth to your gums and jaw bone. Along with the roots, the cementum and periodontal membrane keep your teeth from falling out. Your gums are the soft tissue surrounding the roots of your teeth.

What makes a tooth a tooth? Enamel- White outer surface of tooth, Calcified surface that is stronger than bone. There are three main parts of a tooth, each having an important role in keeping your teeth healthy Teeth

What makes a tooth a tooth? Dentin-Surface directly beneath enamel that is less calcified, similar to bone, becomes visible with excessive wear to the teeth. (Shock Absorber) Teeth

What makes a tooth a tooth? Crown Pulp- Inner most part of the tooth, houses the nerve and blood supply to the tooth. Damage could cause the tooth to die. Root Teeth

When Trouble Strikes... Plaque- A sticky film that forms on your teeth from the bacteria, food, and saliva in your mouth. Have you ever run your tongue along your teeth and felt a fuzzy, slimy coating on them? This is called plaque

When Trouble Strikes... Before In the BEFORE picture, you can see the buildup of plaque on these teeth with the aid of a disclosing agent. The AFTER picture shows the removed plaque. After

How are cavities formed? Plaque can be removed by brushing and flossing Bacteria causes a build up of plaque. The tooth eventually rots away Plaque acid attacks the tooth

Tooth Decay Tooth Decay -Cavities First, the bad news: your mouth is full of bacteria which eat the tiny food particles left on your teeth after you’ve eaten something like a snack. Bacteria on your teeth are plaque, which doesn’t just look bad, it is bad . . . for your teeth and for your overall health. Now put the little red visualization tablets in your mouths and let them dissolve, like this, then open your mouths so that the people around you can see your teeth. That’s plaque. That’s the enemy and we want to get rid of it. Demo of scraping plaque off tooth The enemy of your teeth – bacteria – especially like to eat sugars and starches. When bacteria break down sugars and starches, they produce acids that eat away at your teeth and that’s what causes tooth decay and cavities. Everyone knows that after you eat, you eventually have to go the bathroom? So do bacteria: after they eat, or metabolize, a lot of sugar on your teeth, they have to eliminate waste products, some of which are acids. Incidentally, carbonated drinks have a lot of acid, so drinking soda pop gives your teeth a double whammy: sugar and acid! Let’s see what acid can do to your teeth. Watch this. Demo of dipping paper with picture of tooth in acid. Not very pretty. But here’s the good news about bacteria: They’re small. And you can avoid much of the tooth decay caused by bacteria by avoiding foods high in refined carbohydrates – mainly sugar – and choosing foods that are better for you. It’s the highly refined, simple sugars found in candies and soda that bacteria like most and with which they generate the most acid.

When Trouble Strikes... Gingivitis- Caused by the accumulation of plaque on the tooth and under the gum tissue. Red, swollen gums that hurt and bleed when brushing? Have you ever experienced this before? healthy

When Trouble Strikes... Gingivitis- Causes the gums to become red, inflamed, and to bleed and hurt when brushing.

When Trouble Strikes... Tartar- Plaque that is not removed will sit on the teeth and below the gums, will harden or mineralize, thus forming tartar. When plaque is left to stay on the teeth and is not removed, the minerals in your saliva harden the plaque so that you cannot remove it! What now?

When Trouble Strikes... before after Tartar is also an irritant to the gum tissue that can cause gingivitis Tartar can only be removed by your dental hygienist. before after

Mouth Guards for Contact Sports When Trouble Strikes... The second healthy choice: mouth guards for contact sports. If you get hit, you may have a tooth chipped, cracked, or knocked out, or maybe your jaw broken, or you may get a concussion. Wearing a mouth guard can protect your teeth from being knocked out and will help to absorb the shock from being hit. A mouth guard not only protects, but also improves your confidence because if you don’t need to worry about injuries to your mouth, you can focus better on your game. Young athletes in the United States suffer more than 200,000 sports-related mouth and jaw injuries every year!

Different Types of Mouth Guards Custom-Made by Your Dentist Off-the-Shelf Commercial Mouth-Formed (“Boil and Bite”) Custom-Made by Your Dentist There are 3 types of mouth guards: Ready-made commercial guards – can be bought from most sporting goods stores. Although cheap and easy to find, they are bulky and make breathing and talking difficult. Most importantly, they provide little or no protection for your teeth. They are not recommended by dentists. Mouth-Formed (“boil and bite”) – made by shaping a piece of plastic to your teeth after softening it up in hot water. Although they provide a better fit than ready-made mouth guards, they still don’t offer the best protection for your teeth. Custom made – professionally designed by your dentist from a model of your teeth. This is a properly fitting mouth guard. This type is the most expensive, but it does provide the best comfort, fit, and protection. Dentists highly recommend using this type of mouth guard.

This is what a newly knocked out tooth looks like. First Aid for Teeth If a baby tooth is knocked out it does NOT need to be put back in. Baby teeth are supposed to fall out and a permanent tooth will naturally grow into its place. So don’t try to replace a baby tooth! But, if a permanent tooth is knocked out, it does need to be replaced and very quickly. Time is critical. If the tooth is replaced quickly enough, the root can re-implant in the jaw and heal. This is what a newly knocked out tooth looks like.

If a Permanent Tooth is Knocked Out Find an adult. Pick it up by its crown. Rinse in milk (or tap water). Put it back, in the mouth. Get to a dentist, or to the emergency room quick! What happens if a permanent tooth does get knocked out? What should you do? Does anyone know what to do with the tooth? Find an adult, if you can. Pick up the tooth touching only the crown (the top). You don’t want to get germs all over the root which is going back into the hole in your gums or your friend’s gums. Show crown vs. root on model of tooth. Then you want to rinse the tooth. What do you think you should rinse it off with? Milk is usually best, if available. Just rinse the tooth. Don’t scrub it. Remember that the root is a living part of the tooth. Tap water will do for a rinse if milk is not available. And don’t touch the root. After you rinse it, the tooth needs to stay wet. The best place for the tooth is back where it came from, in the hole in your mouth. You can replant it. If it’s too uncomfortable in your mouth, have your mom or dad put it in their mouth, or put it in a cup of milk. Then, IMMEDIATELY get to a dentist or to an emergency room. Remember that if the tooth is “re-planted” in your mouth within half an hour, it has a chance to reattach and heal, and then you keep your beautiful smile

Chipped Teeth A tooth is more likely to be chipped than knocked out. A chipped tooth could be missing just a little bit of enamel or it could be broken all the way down to the dentin and pulp. If a tooth is chipped or broken you should: Find an adult. Collect all the pieces of the tooth to bring with you to the dentist. Rinse your mouth with warm water. Put a cold pack on injured tooth to reduce swelling and pain. See dentist right away. As always, prevention is the best way to avoid a mouth full of broken or lost teeth.

When Trouble Strikes... Don’t Use Tobacco

When Trouble Strikes... What does Tobacco do to the body? *Ugly teeth *Bad breath *Receding gums *Mouth sores *Cancer, especially mouth.

What are the Benefits of Brushing? Brushing removes plaque and food debris that sits on your teeth Brushing also keeps your gum tissue healthy Brushing promotes a clean and healthy environment in your mouth The main way to remove plaque from your teeth and gums is by brushing!

Brushing Brush twice daily with a soft bristled toothbrush When brushing, make sure that half the bristles are on the gums and half on the tooth Did you ever think there was a right or wrong way to brush your teeth? Well there is!

Brushing Brush in a small circular motions, with light pressure Brush for 2-3 minutes Don’t forget to brush your tongue

What are the Benefits of Flossing? Flossing reaches where the tooth brush cannot Floss cleans between the teeth, a popular area of cavities to form Flossing also removes the plaque and debris below the gum line 40% of the debris on your teeth is left if all you do is brush! And you thought that was good enough right?

Flossing Use an arm’s length piece of floss Floss at least once a day, preferably before going to bed Wrap around middle fingers leave ½” between fingers, and use index fingers as your guide While it may sound complicated, it’s really quite simple once you get the hang of it and is well worth the effort! Doing something for two weeks becomes a habit. Make this one of your daily habits!

Flossing Don’t snap into the gums, instead use a gentle see-saw motion Once in between the teeth, wrap floss around the tooth in a “c” formation and move in up/down motion

Benefits of Fluoride Fluoride is a mineral Helps fight decay in areas where enamel has started to breakdown Prevents decay by strengthening the enamel Many think fluoride is just for kids..wrong! Many adults can and do benefit from the use of fluoride

Forms of Fluoride Fluoride is found in most any toothpaste Over-the-counter rinses, like ACT Fluoride is also found in many cities water sources

So what do I do to keep my teeth healthy? Brush regularly Visit the dentist Floss Eat sensibly Look after your gums

Cavity and Stain Experiment 20 Points

Directions If you break the egg your group loses 5 pts. Take the cap off and smell ( DON’T TASTE) the reactant. List reactant on lab sheet. ( Hint** If it has a strong smell it is probably an acid, if no smell probably a base) Write Down Observations of egg ( color, size, texture, hardness) Write down what happened to the egg when you mixed it in the jar with the reactant ( Observation) Make a HYPOTHESIS on what the reactant will do to your egg over time. (3 days) Place lid back on jar and write down the reactant on label.