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What are Teeth?
"Teeth are a part of the mouth and are used for chewing, tearing, biting and grinding the food we eat. Teeth are attached to the jawbone from the inside and protrude beyond the gums to the surface to form chewing surfaces."

Tooth Composition

If you look at a tooth picture, you will know that it is made up of a root that goes down into the gums, an outer harder surface that is in contact with the surrounding gums, an inner softer core and an enamel coating around the teeth that forms the outermost layer.

Cross section diagram of a tooth in the gum

Cross section diagram of a tooth

What are Teeth made of?

Now, you must be wondering ‘what are teeth made out of?’  Actually, teeth are made up of a number of different tissues like pulp, dentin, enamel and cementum. These form different layers in the teeth structure. They also vary in thickness and density and perform different functions.
The enamel is the outermost covering of the teeth and the hardest substance in the teeth. This enamel could be lost with excessive acidic action and when hydrogen peroxide is used excessively to clean the teeth and make them whiter. The enamel present in teeth is also the reason for teeth to appear pale white in color naturally. Hence, you must not try to change the natural color of your teeth by bleaching them repeatedly expecting bright white color. Below the enamel is the dentin that is also a solid part of the teeth. The inner pulp part of the teeth is made up of a soft core that is connected to nerves. In simple terms, dentum in the teeth is mainly made up of calcium.
Featured Dental Videos about Teeth

How Many Teeth do you have?

Adults usually have 32 teeth on their jaw. This is the final count of teeth that they have after they attain maturity. Though the tooth number may vary in a few, they are more like exceptions. Some people may not develop wisdom teeth even after attaining the normal age of maturity. For certain others, there might be haphazard growth of teeth and awkward tooth eruptions that alter the tooth numbers and tooth numbering.

Tooth Names and Numbers

Teeth are designated specific names and numbers based on function and position in the jaw

Teeth have specific names and numbers based on function and position in the jaw

Teeth are generally named based on the functions they perform, location in the jaw and overall purpose. Such tooth names include incisors, canines, pre-molars and molars. The front most teeth in both the upper and lower jaws found in middle are called incisors. These teeth are useful for biting into food. Hence, they have the name incisors. After the four incisors in either jaw are present the canines, one on each side of the incisor group. These are useful for tearing into the food. You could have noticed that people use these canines to tear into meat and other materials that require to be torn before they can be chewed.
Following the canines are the pre-molars which are present before the molars and initiate the chewing process. After the pre-molars there are a total of twelve molars in the lower and upper jaw that help to grind the food. The third molar tooth is also called the wisdom tooth and erupts much later, roughly when a person reaches adult hood between 16 and 25 years of age.
Tooth numbers and tooth numbering is relatively easy to understand. The arrangement of teeth in the jaws is symmetric from the centre. Hence, teeth are usually identified and numbered in pairs. There are a total of four incisor teeth in each jaw. The first incisor on each side of the median line is called the central incisor and the one next to it is called the lateral incisor. These two teeth are present on either sides of the median line and hence together sum up to eight incisor teeth in both jaws. After the incisors, a canine tooth is present one on each side in both jaws. Hence, there are a total of four canines in the human dental arrangement.
After the canine, the first pre-molar tooth is present. The tooth present after the first pre-molar is called the second pre-molar. There are a total of eight pre-molars in both jaws. The first and second molar teeth follow the pre-molars on either sides of the jaw. After the second molar is the third molar also called the wisdom tooth. In total, there are twelve molars in the teeth.
Featured Blog Articles about Teeth


Dental Problems

Dental problems are a common concern for many. A number of problems including shaky teeth, tooth decay, infections, loss of tooth enamel, gingivitis, misplaced teeth, dental cavities, tumors, plaque formation and even bad breath can be effectively battled by taking precautionary measures.

Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth are another problem that hinders existence of healthy teeth. In case of sensitive teeth, the teeth are more susceptible to dental problems. This is because they are readily affected by heat and cold. For instance, a small variation in temperature sensed by the teeth can cause immediate pain. If you have sensitive teeth and the teeth numbers of those are more than two or three, it could cause serious problems while chewing and biting.
Have a look at the following posts in our dental forum. Professional opinions and answers from the dentists, for all your tooth related problems:
Sensitive teeth can be treated in numerous ways   "There are a number of special toothpastes; mouthwashes rich in fluoride content that can help tackle sensitive teeth. These desensitizing agents can help ease the pain that reaches the nerve ending in the teeth."
A number of factors could cause sensitive teeth including acid erosion, gum recession, gum diseases, tooth, grinding, tooth bleaching, cracked tooth or filling.  These kinds of factors cannot be prevented completely and often lead to sensitive teeth in people. To learn more about sensitive teeth and the causes thereof, please refer to the free dental videos on checkdent.

The Road to Healthy Teeth

The easiest way to maintaining healthy teeth is to ensure to brush twice a day. For those with sensitive teeth, it is appropriate to take additional care of the teeth from getting affected further.  Now you know what teeth are made up of. Hence, you know that consuming calcium and its assimilation is essential for healthy teeth formation.