10 Facts About The Human Teeth

We smile, eat, talk ..but how ?
The human teeth helps us do all these and is highlighted on this edition of science corner.

Normal teeth eruption in babies at the age of six months marks the beginning of the diphydont cycle which ends in adulthood. Humans grow two sets of teeth in a life time, the milk teeth (20 teeth in the set) and adult teeth (32 teeth in the set).

The human teeth is classified into four parts and carry out distinct functions-

• Canine - The canine have sharp pointed biting surface which primarily grips and tears food. There are four canine in a milk teeth and permanent teeth.
• Inscissors - The incissors are eight in number and is used for shearing and cutting food into small chewable pieces.
• Premolars - The premolars are unique to the permanent dentition and are eight in number. They have a flat biting surface with a primary function of crushing food.
• Molars - Eight in the primary dentition and twelve in the permanent dentition. They are the largest teeth and are used to chew,crush and grind food.

10 Facts About The Human Teeth

• The tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body and represents the visible part of the teeth. Other tissues off the tooth include cementum,dentin and dental pulp.
• On average, a persons spends 38 days brushing their teeth in their lifetime.
• The development of the primary teeth in an embryo begins between the sixth and eighth weeks while the permanent teeth which appears at six months begins to form in the twentieth week. If  these developments do not occur near or at these period, then the teeth will not be formed at all.
• Just like fingerprints , teeth are also unique and distinct in each human. No two humans have identical teeth.e gums.
• Only 2/3 of the tooth can be seen, the rest is hidden inside th
• The dental plaque (a mass of bacteria that grows on the surface of the mouth) is made up by 300 different species of bacteria
• Electric toothbrush is priamrily used for indivduals with disabilities and was first invented in 1954 by Dr Philippe Guy.

(An Electric Toothbrush)

• Odontalgia is the scientific term used to describe toothache.
• In 2014, Ashik Gavai - a 17 year old boy had 232 teeth removed in a 7 hour operation conducted in Mumbai India. Ashik was said to be suffering from Odontoma (a rare case where a single gum produces a lot of teeth. Ashik was left with 28 teeth after the surgery.
• Unlike the bone, the permanent human teeth do not have the ability to regenerate when they are damaged.

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