Know about the Teeth

There are two sets of teeth. The first set known as the primary or deciduous teeth begin to erupt by the age of 6 months and are replaced by their successive permanent teeth. The complete set of primary teeth will erupt by the age of 3 years. This set is replaced by the second set called the permanent teeth, which begin to appear by 6 years in children.The teeth are divided into incisors, canines, premolars and molars depending on their size and shape.

Did you know that the earliest evidence of tooth formation can be noted during the 6th week of embryonic life and the permanent teeth start forming in a baby by the 12th week of pregnancy?^1,2

Each tooth is made of complex crystals of calcium and other minerals. A tooth has different layers known as the enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp. Enamel forms the outermost layer of the visible portion of the tooth (crown), while cementum lines the lower portion of the tooth (root) placed within the jaw-bone.³

Did you know that the enamel is hardest structure in our body?   

Dentine is the partially living structure within that the living tissue is placed, which is known as pulp. The pulp is composed of blood vessels and nerve tissues, which helps one to apply the correct amount of pressure while biting or chewing. It is the nerve endings, which warns the first signs of cavity.

General Dental CareIt has been universally agreed that prevention is always better than cure. This statement applicable for the teeth also. Dental cavities can form as soon as the tooth appears in the mouth.⁴ Hence to have a set of healthy teeth one has to begin maintaining them as soon as they begin to erupt. Maintenance of primary teeth is important, as they hold space for the permanent teeth that erupt later.