how to care for your teeth€¦ · unfortunately, bacteria cause teeth to decay. if you eat sugary...
TRANSCRIPT
How to care for your teeth
Teeth are essential for eating. Human beings eat both plants and animals;therefore their teeth are especially suited to cutting, tearing and chewingtheir food.
The teeth at the back of your mouth are called molars and these are usedfor grinding food. They tend to be fairly large and flattish so that theycan crush and chew food easily. Did you know that humans also havefangs? Believe it or not, these fangs are called canine teeth and are usedfor tearing and ripping food! Another type of tooth in your mouth is anincisor. These are the flatter, sharp teeth which are located at the front ofyour mouth so that they can cut through food when you bite.
We have just the right amount of different teeth to help us eat a balanceddiet. If we were herbivores like sheep and cows, then we would have moremolars for grinding food. On the other hand, if we were purely carnivoreswe would have more canines for gripping and tearing meat, similar to alion.
As our teeth are important in helping us eat, we have to take care of themor eating might become difficult. Unfortunately, bacteria cause teeth todecay. If you eat sugary foods then this will be eaten away by bacteria,which forms a covering of plaque on the teeth. This plaque contains acid; asa result the protective layer of enamel on your teeth gets destroyed. (It isenamel that keeps teeth hard, so it is important that we protect it!)
Luckily, you can help prevent tooth decay. First you must brush twice aday; consequently any plaque that has built up is removed. If you drinkwater that contains fluoride, this also is believed to keep teeth strong. Donot eat too many sugary foods, as this is likely to cause decay. Finally,make sure that you visit a dentist regularly so that any signs of decaycan be spotted and treated. So, stay healthy and look after thosegnashers!
