Your teeth have JOBS too!

Happy “Tooth-Day”!

Farah Flossit here, hoping you are all doing a job well done:)

We all have jobs. If you are a child, your job is to be a student, sibling, or a good teammate on a sports team. If you are an adult, you have many jobs, a nurse, a mom, a dad, etc. What we don’t usually consider is that each type of tooth we have, has a specific job. They don’t all have the same shape & purpose. So, today I want to shed some light on what each type of tooth does. This is great information you can share with your kiddos. This will help them understand that if you they don’t have healthy workers in their mouths, their teeth can’t do a good job!

Fist it’s important to identify the 4 different types of teeth 1. INCISORS 2. CANINES 3. PREMOLARS 4. MOLARS

Now we can talk about the function or job each type of tooth has. Teeth help you chew on your food, making it easier to digest. Each type of tooth has a slightly different shape & performs a different job.

INCISORS. Incisors are the eight teeth in the front & center of your mouth (4 on the top & 4 on the bottom). These are the teeth that you use to take bites of your food. Incisors are usually the first teeth to erupt, at around 6 months of age for your first set of teeth, & between 6 & 8 years of age for your adult set.
CANINES. Your four canines are the next type of teeth to develop. These are the sharpest teeth and are used for ripping & tearing food apart. Primary canines generally appear between 16 & 20 months of age with the upper canines coming in just ahead of the lower canines. In permanent teeth, the order is reversed. Lower canines erupt around age 9 with the upper arriving between 11 & 12 years of age.
PREMOLARS. Premolars, or also known as bicuspids, are used for chewing & grinding food. You have 4 premolars on each side of your mouth, 2 not the upper & 2 on the lower jaw. The first premolars appear around age 10 and the second premolars arrive a year later.
MOLARS. Primary molars are also used for chewing & grinding food. These appear between 12 & 15 months of age. These molars, also known as deciduous molars. are replaced by the first & second permanent premolars (4 upper & 4 lower). The permanent molars do not replace, but come in behind the primary teeth. The first molars erupt around 6 years of age (before the primary molars fall out) while the second molars come in between 11 & 13 years of age.
THIRD MOLARS. Third molars are commonly known as wisdom teeth. These are the last teeth to develop & do not typically erupt until age 18-20, and some people never develop third molars at all. For those who do, these molars may cause crowding & need to be removed.

Much like if you are out sick from school or you are not able to go to your place of work, you can do your job. Therefore, the same way you need to take care of your bodies & stay healthy by taking vitamins, exercising & eating right, it is just as important to keep your teeth healthy so that they can do their job! It’s your job to brush your teeth, floss, eat healthy foods, & visit the dentist every 6 months for your checkups & cleanings! Just remember that a healthy mouth makes for a healthy body and a pretty smile!

To continue to support & bring awareness to Autism for “Autism Awareness Month”, check out some tips for helping your “Ausome” friend, family, or patient visit the dentist!

HELPFUL TIPS FOR AUSOME FRIENDS:

Many children like counting. This is a great way to getting the job done. Have the child count with you as they get one side of their mouth cleaned or as the dentist counts how many teeth they have.
Bring a stress ball, silly putty, or play dough. The use of this helps with anxiety & stimming.
Bring a weighted vest or blanket for a sense of security or to help with sensory overload.
Use head phones to block out some of the distracting noises that one can hear at the dentist. At Casa Smiles, we have headphones where children can pick from a wide selection of their favorite movies & shows.

Thank you for tuning in on today’s Happy “Tooth-Day’s” report!

I look forward to chatting with you all next week!

In the meantime, you can follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casasmilespediatricdentistryandorthodontics?pnref=lhc. Instagram http://instagram.com/casasmiles/, Twitter https://twitter.com/casa_smiles, Yelp http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-smiles-pediatric-dentistry-and-orthodontics-coral-gables & Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/casasmiles/ to hear all about our daily news! You can always call or email us with any questions, concerns, to make an appointment, or for a complimentary Ortho Consultation http://www.casasmiles.com/contact-us/.

Your Friend,

Farah Flossit (Special Agent Flossit)