Teeth
Tooth decay
Tooth decay is caused by plaque collecting along the gun line.
Plaque is made up of tiny bits of food and bacteria
The acids made by the bacteria start to attack the tooth enamel within 20 minutes of a meal.
When the hard enamel dissolves away it creates holes or cavities.
How to look after teeth
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Avoid acidic fizzy drinks and sweet food
- Visit your dentist every 6 months
Now answer these questions
- What is the name of the substance that collects along the gum line that causes tooth decay?
- What is plaque made from?………………………………….
- What do the bacteria make that dissolves away tooth enamel
- What is the best way to remove plaque?
- What is the best way to find out if out have any cavities and get them repaired?
Cavities
Most cavities form over a period of months, or even years. They are usually painless, but they can grow very large, and damage the much softer part of the tooth such as the dentin and the pulp.
Animal teeth
Animals’ teeth are different depending upon what foods they eat.
Meat-eaters (carnivores) have sharp canine teeth
Plant-eaters (herbivores) have flat incisor teeth.
Animals that eat both plants and meat, like humans, have sharp teeth in front and flat teeth at the back.
Some Animal facts
Sharks lose teeth each week. They get new teeth when they lose the old ones. They may have over 20,000 teeth in a lifetime.
Crocodiles have 60 teeth in their mouth at any one time and can grow up to
2-3,000 teeth during their lifetime.
Poisonous snakes have hollow fangs which eject poison.
Giraffes have 32 teeth, just like humans.
Elephants have four sets of teeth in their lifetime. Their tusks are the longest teeth in the world.
Dolphins have more teeth than any other animal. Some dolphins have over 200 teeth. Scientists can tell the age of a dolphin by the rings on their teeth.
Snowshoe rabbits fight with their teeth. Adult males, called bucks, fight one another with their teeth when they court the females or does.
Baleen whales don’t have teeth. Instead they have stiff, fringed plates, made of the same stuff as human hair and fingernails. They hang down from the upper jaw and trap small fish and other food.