PERSONAL C

ARE

FOR T

EETH

Stud

ents

will

be a

ble

to:

List t

he fu

nctio

ns o

f tee

th a

nd

gum

s.

Iden

tify

two

stru

ctur

al p

robl

ems o

f

the

teet

h an

d m

outh

.

Descr

ibe

ways t

o pr

even

t tee

th a

nd

gum

pro

blem

s.

Indian Hills Middle School

2. I floss my teeth everyday.

YOUR TEETH AND GUMSQuick Quiz: how many of these

questions can you answer yes to?

1. I brush my teeth at least twice a day?

3. I go to the dentist at least twice a year.4. I limit my intake of sugary foods.

5. When I play a contact sport, I always wear a mouth guard.

YOUR TEETH AND GUMSHealthy teeth allow you to chew your food

properly and speak clearly.

Normal activities such as biting into an apple or making an s sound becomes difficult. Plus, no teeth or bad teeth are unattractive!

STRUCTURE OF TEETH Incisors: cuts food into

bite-size pieces.

Premolars: crush and grind food.

Molars: crush and grind food.

Canines: tear and slash food.

Crown

Root

Neck

Root canal

Enamel: hardest material in your body. Covers crown.

DentinePulpGums: gives support to teethCementum

Around the age of 5 or 6 the primary teeth begin to fall out.

By the age of 3, most children have all of their first teeth, or primary teeth.

Over the next few years, the primary teeth are replaced by 28 permanent teeth.

STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS

The Changes that occur in the jaws throughout the growing years can lead to structural problems.

STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS

Malocclusion: When the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly.

Orthodontist: A specialist who corrects the position of jaws and teeth with braces or other devices.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth: The last of the molar teeth with little or no room to grow, crowd the permanent teeth creating problems. The wisdom teeth are removed.

CARING FOR YOUR TEETH

If your teeth and gums are in poor condition, you may have trouble eating and speaking.

Failure to take care of your teeth and gums can also cause mouth pain and halitosis (bad breath).

A healthy diet, proper tooth care, and regular dental checkups can prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Healthy Diet

Brushing 2x’s Daily to

Remove

Plaque (harmful sticky

bacteria)

Flossing Daily

Wear a mouth guard

when playing contact

sports

Twice yearly Dental Check ups

TREATING TOOTH DECAY

When plaque is not removed often enough or well enough, the bacteria in your mouth grow and multiply. The acid that they produce eats away at the enamel of the tooth. When the enamel is broken down, a tiny hole, or cavity, forms.

To repair a cavity, a dentist uses a drill to remove the decay and bacteria and then fills the hole.

TREATING GUM DISEASE1. A healthy tooth.2.A tooth with plaque

and inflamed gums.

3. An unhealthy tooth with plaque and tartar (if plaque is not removed within 48 hours it turns into a hardened material called tartar) which irritates the gums and leads to periodontal disease.4. A periodontal diseased tooth. Gums are inflamed and have receded. Early stages of the disease the gums will bleed and the teeth will eventually fall out if left untreated.

GOOD HEALTH REVIEW & QUESTIONS

1.List the functions of the teeth and gums.

2.Identify two structural problems of the teeth mouth.

3.Describe ways to prevent teeth and gum problems.