Kids kingdom

Let's begin with your mouth - what an amazing place! Look in a mirror and open wide - see if you can see all the following things...

The first thing you might see is your tongue, which is a lump of muscle that is very agile. It is covered in tiny bumps that are called papillae. On the sides of the papillae are your tastebuds. They detect the tastes and texture of food and send the information along the nerves to the brain.

Your tongue can recognise hundreds of flavours. Different parts of the tongue are sensitive to individual tastes.

*There is a chemical called monosodium glutamate that enhances tastes - this is used by lots of food manufacturers so that you think their recipes are yummier than anybody elses!

(there are lots of things hidden in foods - especially sugar, have a look at the ingredients label of a ready-to-cook meal!)

*A doctor or dentist can check your health by looking at your tongue! Sometimes when you are ill your tongue might feel furry.

*In some countries they scrape their tongues to removethe dead cells and food debris that collect in the papillae!

Now, look under your tongue, can you see the vessels that take the blood to it? They enable the tongue to have the energy to talk and taste the food you eat.

The part that attaches the tongue to the mouth is called the frenulum.

The other funny part in your mouth is right at the back. Can you see a little wobbly bit hanging down? It is called the uvula - which means "little grape" in Latin!

When a baby is born it already has teeth hidden beneath it's gums.The teeth usually begin to appear when the baby is six or seven months old.

These are known as primary, milk or deciduous teeth.

Humans have two sets of teeth (dentitions) during their lives - the first set consists of twenty deciduous teeth which are a temporary set - the word deciduous is also used to describe trees that lose their leaves.

Although they are temporary the first set of teeth are important for chewing, developing speech and saving space for the second set, so make sure that you take care of them!

From the age of 5 the front incisors (lower "A"s - see the chart below) start to loosen - you will notice when the tooth falls out that the root has gone - this is because it has dissolved.

As we lose our milk teeth they are replaced by 20 permanent teeth plus another 12 permanent molars.

The part of the tooth that you can see is called the crown, and is covered by enamel. This is the part that is most easily damaged, or where you can see the first signs of tooth decay.

*Enamel is the hardest substance in the body. It is the second hardest substance known to man... can you guess what the first is? You can email us with/for the answer.

Dentine is the second layer inside a tooth, which is softer than enamel.

In the middle of a tooth are the blood vessels and nerve fibre endings, they come up through the base of the root and into the root canals to reach the cavity.

Each tooth is set into the jawbone with a complex attachment mechanism called the periodontal ligament - this acts as a shock absorber when you eat. The periodontal ligament is attached to the tooth by a substance called cementum. The tissues that cover the bone in which the teeth are embedded are called the gums (gingivae).

Incisors (for cutting) and canines (for tearing) have one root, pre-molars have one or two and molars (for grinding) have two or three.

When you have a check-up at the dentist (usually every four months) you will hear the dentist "charting" your teeth.

All teeth have a number so the dental nurse knows which tooth the dentist is talking about. The nurse writes the information down on your record card - this gives a clear picture about teeth you have lost, teeth which have come through, those which have a filling and early signs of decay. This means that the dentist has the chance to help you to stop tooth decay before you need a filling, or fill a "cavity" before it becomes worse.
THIS IS WHY CHECK-UPS ARE IMPORTANT

• 1.i 2. Incisors
• 3. Canines
• 4.i 5. Pre-molars
• 6.i 7. Molars
• 8. Molars (Wisdom teeth)

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to appear - usually as an older teenager, but some adults are still waiting for their wisdom teeth to come through because they may be buried (or impacted) in the gums - ask if your parents or teachers have theirs!

Humans have two sets of teeth, but if they lose permanent teeth one of the options is to be fitted with dentures (false/artificial teeth).

*In Roman times wooden, metal, ivory or real teeth taken from people who had died, were used to make dentures.

George Washington (1739-1799). He was the President of the USA and had spring-mounted false teeth. Although his dentures stayed in place they made his jaws ache from trying to keep his mouth shut all day !

Nowadays dentures are made from plastic with impressions taken of the patient's mouth. Followed by appointments for bite, try-ins, and final fit. This is important to make sure that they fit properly, feel comfortable and the patient is happy!

Dentistry has come a long way since Roman times!

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Teeth have a crushing power of 227kg (500lbs) which is the weight of three men!
2. Sharks have twelve rows of teeth - if they lose any more grow in their place! - crocodiles grow new teeth when they need them and elephants only have four teeth which are replaced up to six times...
3. There are 100,000,000 ( one hundred million) bacteria in the mouth!
4. 1 - 1.5 litres of spit is produced from the salivary glands EVERY DAY!

CARING FOR FIRST TEETH

It's time to start regular cleaning as soon as teeth start to appear. This is Mum or Dad's job until you are old enough to do it yourself.

(let them check that you haven't missed anything as you get older though!)

Use a small toothbrush - never use more than a pea sized amount of toothpaste. Don't swallow the toothpaste you have used(this is the one time you are allowed to spit)!

Always use a good quality toothbrush suitable for your age and change it about every three months. Dentists usually recommend a soft/medium filament as hard filaments can damage teeth and gums if they are not used properly.

Worn out toothbrushes will not clean teeth properly.

*If you wet a new and an old brush, then brush them over a piece of coloured paper you can compare how effectively they would clean your teeth....

Fluoride toothpastes protect our teeth against decay and control gum disease as well as cleaning and polishing them.

So....toothbrush at the ready - but remember don't brush too hard or you'll damage your gums...

*one of the first toothpastes was avaliable in 1873 and sold in jars.

Lower teeth first!

Use a gentle circular motion with the brush to clean your teeth, making sure you pay attention to where the gums and teeth meet....then onto the inside of the teeth (move your tongue out of the way!)... and make sure that you clean the biting surfaces of your back teeth....now it's time to do the upper teeth....same again and don't miss any out!

Time yourself...cleaning your teeth should last for two minutes...first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Remember NEVER eat or drink anything after cleaning your teeth at night (except water), unless you clean them again. This is one habit that your Mum and Dad will like!

This chart is for you to print off and keep. Remember to clean your teeth every morning and just before bed. Simply tick the chart when you clean your teeth...happy brushing!

PLAQUE

Throughout the day, as we eat and drink, deposits form on the surfaces of our teeth. These deposits contain millions of bacteria and are called plaque. Although it is hard to see it causes tooth decay and gum disease. So it is very important to clean your teeth really well and twice a day.

TOOTH DECAY

The bacteria breaks down the sugars in the plaque that has built up on the teeth to form an acid that dissolves the tooth enamel. Once this protective coating is damaged it will lead to pain. This means that eating sugary foods and not cleaning your teeth properly can lead to cavities (holes) in your teeth. The only solution is a filling.

Gum Disease

If plaque builds up on your teeth it makes the gums sore and swollen. This is called gum disease (gingivitis). If your gums do bleed alot please tell your dentist when you have your check-up.

Some people form tartar (calculus) if plaque isn't brushed away properly every day. Once it has formed on your teeth only a dentist or hygienist can remove it.

BAD BREATH

One of the causes of bad breath can be when plaque has built up. It can also be caused by little bits of food getting stuck in between the teeth, cavities,and in the gum crevices.

SO ONCE AGAIN MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN YOUR TEETH PROPRERLY AND TWICE A DAY.

We have tried some great, but quite simple experiments that you may like to try as well.

• EXPERIMENT 1. – The Decaying Egg
• EXPERIMENT 2. – Does fluoride toothpaste work?
• EXPERIMENT 3. – Real Teeth
• EXPERIMENT 4. – Disclosing Tablets