It's been months since my first dentally related post. I know I should post more info about this topic rather than all the 'gossip girl'-ish posts but I can't help it. Posting something that I love is undeniably fun. But, this is fun too. :) Here I've got some really basic information about our teeth. Keep in mind, this is fun :)
1. Do you know that human only have two sets of dentition? If yes, good. But if your answer to this question is no, it's alright. Now you know. This is very important to note because some people might think that teeth will be continuously replaced once we lost them, thus not taking good care of their teeth. Unlike most reptilian, mammals (including us!) only have two sets of teeth that is deciduous (primary) and permanent (secondary) dentition. Around 10 months after birth, babies will start having their first tooth and at the age of 6 years old, kids will normally get their first permanent tooth which is the first lower molar.
2. Do you know how many teeth should an adult have? A normal adult should have a full set of 32 teeth. These include 4 incisors, 2 canines, 4 premolars and 6 molars on each arch. Yes, you may start counting now :) . Normally, at the age of 14 (given or take 12 months), one should expect to have all the permanent teeth in the mouth except the last molars(i.e. the wisdom tooth). However not all people will get all 32 teeth, some teeth can be missing. The tooth that has high frequency of agenesis is wisdom tooth followed by the second premolar.
3. Do you know that it can take years for a cavity ( the one that is caused by caries) to form on tooth? Yes, it's true. Caries does not just occur in a fortnight, it requires at least months before tooth starts to decalcify and form a cavity. So it's never too late, prevent it now while you can. There are many ways to prevent caries in addition to toothbrushing. This includes additional oral cleaning regime such as flossing and mouthwash, low intake of sugary and acidic food, and frequent sipping of plain water. However, toothbrushing is still the most essential measure, please do not attempt to skip or replace it with other types of oral cleaning. Toothbrushing does not only mechanically remove plaque or food debris from the tooth surfaces, but it also helps delivering fluoride to tooth structure enabling the inhibition of the metabolism of bacteria in our mouth. That is why fluoridated toothpaste is the most recommended one. My tip: Spit don't rinse after brushing. I know it sounds yucky, but try to do this before you go to bed. The fluoride that stays in the mouth help preventing caries formation during bedtime. If you can't do this, wipe thin layer of toothpaste on the surface of your teeth. This also helps in making your tooth stronger.
4. Do you know that one of the dentists' favorite food is chocolate? At least it is true for me :) (although I am not officially a dentist yet --> a budding dentist as my lecturer would call). It is not wrong to have a sweet tooth, as long as you know that it can be bad for your teeth, and your general health. Always eat in moderation, and try to have a bite of chocolate right after meal such as after lunch for example. If you read my post before, sugar reduces the pH in the mouth because oral microbes metabolise sugar and form lactic acid. Therefore every time we eat the pH in the mouth will be reduced. A pH under 5.5 will favor demineralization of hydroxyapatite (compound of tooth), and hence favor towards caries progression. Saliva has the ability to buffer the pH in the mouth, however it needs time to get oral environment back to the neutral pH. Therefore, throughout the day we will be experiencing fluctuation of pH in our mouth. Depending on the frequency of eating (and cleaning + other internal factors), remineralization or demineralization will result. That is why it is advisable to take that piece of chocolate that we've been craving of right away after our main meal. Hope it makes sense :)
Peace
1. Do you know that human only have two sets of dentition? If yes, good. But if your answer to this question is no, it's alright. Now you know. This is very important to note because some people might think that teeth will be continuously replaced once we lost them, thus not taking good care of their teeth. Unlike most reptilian, mammals (including us!) only have two sets of teeth that is deciduous (primary) and permanent (secondary) dentition. Around 10 months after birth, babies will start having their first tooth and at the age of 6 years old, kids will normally get their first permanent tooth which is the first lower molar.
2. Do you know how many teeth should an adult have? A normal adult should have a full set of 32 teeth. These include 4 incisors, 2 canines, 4 premolars and 6 molars on each arch. Yes, you may start counting now :) . Normally, at the age of 14 (given or take 12 months), one should expect to have all the permanent teeth in the mouth except the last molars(i.e. the wisdom tooth). However not all people will get all 32 teeth, some teeth can be missing. The tooth that has high frequency of agenesis is wisdom tooth followed by the second premolar.
3. Do you know that it can take years for a cavity ( the one that is caused by caries) to form on tooth? Yes, it's true. Caries does not just occur in a fortnight, it requires at least months before tooth starts to decalcify and form a cavity. So it's never too late, prevent it now while you can. There are many ways to prevent caries in addition to toothbrushing. This includes additional oral cleaning regime such as flossing and mouthwash, low intake of sugary and acidic food, and frequent sipping of plain water. However, toothbrushing is still the most essential measure, please do not attempt to skip or replace it with other types of oral cleaning. Toothbrushing does not only mechanically remove plaque or food debris from the tooth surfaces, but it also helps delivering fluoride to tooth structure enabling the inhibition of the metabolism of bacteria in our mouth. That is why fluoridated toothpaste is the most recommended one. My tip: Spit don't rinse after brushing. I know it sounds yucky, but try to do this before you go to bed. The fluoride that stays in the mouth help preventing caries formation during bedtime. If you can't do this, wipe thin layer of toothpaste on the surface of your teeth. This also helps in making your tooth stronger.
4. Do you know that one of the dentists' favorite food is chocolate? At least it is true for me :) (although I am not officially a dentist yet --> a budding dentist as my lecturer would call). It is not wrong to have a sweet tooth, as long as you know that it can be bad for your teeth, and your general health. Always eat in moderation, and try to have a bite of chocolate right after meal such as after lunch for example. If you read my post before, sugar reduces the pH in the mouth because oral microbes metabolise sugar and form lactic acid. Therefore every time we eat the pH in the mouth will be reduced. A pH under 5.5 will favor demineralization of hydroxyapatite (compound of tooth), and hence favor towards caries progression. Saliva has the ability to buffer the pH in the mouth, however it needs time to get oral environment back to the neutral pH. Therefore, throughout the day we will be experiencing fluctuation of pH in our mouth. Depending on the frequency of eating (and cleaning + other internal factors), remineralization or demineralization will result. That is why it is advisable to take that piece of chocolate that we've been craving of right away after our main meal. Hope it makes sense :)
Peace
2 comments:
chocolate?oh,gud
cadbury mixed nuts,100g=543kcal
nyamnyam
eh eh.. sy tau semo la.. yg number1 smpai number 4.wah,hebatnya saya (muka bangga)
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