How many teeth do we have?

Because the mouth grows and needs bigger, stronger teeth. The permanent tooth, already hidden in the bone, pushes up while the baby tooth’s root dissolves until it gets wobbly and falls out. It usually starts around age 6 and lasts until about 12.

A little hole in a tooth made by mouth bacteria. They feed on leftover sugar and make acid that wears away the enamel. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing and eating fewer sweets between meals help prevent it.

It wets food so it is easier to chew and swallow, starts digesting starch (like in bread), helps you taste and protects teeth by washing away food bits and balancing acid in the mouth.

It is made of several muscles working together, covered by a lining with taste papillae. That is why it can make so many different movements to speak, chew and swallow.

They are the last molars at the very back of the mouth, usually coming in between ages 17 and 25. Many people don’t have room for them, and a dentist may recommend removing them. They are not in this model.