Structure of Teeth

From this concept, the students will get an idea about the human teeth structure. The students will be introduced to different parts of the tooth crown and tooth root.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

• Know different parts of human teeth
• State what is dentine.
• Understand how to take care of teeth, why should we visit dentists at the tooth care dental clinics,
• Answer what is dental floss and the importance of flossing teeth.

Each concept is explained to class 4 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept of the Human Teeth Structure and its functions provided in PDF format.

Structure of a human tooth:

The human tooth is the hardest part of the human body. It is an integral part of the human body. A typical adult person has 32 teeth.

The structural image of the human tooth and its components are described below—

 

Parts of Teeth:

• Crown: It is the outer white part of the tooth that is visible outside the gum.
• Root: It is the bottom section of the human tooth which is rooted inside the bony sockets of our jaw and is present inside the gum.
• Enamel: It is the thin covering over the crown and is the hardest part of our body.
• Dentin: It is the layer that is present below the enamel but is not as strong as the enamel.

• Pulp: This is the soft portion present inside the dentin layer.
• Periodontal membrane: A thin membranous layer is present between the bony socket and the root, called the periodontal membrane.
• Cementum: It is the outer covering of the root and is made with hard cement-like substances.
• Nerve and blood supply: The tooth has blood vessels and nerve branches in the root. Blood carries nutrients for the growth and development of the tooth.

Enamel, dentin and pulp are classified under the crown, and periodontal membrane, cementum, nerve and blood supply are classified under root.

How to take care of our teeth?

The following habits will help us care for our teeth, making them strong and healthy.

Flossing the teeth: Floss is a thin waxy thread that helps us keep our teeth clean.

 

 

Eating crunchy fruits: Eating crunchy fruits like guavas, apples, and sugarcanes make our teeth strong.

Visiting a dentist twice a year: One should visit the dentist at least twice a year to keep their teeth and gums healthy.

 

Brushing the teeth twice daily: One must brush their teeth properly twice a day—in the morning and at night after dinner. Fluoride toothpaste is the best choice for healthy teeth. Cavities and gum diseases may develop if one does not brush their teeth.

 

New Words

Did You Know?

Fluoride is a substance that makes the tooth enamel stronger and helps against cavity formation.Our tooth enamel is harder than gold, silver, iron and as hard as steel.

It is surprising that no two people have the same set of teeth; they are as unique as our fingerprint.Mice constantly nibble things because their teeth never stop growing.We can only see one-third of our teeth, the remaining two-thirds remain inside the gum.