Healthy habits are formed starting at a young age. This includes dental hygiene as well. It's essential to do our best to teach our children the importance of proper dental care and its long-term benefits.
Because most of you are not dentists, we decided to go ahead and explain tooth anatomy just like a local dentist would.
The purpose of this article is to help you explain tooth anatomy to your kids without sounding too serious. If they understand the role of their teeth, then they will know what will happen if they don't take care of them.
Let's see what tooth anatomy is all about.
How a Local Dentist Would Explain Tooth Anatomy to Kids
First of all, let's look at the different parts of a tooth.
- The crown. It's the part of the tooth that is visible, and it has many different shapes. For example, the front teeth are sharp because we need to tear and cut food with them. Molars, on the other hand, have a flat surface because their function is to grind.
- The gumline. It's the equivalent of the horizon - only, in this case, it represents where the tooth and the gums meet. The gumline has the role of protecting the teeth and so they need to be cleaned properly in order to avoid build up.
- The root. This is actually the part of the tooth which you cannot see and it makes up approximately two-thirds of it. Think of it as the root of a tree. Even though it's not visible, it's role is to hold the tooth in place.
- The enamel. It is a hard tissue that makes up the tooth and it is visible because it covers the crown. The enamel has the role of protecting the other tissues. However, if the teeth are not brushed properly, they can be damaged by decay.
- The dentin. It can be found under the enamel. If decay affects the enamel, it can then progress until it damages the dentin which is not something we would want to.
- The pulp. It's a soft tissue which is found in the center of the tooth. This part is extremely sensitive. If decay reaches the pulp, then you will feel pain.
We can compare the enamel with a heavy winter coat. You put it on to be warm and be protected against the cold. Underneath your coat, you also have a sweater or a shirt to keep you even warmer and protect your skin. The sweater is the dentin.
Then, the pulp is your skin. If it comes in direct contact with the low temperatures, you will get cold and, ultimately, get sick.
"Ultimately, without a good coat, aka a healthy crown, your teeth won't be in good shape" states Kennewick dentist, Dr. Barney.
Local Dentists Keep Your Kids' Teeth Healthy
Explaining tooth anatomy to kids is not a walk in the park but we hope this article will help.
If you're looking for a pediatric dentist, feel free to contact us by completing this form and we will follow up with you with more details.
Our local dentists are happy to welcome new patients!
