The Anatomy of a Smile

Getting to Know Your Teeth

Helping children get to know their teeth is one of the many ways to get them actively involved in taking good care of their own teeth.

Teach children these terms and their meanings, and as you teach them to brush, talk about what teeth (or parts of the teeth) they are now brushing. Not only does this help children take responsibility for their teeth, it also helps them understand whether they are addressing all of the teeth and tooth surfaces when they are brushing on their own.

Crown – The part of the tooth you see.

Cusps – The rounded high parts of the back teeth.

Enamel – The hard white outer covering of the tooth.

Root – You can’t see the roots of our teeth, but they do the very important job of holding teeth in the jawbone.

Dentin – You also can’t see a tooth’s dentin, which is the bone-like substance inside the tooth.

Pulp – The pulp is like a house for the nerves and blood vessels at the center of the crown and root.

Our teeth are shaped differently based on the jobs they do.

Incisors – The eight incisors in the front of the mouth (your four front teeth in both the upper and lower jaw). These teeth are meant for biting, and have sharp, chisel-shaped crowns that cut food.

Cuspids – We have four cuspid teeth, two on top and two on the bottom. These teeth flank the front incisors, and are used to tear food.

Premolars (bicuspid teeth) – These four teeth are the neighbors for the four cuspids. They are used to crush and tear food.

Molars – These teeth come in sets of threes at the very back of the mouth. Their wide surfaces grind food.

Help your kids get to know their teeth, so they can embrace brushing for a healthy smile!