Teeth are important organs that help us live a normal life because strong teeth allow us to chew food well and efficiently deliver food to the body for metabolism. Most people already know that we only have two sets of teeth in our lifetime. The first set is called “baby teeth” and the second set, which stays with us until old age, is called “permanent teeth”.
Baby Teeth, The First Set of Teeth in Life
“Baby teeth” begin to appear in children at about 6 months old. By the age of 2 and a half years, the first set will be complete with 20 teeth. Baby teeth are white like milk and small in size. Usually, the first teeth to appear are the lower central front teeth of the child. When the first baby tooth appears, parents should take their child to see a dentist for advice on dental care and to instill oral and dental health habits in the child. Baby teeth are the starting point for clear speech development, help permanent teeth grow in the correct position, and reduce problems such as spacing, crowding, or misalignment of permanent teeth.
Permanent Teeth, The Second and Final Set That Must Be Taken Care of Especially Well
At the age of 6, the first baby teeth usually fall out, and the first permanent teeth begin to emerge, gradually replacing the baby teeth until there are 28 teeth by the age of 18. Permanent teeth are off-white to yellowish in color and larger in size than baby teeth. Once permanent teeth have come in, they must be well cared for because they are our final set of teeth. If not properly cared for, they may be lost prematurely.
The best dental care is to brush teeth correctly from the time baby teeth appear until they are replaced by permanent teeth, and to regularly visit the dentist every 6 months. The dentist will examine and assess dental health and may take full-mouth dental X-rays to plan for ongoing dental care.
What Are the Benefits of OP X-rays or Intraoral Film X-rays?
X-rays (ORTHOPANTOMOGRAM) are part of the diagnostic and treatment planning process to improve the accuracy of oral health care by dentists. X-rays help show the condition of teeth and other oral structures that cannot be seen externally or with the naked eye, such as the jawbone, skull, or the characteristics of each tooth, including the position of impacted teeth, curvature, root length, tooth damage, and interproximal cavities. They are also useful for orthodontic considerations.
Proper Care of Permanent Teeth
1. Brush your teeth every time after eating because food debris causes tartar and tooth decay. It is important to brush correctly as follows:
- Brush the outer surfaces of the teeth by placing the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and moving the brush back and forth. For lower teeth, brush upward; for upper teeth, brush downward.
- Brush the inner surfaces by placing the bristles at the gum line. For lower teeth, brush upward; for upper teeth, brush downward.
- Brush the chewing surfaces by placing the brush bristles on top of the molars and moving back and forth on both upper and lower teeth.
- Brush the tongue to help remove microbial plaque and reduce bad breath.
2. Regularly use dental floss by pulling about 45 cm of floss and wrapping it around both middle fingers. Then pull the floss tight, hold it with your thumbs, and gently slide it between the teeth. Curve the floss around each tooth, slide it under the gum, and move it up to the tooth tip. Repeat 4-5 times.
3. Use mouthwash to help remove small food particles left behind. Mouthwash only mildly kills bacteria. The correct way to rinse is to swish the mouthwash from cheek to cheek and from front to back.
4. Visit the dentist for a dental check-up regularly every 6 months.
