The big idea
Your teeth are the first step in eating. They break food into small pieces so you can swallow it. Different teeth have different shapes. Each shape does a different job.
Let's explore
Run your tongue around your mouth. You can feel different kinds of teeth.
- Incisors are at the front. They are flat and sharp, like little chisels. They cut and bite. You use them to bite into an apple.
- Canines are next to the incisors. They are pointy. They tear food, like a chewy piece of bread.
- Premolars and molars are at the back. They are wide and bumpy. They grind and crush food into mush.
Young children have 20 milk teeth. From about age 6, these fall out one by one. Bigger grow in their place. Adults can have 32 teeth. Adult teeth must last your whole life!