Teeth - a very important "set of spares" of our body. They perform an aesthetic role, grind food, and participate in the formation of speech, making it clearer and cleaner. Why nature identified 32 teeth in a person, and what function each of them performs? You need to know this not just because of idle curiosity, but in order to correctly assess the importance of caring for your little helpers. After all, the state of your health and mood, in general, depends on them.
Ways of Teeth Development
The first tooth appears in a baby when it reaches 6 months, and all baby teeth grow to about the age of 3. At the age of 6–7, they begin to fall out gradually and new, already permanent teeth grow in their place. At the age of 14, you should have 28 such permanent teeth.
The last four teeth appear from the age of 18-25. These are very problematic wisdom teeth. They grow in all people in different ways. Some become owners of all four wisdom teeth at once, others may only grow one or two, and there are people who don’t get wisdom teeth at all.
Differences Between Teeth
The teeth differ in structure and function. The largest number of teeth for a specific function is the 12 molar teeth, the surface of which has grooves for chewing food. The presence and, if necessary, timely restoration of the chewing teeth plays a big role in ensuring the normal functioning of the digestive organs.
After all, they thoroughly chew food, which ensures its proper absorption in the stomach, intestines, etc. In addition to the molars, there are 8 more of their assistants - the premolars, which tear and grind food. Fangs (4 of them) stick into the food, tearing pieces from it, and 8 front incisors with a sharp cutting edges directly bite off food.
Why Exactly 32?
The number of teeth that we have today was clearly measured in the course of evolution. Ancient people had to chew on coarse food and raw meat, so they needed all these teeth. Today, experts say that for chewing modern food, which has become softer, 20–22 teeth are enough for a person.
Therefore, it is often possible to hear the recommendations of dentists, especially foreign ones, about the "thinning" of teeth in childhood, so that the rest grow more freely and do not deteriorate.
However, quite recently, Austrian scientists have proved that the nerves in the roots of each of the 32 teeth are connected in an appropriate way with the same number of nuclei of the brain, the hypothalamus, which regulates the work of many organs and body systems. Therefore, when chewing, a mechanical effect on these organs occurs, and the disease of a tooth can lead to problems with the “sponsored” liver or, for example, the kidneys.
Regular check-ups at a dental office will cause much less hassle than the urgent treatment of acute toothache. Today, most dental clinics provide a whole range of dental services in the shortest possible time in order to identify and solve problems you may have. It is essential to understand that without timely and proper treatment, many dental issues can progress and lead to the development of severe complications.
Therefore, we must take care of the health of all our teeth, protect them from injuries and diseases, carry out appropriate prophylaxis, and constantly use not only a toothbrush and toothpaste but also additional means - dental floss, elixir, and rinses. It is very important not to forget about the visit to the doctor every six months.
