Your Teeth

[Music] [Applause] [Music] when you're on a family camping trip there's lots to see you get so interested you don't even notice that it's lunchtime Rob and Cathy are still thinking about the squirrel how can it break open those nuts with its teeth Cathy is glad she doesn't have to crack nuts with her teeth especially now that one is loose and she is glad that she has her 20 teeth she counted them on her birthday if Kathy didn't have any teeth her food would have to be especially cut and mashed before she could eat it Kathy remembers how Mrs Brown fixes food for her baby the baby doesn't have all her teeth yet babies don't have any teeth at first when you are about 6 months old your teeth start to grow through your gums the first to appear are your front teeth back teeth grow in one by one until you have your whole set of baby teeth as you grow your jaws become larger and when you are about 6 years old your baby teeth aren't big enough any longer their Roots disappear the part that you can see gets loose first one tooth then another loosens and comes out your permanent teeth grow into these spaces if you run your tongue over your front teeth you will feel sharp Ed that can cut food into small pieces just as a knife can cut the Apple Kathy uses both her front teeth and her back teeth to chew the Apple well the back teeth have points and Hollows for crushing and grinding food very small but they're not for cracking nuts thinks Kathy the next time you are eating notice how your teeth grind food into small pieces that you can swallow easily your teeth help you digest your food that is why good teeth and healthy gums are important but what if bits of food especially sweet food remain around the teeth and in the cracks between them germs eat this food making acids acids that can cause cavities inside the tooth is a nerve and if the cavity reaches this nerve a toothache results you may even lose the tooth then could you chew your food properly but you can prevent toothaches and Cavities what are some of the ways you take care of your teeth good food builds strong teeth fresh fruit and vegetables milk and meat you need some chewy foods for healthy teeth and gums when you choose food for health what is best for the teeth should you choose sweets why are fruits better and after eating what should you always do that's right brush your teeth after eating Rob and Kathy both know that cavities can't start in strong clean teeth Rob shows Cathy how the dentist taught him to brush his teeth the squirrel seems to enjoy its food Kathy says that's because it has such healthy teeth Kathy and Rob are glad they have healthy teeth too oh [Music]