We have two sets of teeth during our lifetime; they are deciduous teeth and permanent teeth. There are altogether 20 deciduous teeth and 32 permanent teeth.

Deciduous teeth start to grow when a child is six months old, and finish growing around the age of two and a half. Permanent teeth start to erupt and replace deciduous teeth at the age of six, and at this time, deciduous teeth begin to wobble and fall out one by one.

Enamel
Transparent or milky-white colour. It's even harder than bone. It's the hardest tissue in a human body.

Dentine
Slightly yellowish in colour.

Pulp
Filed with blood vessels and nerve fibres

We have different types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Each tooth has four types of surfaces. They are the inner surface, outer surface, chewing surface and adjacent surface. These different types of teeth have various functions:

• Incisors – to cut food
• Canines – to tear food
• Premolars – to grind food

• Molars – larger than premolars, to grind food like premolars

• Food needs to be broken down and chewed before entering the digestive system so that our body can easily absorb nutrients from them.

• Teeth can help us pronounce accurately.

• Teeth can help us look better by giving us a good profile.

• Deciduous teeth can reserve spaces for permanent teeth. Once the permanent teeth start to erupt, the deciduous teeth will fall out and give room for permanent teeth.

Periodontal tissues are tissues surrounding the teeth. They have important functions:

Gingivae (gum)
Cover the surface of alveolar bone. Healthy gingivae are pink in colour.

Alveolar bone
Supports teeth. If alveolar bone is ill, the teeth will lose support, become loose, and fall out.

Periodontal membrane
Attachment between teeth and alveolar bone.