The Function of Human Teeth

Dental Functions

Have you ever asked yourself about your dental formula? How many teeth you have? The different types of teeth you have, and the function of each kind of tooth? It would help if you understood that your dental formula allows you to feed on both plants and meat. You should also know that your dental formula is different from that of a Lion as well as that of a sheep. Lions fall under those animals that eat meat only, while sheep fall under those animals that eat plants only. However, as a human being, you fall under animals that feed on both meat and plants. Your teeth adapt themselves to accommodate both meat and plant meals, coupled with a digestive system that can digest flesh and plants. When certain types of your teeth ail, you suffer from the inability to either chew meat or eat plants. It would help if you always take care to have your dental formula working at its best to enjoy every meal you eat and to facilitate proper digestion in the stomach. Dr. Samantha Lindsay of Lutz, FL, is a dental professional who can help ensure your teeth work at the best and most natural functions.

Incisors

An adult human being has eight incisors. These teeth form the first permanent teeth that a human being grows after the baby teeth fall out. They have a flat and sharp surface that helps you to tug and pull on food. They are situated at the front part of the dental formula and have a division of four on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw. The human body, as well as the dental formula, has a symmetrical nature and divide equally into both sides of the symmetrical axis.

Canines

The canines come after the incisors on the dental formula. They form the most prolonged teeth on your dental formula and total to four. They have a pointed edge and resemble the canines found in animals of prey, such as the lion. They have a sharp end and are well situated to tear food. They also help to guide food and position it to the necessary teeth for chewing.

Molars

The molars form the most significant number of teeth in human beings. Their primary function consists of chewing food into smaller pieces before swallowing. If you have a problem with your molars, you may experience issues with your digestive systems. The molars should chew food a minimum of 24 times to breakdown the chunks into smaller pieces before swallowing and allowing the stomach to complete the digestion. The molars have subdivisions to adapt them to the process of grinding on food. They have a flat surface to provide a large surface area for the grinding process.

Premolars

They form the first molars that grow when developing permanent teeth. They come right after the canines and are the smallest set of molars both on the upper and lower jaws.

Third Molars

They also have the name “wisdom teeth.” You develop the wisdom teeth as the last teeth to grow towards maturity of your dental formula. Most people develop complications with these sets of teeth because they grow back the furthest on your jaw bone. The top and bottom wisdom teeth may meet before fully closing your mouth, or overlap at the back of the gums, and may cause injury while chewing. The solution includes cutting the overlapped gum or removing the teeth.