Different Types of Teeth and the Right Way to Brush Them

Did you know that 34% of Canadians require some type of dental treatment? This definitely calls for you to analyze how well you are taking care of your teeth. But before you start working on your dental hygiene, you need to understand your dental anatomy. To touch up more upon this, you need to first understand the different types of teeth you have. In today’s article, we will talk about the different types of teeth and also explain the right way to brush your teeth.

Types of Teeth

1. Canines

Canines are also commonly known as cuspids. These teeth are similar to animal canines but are less sharp. These teeth are on the side of your center teeth and are used to bite. These cuspids grow by the age of ten years and generally the bottom canines erupt before the top ones.

2. Incisors

The front teeth are known as the incisors. These teeth are the first one to erupt at a young age after the milk teeth fall. An average adult has eight incisors. Incisors help the mouth to hold the food before they can bite into it completely with the help of the canines.

3. Molars

The thicker teeth at the back of our mouth are known at the molars. These perform the major task of chewing the food completely and breaking it down for easy swallowing.

4. Premolars

Premolars are teeth that are right next to the canines and are comparatively thinner than back molars. They are the first molars to erupt at around the age of thirteen. Premolars help the canine to bite into the foods.

5. Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the end most molars in a human mouth. They are the last ones to erupt, mostly after the age of eighteen years. Often people get their wisdom tooth extracted as it tends to grow irregularly, cause inflammation, abscess, tooth misalignment, etc.

The Right Way to Brush Your Teeth

Now that we are aware of the different types of teeth, it is essential to know that brushing in a single pattern will not clean your teeth thoroughly. To help you reach every corner, here’s a guide to brush your teeth the right way:

• Do not brush hastily. Spend good two minutes on brushing your teeth.
• Choose a soft bristle brush and apply a generous amount of toothpaste on it.
• Keep the brush at a 45 degree angle in your mouth and start by cleaning the outer layer of your upper incisors and lower incisors.
• Now start brushing the inner surface of both the incisors.
• Brush on the top layer of the frontal teeth and the molars from where you bite your food.
• Finally, clean your tongue with the tongue cleaner or you can use the back of your toothbrush.

Since our teeth are varying in shape and functions, you need to change the way you brush your teeth so that you do not miss out on any spot. You need to apply just the right amount of pressure and keep changing your brush direction to brush your teeth properly. To know more about the right brushing techniques, visit a dentist and get your doubts clarified.