All About Teeth – Part 1 – How Teeth Grow

In order to properly care for your teeth, it’s essential to understand how your teeth grow, what problems they can develop, and what role they play as a key part of your body.  This is Part 1 of a 3 part series…all about teeth!

Throughout your life, you will have two sets of teeth: primary (baby) teeth and secondary (permanent) teeth. After about 6-8 months, the primary teeth begin to appear, and are completely developed by around age 3.  It is recommended that a child’s first visit to the dentist is when they get their first tooth, or before they turn 1 year old.  Dr. Still will recommend a children’s dentist (a pedodontist) in Sarasota to check for any oral health issues with the teeth, gums, and jaw so they can be fixed if necessary. Smile Sarasota will begin to see your children around the age six and older.

Permanent teeth will begin to grow around age 6 and are usually completely developed sometime between ages 12 and 14, not including Wisdom teeth. It’s not until about age 17 and on that Wisdom teeth typically start coming in. Once the Wisdom teeth are completely developed, the total number of permanent teeth is brought to 32.  Unfortunately, few people have room for all 32 teeth, which is why wisdom teeth are usually removed and Dr. Still will refer you to an oral surgeon for this procedure.

Your permanent teeth are meant to last a lifetime, so it is critical that they are brushed and flossed routinely and stopping by Smile Sarasota to meet with our friendly and experienced dental team to make sure that you are in good oral health. Stay tuned for Part 2 about how your teeth and your overall health are related! Check out the video below about tooth eruption and also, Click here to learn more about the crazy world of teeth!

 

This is great video that details the tooth eruption process: