Your Teeth and What You Eat

Run the tip of your tongue slowly across your top teeth. Can you feel that some are flat and some are sharp and pointy? Your mouth is full of different shapes — and each shape has its own special job. Why do you think your teeth are not all the same? Think about it for a moment before we find out.

You have three main types of teeth, and each one is shaped perfectly for its job. **Incisors** are the eight flat teeth at the front of your mouth — four on top and four on the bottom. They work like scissors. When you bite into an apple or a piece of bread, your incisors cut the food into smaller pieces. **Canines** are the four pointed teeth, one on each side of your incisors. They are sharp and strong. Canines grip and tear tougher foods, like meat. Animals that eat a lot of meat, such as dogs, have very large canines. **Molars** are the wide, bumpy teeth at the back. You have eight of them. Molars grind and crush food into a soft paste that is easy to swallow. Try chewing a cracker — your molars do most of that grinding work. **How does diet affect your teeth?** Diet means the food and drink you have every day. Some foods help your teeth stay strong. Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt contain calcium, a mineral that builds hard, strong enamel. Enamel is the tough outer layer that protects each tooth. Other foods and drinks can damage your teeth. Sugary foods — like sweets, fizzy drinks, and biscuits — feed tiny bacteria that live in your mouth. The bacteria make acid, and acid slowly eats away at enamel. This is how tooth decay, also called a cavity, forms. Eating a balanced diet — with plenty of vegetables, fruit, dairy, and water — and brushing twice a day gives your teeth the best chance of staying healthy for life.