There are some frequently asked questions about teeth that continue to cause confusion for consumers and that we would like to clarify in this article. Let's get started:

5 frequently asked questions about teeth

What are teeth and how many teeth do we have?

Teeth are structures formed by hard and soft tissues. The hard ones are the enamel, dentin and cement, while the pulp is the soft one. The outermost part, the visible part, is the enamelThe hardest and most mineralized tissue in the body.

There are two types of dentition: the primary or child dentition made up of 20 teeth and the permanent or adult dentition made up of 32 teeth. This double dentition presents in its evolution three different periods due to the eruption and progressive reabsorption of the two dentitions. The primary period coincides with the temporary or infantile dentition (6 months to 6 years), the definitive period is that in which the dental arches are totally formed by permanent dentition (from 12 years onwards), and the mixed period is the intermediate period, in which we have in the oral cavity teeth corresponding to both dentitions (6 years to 12 years).

2.- When does the dental eruption occur?

The rash begins at 6 months of age, when the first teeth appear, usually causing discomfort and increased salivation in children, and ends at about 24 months. A few years later, at the age of 6-7, permanent teeth begin to form progressively, until a period of 18-25 years when wisdom teeth erupt.

3.- What is a caries?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines caries as: "a localized process of multifactorial origin that begins after tooth eruption, determined by the softening of the hard tissue of the tooth and evolves into the formation of a cavity". Caries is an infectious disease of microbial origin that affects the teeth; the microorganisms present in dental plaque (mainly Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus) metabolise the ingested sugars that have remained in the mouth, and produce organic acids that demineralise the enamel causing a partial or even total loss of it.

4.- What is the natural evolution of dental caries?

The natural evolution of a cavity, being a destructive process, can affect all the structures of the dental organ, even causing the death of the tooth. This process can extend to structures close to the affected tooth, causing the loss of adjacent teeth and even infections such as periodontitis or severe cellulite.

5.- What is the relationship between caries and pregnancy?

It can be said that during pregnancy there is a greater risk of caries, due to indirect factors among which we highlight:

• A possible neglect of oral hygiene habits
• Increase in consumption of foods rich in sugars and derivatives
• Modification of the composition of saliva
• The appearance of vomiting that increases the acidity of the mouth weakening the enamel (mainly during the first weeks).

At Laboratorios KINBy answering these 5 frequently asked questions about teeth, we hope to have resolved some doubts in addition to emphasizing the importance of caries prevention for health.

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