Teeth (singular tooth) are small, calcified, whitish structures found in the jaws (or mouths) of humans and other vertebrates that are used to break down food.
Our teeth help us chew and digest food, play an important role in speech, and impact our health overall.
Humans have two sets of teeth, primary (or baby) teeth and then permanent teeth, which develop in stages.
Although the timing is different, the development of each of these sets of teeth is similar.
Here are some facts about how people develop teeth:
The crown of a tooth forms first, while the roots continue to develop even after the tooth has erupted.
The 20 primary teeth are in place by age 3 and remain until around 6 years of age when they begin to fall out to make way for the permanent set of teeth.
Adult teeth start to grow in between 6 and 12 years of age. Most adults have 32 permanent teeth.
Permanent teeth are larger and take longer to grow in than primary teeth.
