As we grow older our mouths and teeth are constantly changing. This is why an adult with a full set of teeth is going to be different from a child that is developing. Additionally, this is why it is a good idea to take children to a pediatric dentist. Holiday residents might not be aware of some differences between a child’s primary set of teeth, or baby teeth, and that of an adult’s permanent teeth. To put it into perspective, all humans have two sets of teeth in their life that are drastically different, and are often looked at differently by dental professionals.

What Makes Primary Teeth Unique?

A child’s first set of teeth known as their primary teeth are pretty unique and vastly different from an adult’s permanent teeth. As is monitored by a pediatric dentist, Holiday residents might not know that a child has significantly fewer teeth than that of an adult. A child will have twenty primary teeth up until about the age of thirteen when their second set of molars come in. A child is expected to start losing some of their primary teeth by the age of six or seven, just in time for their adult teeth to come in to replace them. While as an adult losing a tooth can be very problematic, this is something that is expected with children, and actually a healthy sign of growth.

How Many Teeth are In an Adult’s Permanent Set of Teeth?

While the primary set of teeth is supposed to be twenty, an adult can have as many as thirty-two teeth in their mouth. This number can change depending on if someone had their wisdom teeth pulled, but also some people naturally do not have wisdom teeth. These teeth are also called the third molars, and they have to be removed because they cause many problems. This is one thing that a practice for a pediatric dentist. Holiday residents should be aware that if an adult loses one of their permanent teeth, another one will not grow in its place. We only get two sets of teeth.

*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*