Teeth (easy read)

Contents

• What are teeth?
• What do teeth do?
• How to look after your teeth

What are teeth? 

The part you can see is called the crown.
It has roots to hold it in your gum.

What do teeth do?

Teeth bite and chew food.

They help you to say words.

I lotht a tooth

Teeth show when you're happy.

	You start growing teeth when you are a baby.
	You have 20 'baby' teeth.
	When you are about 6 your baby teeth will start to be pushed out by your second teeth.
	You will lose all your baby teeth by the time you are 12.
	In their place you will have your grown-up teeth.
	If these grown-up teeth fall out you will not be able to grow any more.
	It is your job to look after your teeth.

How to look after your teeth

Eat food that your teeth like.

Ask mum or dad to brush your teeth after breakfast and last thing before you go to bed until you learn how to brush them properly by yourself.

Go to the dentist. 
She will show you how to look after your teeth and fix any problems with your teeth.

See if you can put in the words to make a poem that rhymes.

Clean your teeth morning and _ _ _ _ _
To keep them looking clean and bright
Use a brush that's soft and small
It won't hurt your gums at _ _ _
Wash your brush and stand it _ _
In a beaker or a cup.
Eat good food all the while
You'll always have a lovely _ _ _ _ _.

Did you make a rhyming poem?

Or maybe you could make up a rap about looking after your teeth?

Brush your teeth, da dum dum dum
Twice a day, da dum dum dum

Now it’s your turn. What would you write next?

We've collected this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.