Human tooth
Hard structures that mechanically break down food for digestion.
Human teeth are hard, mineralized structures in the mouth that function to mechanically break down food by cutting, tearing, and crushing, preparing it for swallowing and digestion. They are considered part of the human digestive system and are composed of multiple tissues of varying density and hardness, including enamel, dentin, cementum, and dental pulp.
- types
- Incisors, canines, premolars, molars
- primary_teeth_count
- 20
- permanent_teeth_count
- 32
- eruption_start
- Around six months of age
- dental_formula_primary
- 2.1.0.2 / 2.1.0.2
- dental_formula_permanent
- 2.1.2.3 / 2.1.2.3
Lore & Background
Humans, like most mammals, are diphyodont, developing two sets of teeth: 20 deciduous (primary, baby, or milk) teeth and 32 permanent (adult) teeth. Primary teeth typically begin to erupt around six months of age, though some infants are born with visible neonatal teeth. The permanent set includes incisors, canines, premolars (bicuspids), and molars, with third molars (wisdom teeth) usually emerging between ages 17 and 25.
Reader's Guide
Human teeth are essential for the initial mechanical breakdown of food, a critical step in digestion. Their structure—with enamel as the hardest body substance, supported by dentin, cementum, and pulp—allows them to withstand years of chewing. The study of dental anatomy aids dentists in identifying and treating teeth. Differences exist between male and female teeth, with male teeth and jaws tending to be larger and male teeth having proportionately more dentin, while female teeth have more enamel. Notation systems like the FDI World Dental Federation notation, Universal Numbering System, and Palmer notation help standardize tooth identification globally.
Did You Know?
- Enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the human body, composed of 96% mineral.
- Humans usually have 20 primary teeth and 32 permanent teeth.
- Third molars, or wisdom teeth, usually emerge at ages 17 to 25 and may never erupt or form at all.
- Male teeth tend to be larger on average than female teeth, with proportionately more dentin.
More in Human Anatomy 25-38
Elsewhere in the Human Anatomy universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record