Question

(a) Describe the parts of our tooth with the help of a labelled diagram.
(b) What is meant by dental caries? How are they caused?
(c) What is dental plaque? What harm can it do? How can the formation of plaque be prevented?

Answer 1

(a)

Our tooth contains the following three parts:
(i) Enamel: It is the outer covering of the teeth. It is harder than bones. In fact, it is the hardest material in the human body.
(ii) Dentine: It is located below the enamel. It is similar to bones.
(iii) Tooth pulp: It is a pulp cavity that consists of nerves and blood vessels. It is located inside the dentine.

(b) The formation of small cavities in the teeth are known as dental caries. They are caused by acids formed by bacteria on eating sugar laden food. It is also caused by improper dental care.

(c) Dental plaque refers to a sticky, yellowish layer of food particles and bacterial cells that deposits on the teeth if they are not cleaned regularly. Dental plaque leads to tooth decay. Brushing of teeth regularly after eating food prevents the formation of plaque.