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Difference Between Tooth and Teeth

Last Updated : 02 Aug, 2023
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Teeth are a very important part of the human face and play a very important role in our daily lives. They are great tressure to humans. Teeth help us to:  smile, speak, bite, and chew food. 

Teeth and tooth are two commonly used terms when referring to the hard, white structures found in the human mouth. Most of the time, people think both words are the same and may seem to be interchangeable, but it is not true, they are distinct. There is no physical difference between teeth and tooth but the main difference is in the quantity. The plural of tooth is teeth. These types of the plural are called irregular plural like feet and foot, where the double “ee” is replaced with a double “oo”.  Teeth refer to the complete set of structures in the human mouth, while tooth refers to a single structure.

Teeth

Teeth

Tooth :

A tooth is a single structure in the human mouth. It is composed of several layers, including the enamel, dentin, pulp, and cementum. Each tooth has a specific shape and function, such as biting, tearing, or grinding food. The roots of every tooth are covered by gum. The tooth is not made up of bone, but rather it is made of multiple tissues of varying density and hardness that originate from the outermost embryonic germ layer,  called the ectoderm.

The word “tooth” originated from two old languages called Proto-Germanic and another very old language Proto-Indo-European. The word “tooth” was made up of two parts: the root word “*h₁ed-” which means “to eat”, and a suffix “-nt” which means “something that does”. So, the word “tooth” literally means “something that eats”.

The tooth is used in a singular form, for example – ” I accidentally bit down too hard and chipped my tooth. ” in this sentence, a person is referring to a particular tooth. Similarly, the word toothache means – pain in a particular tooth.

Tooth

Tooth

The tooth is composed of four different types of tissue: enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp. 

  • Enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth and it is the hardest substance in the human body. It protects the underlying layers of the tooth and helps prevent tooth decay and cavities.
  • Dentin is the layer of the tooth beneath the enamel. It is a yellowish material that is softer than enamel but harder than bone. It provides support for the enamel and is responsible for the color of the tooth.
  • Cementum is a layer of connective tissue. It covers the root of the tooth and helps to anchor the tooth to the jawbone.
  • Pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels. It provides nutrients and oxygen to the tooth and helps maintain its health.
Different Issues in Tooth

Different Issues in Tooth

Use of the word “Tooth”  in a sentence : 

  1.  I accidentally bit down too hard and chipped my tooth. 
  2. The dentist has to pull that tooth out.
  3. I was not able to study because of the toothache.
  4. Cavities are also called tooth decay.

TEETH :

Teeth are an essential part of the digestive system. We humans, cannot swallow food as a whole, it must be chewed before we swallow it, that’s where teeth come into action as they break down the foods by crushing and cutting them before you swallow. Most humans have 32 teeth, although some have more and some have fewer. Teeth along with the tongue mix saliva into the food while chewing so that it can easily pass through the so that it can pass through the esophagus.

Teeth are the irregular plural of the tooth,  and the word teeth are used in a collective sense example – ” you should brush your teeth after every meal “. In this sentence, teeth are not referring to a single tooth but to all the teeth, and therefore teeth word is used. 

Teeth

Teeth

Types of Teeth in Humans: 

We have four different types of teeth, and each type of teeth serves an important purpose. These are :

  • Incisors: there are four incisors on the upper jaw and four on the lower jawa. They help to bite or to cut the food.
  • Canines: These are located next to the incisors and are used for tearing and ripping food.
  • Premolars: These are located between the canines and molars, and are used for crushing and grinding food.
  • Molars :  They are large, flat teeth located at the back of the mouth, and are used for grinding and chewing food.

Use of Teeth in a Sentence :

  1. Brush your teeth every morning.
  2. Show your teeth.
  3. Most Humans have 32 teeth.

Difference between Teeth and Tooth :

                                                               TEETH

                                                          TOOTH

1.  Teeth is a plural form of tooth.  1. Tooth is the singular form 
2.  when we talk about many teeth collectively, we use the word teeth instead of tooth example brush your teeth every day to keep them safe. 2. Use the word tooth when you talk about a particular tooth example the doctor has to pull that tooth out because of the cavities
3. The irregular plural form of teeth is the result of Germanic umlaut. 3. The word “tooth” originated from two old languages called Proto-Germanic and another very old language Proto-Indo-European. 
4. Use in sentence: You have food between your teeth, brush your teeth before you sleep, 4. Use in sentence: Tooth decay can  lead to other problems


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