From childhood till old age, one experiences continuous changes, be it how one talks, appearance, or health. Slurred speech is observed in childhood, and the same repeats in old age.
The sunken skin, and the missing teeth, all show a process of ageing or an ailment. In all the methods of exchange of words, the mouth plays a vital part; the positioning of vocal cords and the way air flows within it all affect speech.
Like a flute that produces a range of sounds while closing a hole and the change in the tone with the difference in the number of holes closed or open, teeth do the same in speech. The loss of even a single tooth can affect the sound.
Key Takeaways
- Teeth are the plural form of tooth, referring to multiple hard, calcified structures found in the mouth, used for biting, tearing, and grinding food.
- The tooth is the singular form, referring to a single hard, calcified structure in the mouth, serving the same functions as teeth.
- “Teeth” and “tooth” refer to the same structures in the mouth, with teeth being plural and “tooth” being singular.
Teeth vs Tooth
Teeth is an English term used to describe a situation where there is more than one tooth. teeth are used for biting and chewing food, as well as for functions like maintaining the shape of the face. A Tooth is a single unit of the calcified structure in the mouth used for biting and chewing food.
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Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Teeth | Tooth |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | The plural form of the tooth. | It’s a singular noun. |
| Structure | It is a comprehensive set forming two arch shapes, one at the bottom and one on top. | Tooth varies in shape, but the basic structure comprises enamel, dentin, cementum & pulp tissues. |
| Location | Inside the mouth, one set of 16 teeth is attached to the bottom and the other 16 on top. | A tooth can be any among the 16 teeth in the bottom jaw and 16 on top. |
| Absence | The absence of teeth leads to speech transformation, as observed in newborns and old people. | The absence of a tooth can vary the airflow or produce difficulty eating. |
| Role | Teeth help to shape and structure the face. | Each tooth has its function, and its role changes based on its placement and structure. |
What is Teeth?
Teeth are undeniably the most vital part of one’s body. An average adult mouth has 32 teeth located inside the mouth; they are arranged in an arch-like manner. Both the jaw’s mandible and maxilla serve as the placement of teeth.
The top and bottom arch consists of 16 teeth, each sequentially. The critical role of teeth is
- Mastication of food: Teeth help break down food by cutting and crushing them in preparation for swallowing, helping to fasten digestion.
- Enable speech: They help in sound formation by controlling the airflow.
- Appearance and Confidence: While communicating in person, the one thing that is noticed very evidently is the smile; those having healthy teeth (shiny white and good breath) often leave an impact. The condition of teeth affects confidence; people with foul breath and broken or yellow teeth are often seen as quiet, mumbling, and self-conscious.
Teeth are categorized into 4 types according to shape, position, and function.
- Incisors consist of four teeth on the top arch and four on the lower (the total remains eight). Incisors help to slice or bite the food like a cutter.
- Canines – The sharpest teeth animals mostly use to tear apart a flash; they are four in number.
- Premolars – Premolars have a flatter surface than canines or incisors, and they help grind complex food. They are two in each mate of an arch.
- Molars – Having a larger surface area and towards each end of both arches, they provide the exact mechanism of grinding stone which turns the complex food into smaller pieces.
What is a Tooth?
A tooth (singular noun of teeth) is a hard structure in the teeth arch. It consists of two major parts: the crown-like structure and the root.
The crown is the visible part observed, while the roots stay within the gum line. The tooth is not just a basic calcified structure but the culmination of the 4 different materials.
- Enamel is a translucent, rigid tooth covering and is the most complex tissue. It protects the tooth from physical damage or any chemicals.
- Dentin: Unlike enamel, dentin is comparatively softer, forming the base structure of the tooth and is yellow; it stays protected underneath the enamel and constitutes a more significant part of the tooth. It
- Cementum: It is positioned around the tooth root and is responsible for tooth regeneration.
- The dental pulp is the most sensitive region in a tooth as it contains nerves and blood vessels. It is placed in the root region of a tooth and provides nutrients to the dentin.
Main Differences Between Teeth and Tooth
- Teeth structure the face, whereas a tooth becomes essential to complete the set of pairs.
- The absence of teeth can affect vocal speech to the entirety; there remains no airflow control, and the lack of a tooth may cause a slight difference in speech though missing the molar tooth can affect eating.
- Teeth are located just at the mouth opening fixed with jaws; the tooth can be anyone amongst incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.
- Teeth form an arch-like shape where each tooth is placed sequentially with different purposes.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030100829400045J
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1583198/
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
