Did you know that humans have four types of teeth in the mouth? You probably didn’t because most people are only familiar with two types: molars and canines. However, there are actually two other types as well.

Teeth are very important for our well-being, which is why dentists put so much effort in educating you on your teeth. In short, they matter! We know, you hate hearing how much more you should be brushing and flossing, but it’s only to your benefit. And it’s a dentist’s duty to educate their patients.

Without further ado, we’d like to educate you on the four types of teeth humans have in their mouth. And if you don’t have these, well… you may want to look into dental implants as a replacement!

Four Types of Teeth and the Function They Serve

Canines

These are generally very easy to pick up on, unless you’ve gone through orthodontic treatment (i.e. braces). Humans have 2 canine teeth on the top set of teeth and the bottom. They look sharp because they are pointy. The biological reason for this is because these are the teeth used to tear food apart.

Molars

For analogy sake, we can refer to the molars as big daddy. Adult humans have a total of 8 molars, 4 on top and 4 on the bottom. They are the largest teeth in the mouth and are responsible for crushing food hard enough to allow for swallowing. Molars work in combination with your tongue at the back of your mouth.

We’d like to mention that wisdom teeth, which grow in at later ages, are also considered molars. They have the same function as well except are not always suitable for our mouths, which is why many dentists recommend removing them to prevent issues.

Incisors

Your “two front teeth” happen to be incisors, as well as the couple of teeth adjacent to them. Humans have 8 incisors, 4 on the top and the bottom. These are the smallest of our teeth, but feature sharp ends. Canines are sharper, but the sharpness of incisors makes them suitable for cutting food.

Premolars

These are the set of teeth that most people do not realize exist. Premolars are located in between the molars and the canine teeth. Most classify these as molars, but that is technically incorrect. They are not as large as molars, but are shaped like molars with ridges to allow for grinding food more effectively.