- The hard dense tissue that holds teeth in place in the jaw
C
canines
- The "stabbing" teeth located between the incisors and the premolars
carnassial teeth
- The large teeth found in all carnivores
carnivore
- An animal that eats mostly animals (meat). They have a large mouth with sharp pointed teeth that allow them to grasp their prey and tear off large chunks of flesh, which is swallowed whole rather than ground or chewed first
cavity
- A hole or pit in a tooth
cementum
- The part of the tooth covers the root of your mouth and helps attach your tooth to the jaw bone
characteristics
- A distinguishing attribute, element, or trait
classification
- The grouping of all organisms into categories based on shared characteristics or traits
crown
- The top part of a tooth
cuspids
- A projection (bump) on the chewing surface of a tooth (e.g. "bicuspid" means "tooth with two cusps")
D
dentin
- The second layer of a tooth. The dentin supports the enamel in your teeth
dentist
- A doctor who specializes in the care and treatment of diseases of the mouth and teeth
dentition
- The type, number, and arrangement of teeth, especially in animals
diet
- An animal's usual food and drink
E
enamel
- The hard material that makes up the outer surface of a tooth
equal
- Of the same quantity, size, number, value, degree, intensity, or quality
F
fluoride
- A chemical element that prevents tooth decay. It is often added to toothpastes and the water supply
function
- Assigned duty or activity
H
habitat
- The environment in which an organism or biological population usually lives or grows
herbivore
- An animal that eats mostly plants. The proper diet for an herbivore consists of plants, algae, and fruits
heterodonts
- This means that mammals' teeth are different and used for many purposes
hypothesis
- An explanation for a set of facts that can be tested by further investigation
I
incisors
- A cutting tooth at the front of the mouth used mostly for the initial biting of food
insectivore
- An animal that has teeth that are square with sharp points which are perfect for tearing up insect bodies
M
molars
- A tooth with a broad crown for grinding food, situated behind the premolars at the back of the mouth
N
nutrition
- The process by which a living organism processes food and uses it for growth and tissue replacement
O
omnivore
- An animal that eats both plants and animals. Their teeth and digestive tract possesses some of the traits of both the carnivore and the herbivore
P
plaque
- A sticky substance that builds up on the surface of a tooth
premolars
- One of the bicuspid teeth located on both sides of the upper and lower jaws, located behind the canine teeth and in front of the molars
pulp
- This is the soft tissue that contains the blood, vessels and nerves. It is in the middle of your tooth
R
root
- The part of a tooth that is connected to the jaw and serves as support
S
skull
- The framework of the head of vertebrates, made up of the bones of the brain case and face
structure
- The manner in which parts are arranged or combined to form a whole
T
tartar
- A hard, chalky substance that builds up on the surface of a tooth
