Mouth and teeth

Your mouth is made up of several parts including:

• lips
• teeth and gums
• hard and soft palates (these form the roof of your mouth)
• your tongue
• saliva glands

Your teeth allow you to chew your food and help you speak and smile. They have:

• a crown — the part we see in the mouth, above the gumline
• roots —in the bone below the gumline

There are four types of adult teeth. Starting with the front teeth, they are:

• incisors — the front teeth in both the top and bottom jaws
• canines — the sharpest teeth, used for tearing food apart
• premolars — at the side of the mouth, used to tear and crush food
• molars (including wisdom teeth) — back teeth, used to chew foods

Baby teeth (Opens in new tab) (primary teeth) usually appear from about 6 months of age. They can start to appear anywhere from 3 to 12 months of age. Most children have all 20 of their baby teeth by the time they are 3 years old.

Between the age of 6 and 12 years of age, baby teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent adult teeth.

Wisdom teeth also known as the third adult molar teeth. They usually grow through your gums around the age of 18 – 25 years. They are the last teeth to appear. Your wisdom teeth, if you have them, are found at the back of your mouth.

You can have up to 4 wisdom teeth, but they might only partially come through your gums or may never appear at all. Some people do not have any wisdom teeth.

Many people have their wisdom teeth extracted (removed).

Common problems of wisdom teeth include:

• gum infection
• not enough room in your mouth for them — causing cheek biting and chewing problems
• impaction — when they come through at an angle and put pressure on the next tooth or the gums
• pericoronitis — when the gums around your wisdom teeth become inflamed

Wisdom teeth can also be difficult to clean, which may lead to tooth decay.

You may need to have your wisdom teeth removed if they:

• don't come through your gum properly
• are impacted — stuck against nearby teeth or bone
• are at risk of decay or frequent gum infections
• are affected by a cyst or tumour — this is rare

How can I look after my wisdom teeth?

If your wisdom teeth are coming through (erupting), there are things you can do to look after your gums, reduce pain and the chance of an infection.

• Brush the area gently and thoroughly with a small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, even if this is uncomfortable — this helps get rid of food and plaque.
• Use an antibacterial mouthwash if there is pain from inflamed gums.
• Mix half a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water — rinse your mouth with the warm salt water to help reduce pain and the chance of infection.
• If you are in pain, get advice from your pharmacist, doctor or dentist about pain relief medicines.
• Cold packs can also be used to help relieve pain.

Make an emergency appointment to see your dentist if you:

• think your tooth may be getting infected
• have severe swelling
• have severe pain

Keep your mouth healthy with these tips.

• Brush twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• Floss your teeth each day.
• Drink plenty of tap water and limit sugary or alcoholic drinks.
• Aim for a healthy balanced diet.
• Have regular check-ups with your dentist — usually every 6 to 12 months.
• Avoid smoking or vaping.
• Reduce stress — this can lead to teeth grinding, mouth ulcers and cold sores.

If you play a sport where there's a chance of injury to your teeth, you should wear a mouthguard. This includes activities like rugby, football or boxing.

Avoid mouth piercings, as they increase your chance of mouth infections. You can read more about mouth and tongue piercings (Opens in new tab).

Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria living in plaque on your teeth. These bacteria use the sugar from your food and drink to produce acid. Over time, the acid causes holes in your teeth.

There are things you can do to reduce tooth decay.

• Choose food and drinks that are low in sugar — if sugar is one of the top 3 ingredients on a food label, it's usually not healthy for your teeth.
• Eat fresh foods rather than processed foods.
• Take care of your oral hygiene — go for regular dentist check-ups and clean your teeth twice a day.
• Ask your dentist or pharmacist which is the best toothpaste for you to use.
• Learn to look after your child's teeth.

Many health conditions and diseases can affect your mouth and teeth. Some problems are caused by an injury or infection. Some mouth problems are caused by other health conditions.

Mouth and tooth injuries

If you injure your face, you may:

• knock out a tooth or a filling
• chip, crack or fracture a tooth
• bite or cut your lips, tongue or the inside of your mouth
• put your teeth or jaw out of line

Oral infections

An infection of your mouth or teeth may cause:

• toothache or jaw pain
• swollen or bleeding gums
• an abscess (pus filled cavity)
• oral thrush, a mouth infection caused by a fungus
• halitosis (bad breath)
• cold sores or mouth ulcers

Other health conditions

Other conditions and problems that can affect your mouth include:

• dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• dry mouth syndrome
• bruxism (teeth grinding)
• poorly fitting dentures (false teeth)
• cleft lip or cleft palate (these happen when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly during development before birth)
• tongue-tie (a condition where skin under the tongue is short, which can affect feeding and talking)
• mouth or tongue cancer

If you notice there is something wrong with your mouth or teeth, visit your dentist or doctor as soon as you can. Early treatment is likely to be more successful.

You should also see your dentist if you are not recovering well after a dental procedure.

You might want to whiten your teeth if they are stained or discoloured.

Teeth whitening is best done by your dentist.

You can also buy teeth whitening kits:

• online
• in pharmacies
• at the supermarket

Professional teeth whitening

Ask your dental health professional about teeth whitening.

They may offer an in-chair whitening treatment. This involves applying a strong bleaching gel then shining a light over your teeth.

They may offer a personalised whitening kit to take home. This involves custom-making a set of mouth trays that fit over your teeth. The trays contain a whitening gel in a strength to suit your needs.

If the cause of your discoloured teeth is deep inside your teeth, your dentist might suggest internal whitening.

Talk with your dentist about the risks and benefits of teeth whitening.

Other options for teeth whitening

You might be able to prevent or slow teeth discolouration by:

• cleaning your teeth and flossing every day
• not smoking
• rinsing your mouth with water after eating and drinking
• using a whitening toothpaste

You might read about using baking soda paste to whiten your teeth. It's a better idea to use a daily toothpaste that contains baking soda.

See your dentist for advice before using tooth whitening products.

For more information you can:

• Speak to your dentist or oral health professional.
• Visit the Australian Dental Association website (Opens in new tab) teeth.org.au or their Find a dentist (Opens in new tab) page.
• Oral Health Victoria (Opens in new tab) has oral health information and videos.
• Read more about mouth and tongue piercings (Opens in new tab).

Find resources and dental services in your state:

• New South Wales (Opens in new tab)
• Queensland (Opens in new tab)
• South Australia (Opens in new tab)
• Tasmania (Opens in new tab)
• Victoria (Opens in new tab)

Languages other than English

If you speak a language other than English, there are resources available.

• NSW Health offers advice for multicultural communities (Opens in new tab) about oral health care.
• Visit teeth.org.au for translated factsheets (Opens in new tab).
• See the Oral Health Victoria 'easy read' on the best way to clean your mouth (Opens in new tab).

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

Mob Smiles (Opens in new tab) provides information on how to care for your teeth and gums and habits to keep good mouth health.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) for advice. A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.