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Even though you brush and floss your teeth every day, chances are you don’t know the names and purposes of your individual teeth. It’s no wonder; there are 32 of them after all. So here is a brief overview of the different types of teeth in your mouth and what they do.

Incisor Teeth

These are the eight teeth in the front of your mouth (four on top and four below). Incisors cut food into pieces with their thin, sharp surface.

Canine Teeth

Your four canine teeth are also known as cuspids. A cusp is the part of the tooth that is sharp and pointed, just like your canines are. These teeth hold and rip food.

Premolar Teeth

Because they have two (and in some cases, three) cusps, the eight premolars in your mouth are also called bicuspids. Along with tearing food, they also crush it with their flatter surface.

Molar Teeth

There is a whopping twelve molars in your mouth. No wonder the third molars (wisdom teeth) are often removed to prevent crowding. Molars crush and grind food with their large, flat biting surface.