February: Children's Dental Health Month Published Feb. 16, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Angelica Chica 3rd Dental Squadron ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- February is National Children's Dental Health Month. The 3rd Dental Squadron would like to provide some facts about teeth. Alaska is known for its many outdoor recreational activities such as sledding, hockey, baseball and skiing, just to name a few. These activities can be fun, but accidents do happen. According to the American Association of Endodontists, an estimated five million teeth are accidentally knocked out of adults and children each year. - Our teeth develop while we are in the womb. During the sixth week of pregnancy our primary or baby teeth develop and during the 12th week of pregnancy our adult tooth buds start to form. - An average person usually has 20 baby teeth and 32 adult teeth, four of which are wisdom teeth (not everyone develops all four wisdom teeth). - Losing a baby tooth prematurely can affect the space of the adult tooth. - Our teeth help us speak clearly, help us chew our food, and help give our face its shape! An average person will have two sets of teeth, baby and adult teeth. It is very important to take good care of both sets of teeth. Children should have their first dental visit by their first birthday. Keep your teeth clean by brushing and flossing daily. Protect your teeth by wearing a protective mouth guard when playing contact sports and using fluoridated toothpaste.