Chapter 1
Sparkling Origins -
My Birth as A Tooth
Hey there, I’m the tooth with the tale! I emerged as a tiny speck of enamel and quickly grew into a shining star, ready to light up every smile.
About Me.
I’m a Tooth — small in size, but legendary in legacy. From my humble beginnings in ancient fish to becoming a central figure in modern smiles, I’ve been crunching, slicing, and shining through the ages. I’ve adapted to oceans, jungles, and cities, worked with dinosaurs and humans alike, and even landed a starring role in your selfies. I’m not just about chewing—I’m about evolution, expression, and everyday excellence. Dive into my resume to see how I’ve chewed my way through history, one bite at a time.
Evolutionary Resume
Ancient Jawed Fish Tooth | Tooth Prototype – The Original Biter
Duration: Devonian Period (~450 million years ago)
Host: Early jawed vertebrates (Placoderms)
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Emerged as the earliest mineralized feeding structure in vertebrates
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Helped early fish catch and process prey
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Established the blueprint for all future teeth
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Known for external (skin-surface) growth in some early species
Shark Tooth | Regenerating Predator’s Blade
Duration: Prehistoric Seas – Present
Host: Sharks
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Developed a serrated, triangular design perfect for slicing prey
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Engineered with self-replacing rows for lifelong efficiency
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Played a critical role in the dominance of sharks in aquatic ecosystems
Dinosaur Tooth | Mesozoic Powerhouse
Duration: Mesozoic Era (230–65 million years ago)
Host: Tyrannosaurus, Theropods, Hadrosaurs, Sauropods . . .
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Diet Specialized: slicing teeth in carnivores, grinding plates in herbivores
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Contributed to powerful bite forces and advanced feeding behavior
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Featured in cooperative grinding systems (e.g., hadrosaur dental batteries)
Early Mammalian Tooth | Specialist in Chewing – The MultiTasker
Duration: Cenozoic Era (~65 million years ago onward)
Host: Small to large mammals
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Diversified into distinct forms: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars
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Enabled efficient digestion of complex diets
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Supported the rise of warm-blooded mammals with high metabolic needs
Human Tooth | Smile Architect & Confidence Booster
Duration: Modern Era
Host: Homo sapiens
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Optimized for speech clarity, facial aesthetics, and food processing
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Central to self-esteem, cultural ideals of beauty, and non-verbal communication
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Subject to modern care: brushing, flossing, orthodontics, and implants
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Iconic symbol in media, health, and art
Education
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Every University on Earth – Lifelong Guest Student
Sat in countless lecture halls courtesy of every human who’s ever yawned, chatted, or crunched popcorn during class.
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University of Hong Kong – Faculty of Dentistry (Favourite Alma Mater)
Regularly spotlighted in oral‑anatomy demos; polished, X‑rayed, and admired as the benchmark for healthy enamel.
Professional Experience
Human Oral Cavity (Current Appointment)
Smile Architect & Food‑Processing Specialist
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Slice, tear, crush, and grind all ingested material, ensuring efficient digestion.
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Provide rigid contact points for consonant formation in everyday speech.
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Support facial structure, maintaining lip and cheek contour for aesthetic balance.
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Deliver confidence signals through a polished, symmetrical appearance.
Previous Appointments:
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Mammals – perfected the four‑tooth team.
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Dinosaurs – powered massive bites.
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Sharks & Devonian Fish – pioneered self‑replacing blades.
Hobbies
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Gnawing on new cuisines
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Crunching data (and popcorn)
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Polishing my enamel for paparazzi flashes
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Guest‑starring in museum exhibits and toothpaste ads
"Right now, I reside in humans—arguably the most expressive, smile-proud species I’ve ever worked with. I don’t know how long this partnership will last in the grand timeline of evolution, but as long as I’m part of the human mouth, I have responsibilities. To chew, to sparkle, to speak—flawlessly. And to do that well, it helps if you understand what I’m really made of. So, let me take you beneath the surface and show you the blueprint of what makes me… me."
My Blueprint: Crown to Root
“Here’s my X-ray selfie! From my glistening enamel crown down to the nerve‑packed root canal, every layer plays a part in keeping me strong.”
Crown
Root
Enamel
Dentin
Pulp
Gums
Bones
Root Canal
Nerves and blood vessels
“But I’m never alone in the mouth—meet the rest of my crew…”
Incisors – the straight‑edge cutters
Flat, chisel‑shaped, and front‑row. Their job is simple: bite and slice. Think of them as the scissors that snap off apple chunks or start a sandwich. There are eight in total—four on top, four on the bottom.
Canines – the single‑point spears
Sharp and slightly longer than their neighbors. They grip and tear food that’s too tough for incisors. Only four exist, one at each corner of the smile. Small team, big impact.
Premolars – the two‑cusped hybrids
Part cutter, part crusher. Each premolar has two peaks (cusps) that crack nuts, pizza crust, and anything between soft and hard. Eight sit right behind the canines, acting as the mouth’s versatile middle crew.
Molars – the heavy grinders
Wide, ridged, and built for power. Molars mash every bite into a swallow‑ready paste. Adults have up to twelve: three per quadrant. The last set—wisdom teeth—often arrive late, crowd the space, or never erupt at all.
“Think of us as a well‑rehearsed band: incisors start the riff, canines add the punch, premolars keep the rhythm, and molars (yes, even the late‑blooming wisdom teeth) drop the bass. Just like any band, we’ve had lineup changes over time—let me show you how we grow from 20 to 32 players…”
“I begin life as a 20‑tooth trainee crew, then upgrade to a 32‑tooth dream team. Keep an eye out for those shy wisdom teeth—they’re fashionably late or skip the party altogether!”
From 20 to 32: My Two Careers
“No matter which stage I’m in, my daily job never changes… 😭”
Daily Jobs
Food Prep Specialist
I slice with incisors, tear with canines, crush with premolars, and grind with molars—turning every bite into a swallow‑ready mash so your stomach can relax.
Smile Ambassador
A clean, aligned set of me reflects health and confidence. One flash can spark friendships, job offers, even romance.
Speech Partner
By giving your tongue and lips solid contact points, I help you nail tricky sounds like f, v, and th. Clear words, clear message.
Early‑Warning Sensor
My pulp nerves fire off pain or temperature zings the moment decay or trauma shows up—your built‑in alert system to see the dentist before trouble multiplies.
Face‑Shape Support
My roots anchor jawbone and keep cheeks and lips in place. Lose me, and bone shrinks; your profile sinks.
and so on.
I did too many things for humans, one page is not enough...
“ I rose from ancient seas, tempered by eons — each layer a memory of vanished worlds.
Protect me, and I’ll carry your story beyond time.”
References: (for chapter 1)
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Ajmera, D. (2025). Tutorial 1: Teeth anatomy, physiology and pathology (a) [Lecture slides]. Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong.
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Hillson, S. (2005). Teeth (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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Smith, M. M., & Coates, M. I. (1998). Evolution of teeth in vertebrates. Journal of Morphology, 238(2), 77–91.
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Reif, W. E. (1982). Tooth mineralization in early sharks. Palaeontographica A, 178(1–3), 105–126.
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Erickson, G. M. (1996). Bite‑force estimation for Tyrannosaurus rex from tooth‑marked bones. Nature, 382(6593), 706–708.
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Butler, P. M. (1978). Evolution of the mammalian dentition. Advances in Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology, 55, 1–180.