Real-Life Math | Dentist
Sept. 3Math is an extremely important and versatile subject. Many find it difficult, but it has many everyday uses. Many careers require the use of math, like jobs in construction, healthcare, finance, and more. Did you know that dentists use math to help take care of your teeth? Watch this video on PBS LearningMedia to discover how dentists use math in their careers each day.
Teeth are classified by tooth number, ranging from one to 32 since adults have 32 teeth, so it’s important to be able to count. Measurements are also vital in dentistry when administering medication to patients. Giving too much of a medication to someone who can’t handle it could become deadly. Using the power of conversion, multiplication, and division, dentists can discover how much medication to safely give to a patient.
Measurements, as well as angles, can be especially important when performing root canals. When putting a crown on a tooth, you have to put it on at an angle matching the teeth around it or you won’t be able to get it on. You have to know the length of a root down to the millimeter when performing a root canal so you don’t risk harming the patient.
Math is very important for dentists to use. The comfort and safety of patients rely on the dentist’s knowledge of math in any kind of procedure. Knowing how to do math allows dentists to keep your teeth clean and healthy. If you want to become a dentist, it’s vital that you know it too! And even if you aren’t, you should still keep your math skills sharp. Share this video with a friend or family member to show them how dentists use math every day and encourage them to flex their math skills. Keep your teeth healthy and your brain smart!