In most of our blog posts, we discuss serious things like periodontal disease and teeth implants. So, because it’s summer and there’s no time for gloom, we’re changing our tone today to give you ten interesting facts about teeth! As your local dentists, we are committed to the health of your teeth and gums, and one of the best ways to take care of your teeth is to be educated about them! While these ten fun facts might not be the golden ticket to oral health, it will hopefully make you a little more excited to schedule a dental checkup!
10 Fun Facts About Teeth
- Contrary to popular belief, teeth are not bones. Even though they look similar to bones and contain many of the same elements, such as calcium, teeth cannot heal themselves if broken, whereas bones can.
- Your teeth are just as unique as your fingerprint. In fact, dental records are often used in forensic cases.
- While you would think dental health has become better over time, tooth decay is a relatively new crisis thanks to the amount of sugary foods and drinks we consume today.
- Most people will spend around 40 days (57,600 minutes) brushing their teeth. Now, we’re not mathematicians, but that number seems a little low. The average life expectancy in the US is about 78 years (28,470 days), and the rule of thumb is to brush your teeth for two minutes, two times per day. So four minutes per day multiplied by 28,470 days is 113,880 minutes — twice the national average!
- Tooth enamel, the hard white “shell” that surrounds the sensitive inside of your teeth, is the hardest substance in the human body. However, because it is thin, it is prone to cracking.
- Up to 40 percent of the surface of your teeth is touching other teeth (i.e., between teeth). So be sure to floss daily to get all that space that the brush misses!
- Human adults have around 32 teeth. To compare that, dogs have 42 teeth, sharks will have over 50,000 teeth in a lifetime, and a crocodile has about 80 teeth!
- Before commercial toothpaste and toothbrushes, people had to improvise to keep their teeth clean. Some cultures chewed on the frayed ends of twigs, and others made abrasive pastes out of crushed shells, ashes, and charcoal.
- The average person produces about two to four pints of saliva every day. Saliva actually plays an important role in the health of your teeth by neutralizing acids that would otherwise break down tooth enamel, as wells as protecting against tooth decay and gum disease.
- About 92 percent of adults aged 20 to 64 have had cavities in their adult teeth, and about one in four adults currently have untreated tooth decay. Tooth decay is nothing to mess with, and regular dental visits can catch decay early and avoid costly and painful extractions down the road!
Make An Appointment With Our New Jersey Dentists Today!
If it’s been a while since you’ve seen your dentist, be sure not to put it off any longer! Regular dental checkups (we recommend every six months) can catch issues early before they become serious problems. We’d love to see you at any of our offices Jersey Shore Dentists at Century Dental in Jackson, Seaview Dental in Eatontown, or Seaview Dental Stafford in Manahawkin! Get in touch today to schedule an appointment!
