Fun Dental Facts You Should Know

People are aware that our teeth are quite essential for having a good smile, being able to speak well, and for chewing and eating.

But we tend to overlook how truly special and valuable our teeth can be.

Meanwhile, many of us follow a regular oral hygiene routine as well as visit the dentist twice a year for professional cleanings and exhaustive dental checkups to ensure that we have good oral health.

Dentists aim to treat their patients with premium quality dental care. However, many times, educating people about their oral health is often ignored. Let us discover more about the fun facts of our precious teeth.

Fun Dental Facts:

• The enamel of the teeth is the toughest substance in the body. However, it still isn’t wise to use the teeth to open bottles; enamel is not indestructible.
• 6 is a cool number. This is also how many feet you should store your toothbrush from the toilet to avert airborne particles from accumulating on your toothbrush’s bristles.
• Many believe Washington’s dentures were made from wood. In reality, the 4 pairs of his custom chompers were made from lead, ivory, gold, and a mixture of hippopotamus, donkey, and human teeth.
• A person’s tongue print is different just like his or her fingerprints.
• In 1498, the first toothbrush with bristles was designed in China. The Ancient Chinese would use bristles made of hair from badgers, horses, and hogs. It wasn’t until 1938 when the first approved commercial toothbrush was made.
• Before the invention of modern toothpaste, people would use ashes, lemon juice, charcoal, honey-tobacco mixtures, and/or ground chalk to clean their teeth.

Dental Statistics:

• Americans spend 100-billion dollars annually buying hair care products. Only 2-billion dollars is spent on dental care products.
• The mouth produces more than twenty-five thousand quarts of saliva in a lifetime. That is quite adequate to fill two swimming pools.
• The plaque present on the teeth is home to over 300 diverse species of bacteria. So, this makes it more imperative to gargle with an antibacterial oral rinse.
• About 73 percent of Americans prefer going grocery shopping than flossing.
• 59 percent suffer from tooth decay. This is the most common chronic disease among kids ages 5 to 17.
• About 75 percent of US population suffers from gum disease.
• Approximately 33 percent of Americans have untreated dental caries.
• Tooth decay is still the most common disease in the US aside from common cold. Only a third of the population between the ages of five and seventeen are cavity-free.
• A person misses nearly 40 percent of his or her tooth surfaces if he or she does not floss. So, it is important to brush at least twice per day and floss daily.
• The average woman smiles approximately 62 times per day. On the other hand, a man smiles about only 8 times a day.
• An average person spends approximately 48 seconds brushing their teeth per day. However, the recommended time is at least two to three minutes.
• More than a million miles of dental floss sell in North America annually.
• Children laugh approximately 400 times per day. However, adults laugh only 15 times per day.

5 Fun Tooth Fairy Traditions

The Tooth Fairy has been a staple folk tale all around the world. And for a good reason. For years, parents have used this mythical creature to celebrate the loss of their child’s baby teeth. Losing these teeth then became something kids looked forward to instead of being something to fear. Tooth Fairy traditions further heighten this sense of anticipation.

If you travel around the world, you’ll be sure to find some iteration of the Tooth Fairy in every culture. Some cultures don’t have a literal “tooth fairy.”  In places like El Salvador, Scotland, and Sri Lanka, this role falls to small woodland creatures, such as a mouse, rabbit, or squirrel. In most North American countries, it’s a literal member of the fairy folk that collects teeth in exchange for currency.

Aside from creatures that collect teeth, however, there’s still a hearth of Tooth Fairy traditions that do not involve a tooth fairy. And there are, of course, little rituals some may do to welcome the Tooth Fairy. Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting ones:

1. Leave a dish next to the bed
   Having a dedicated “tooth dish” for the tooth fairy is a good alternative for your light-sleeping children. Parents can also take this as an opportunity to get their tykes excited for that night visit. While their teeth are a little bit loose, you can even design the platter with your child to make it extra special.
2. Throw the teeth onto the roof
   In some Asian cultures, kids who lose teeth from their lower jaw throw them onto the roof and make a wish. Often, this wish involves having a stronger tooth replacement or a fast-growing one. This replacement is usually a rodent’s tooth. There’s a belief that the new teeth will grow towards the direction of the old one, so throwing the bottom teeth onto the roof ensures this.
3. Bury their teeth into the ground
   If lower teeth should be thrown onto the roof, teeth missing from the top jaw need to be buried into the ground. Aside from this, other cultures typically believe that placing baby teeth into the ground ensure strong and healthy permanent ones. Some cultures also think of burying your teeth as a practical solution. Some think it’s the proper way to dispose of your old teeth. Others find it a way to protect the teeth from any animals that might wish to snatch them.
4. Build a door for the fairy
   Another fun ritual you can do with your children is to create a small door for the Tooth Fairy to enter through. You can either take this from an old doll house, or for maximum bonding, you and your kids could build one yourselves. You can use popsicle sticks or do a little woodworking to make it as fun as you’d like. Your kids can also go crazy on the design.
5. Feed the teeth to the dog
   While this isn’t recommended for obvious reasons, some cultures feed their teeth to their dogs. They feed them to ensure that the teeth are as healthy as a dog’s once they emerge.