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Interesting Facts About Teeth You Didn’t Know
Teeth are interesting components of the human body, essential for chewing, helping in speech, and their invaluable contribution to human smiles. Most of us take our teeth for granted, unaware there’s much more to them than what simply meets the eye. Their special properties, as well as surprising historical facts concerning them, have kept many secrets within which could find you amazed. Here are some interesting lesser GT facts about teeth: they will make you further appreciate these pearly whites.
1. Your Teeth Are as Distinct as Your Fingerprints
Like fingerprints, each individual’s set of teeth is unique; they vary in shape, size, and alignment. Hence your dental structure becomes unique. Therefore, forensic authorities often use dental records to identify an individual. Even identical twins have distinct dental patterns!
2. Tooth Enamel is the Toughest Material in the Human Body
The outermost layer of your teeth, called enamel, is more durable and flexible than your bone.And that makessense because it is made of mostly calcium and phosphate minerals—the two ingredients to make a strong protective cover for the teeth to sustain daily wear and tear. But it is not indestructible. In fact, with acids from food and drinks, and poor oral hygiene, it erodes with time and leads to cavities.
3. You’re Born With 52 Teeth
Although babies are born without teeth, they hide 20 teeth under their gums: the primary (baby) teeth waiting for the right moment to erupt. Underneath those baby teeth lie the buds for 32 permanent ones, which will replace the baby teeth as they get loose and fall out. So you’re practically born with 52 teeth!
4. Your Teeth Can’t Heal Themselves
The difference between bone and tooth is that bone can repair and regenerate itself while teeth cannot heal themselves. When enamel gets damaged or cavities form, they cannot be healed. Therefore, preventive measures are necessary: brushing, flossing, and regularly visiting the dentist are all essential for keeping healthy teeth.
5. Teeth Start Forming Before You’re Born
Your teeth started developing while still in the womb. They start developing from the sixth week of pregnancy, and by the end of the third or fourth month, the hard tissues of teeth begin to form. However, baby teeth usually do not erupt until a baby is about six months of age.
6. You Will Invest Approximately 38 Days Brushing Your Teeth Over a Lifetime
So, on average, if you brush for two minutes twice a day, you will spend around 38 days of your life brushing your teeth! A lot, but not costlier than maintaining a healthy smile.
7. The Ancient Toothbrush Dates Back Thousands of Years
Before the invention of contemporary toothbrushes, ancient societies utilized chewing sticks or twigs as their dental cleaning tools. The bristles of these sticks were frayed at one end, which helped remove debris from the teeth. The first bristle toothbrush, similar to what we use today, was invented in China during the Tang Dynasty (619–907 AD) and was made with boar hair.
8. Your Teeth Reveal Your Age and Diet
The teeth contain valuable details for determining a person’s age, diet, and way of living. To understand the ancient diet, find out the deficiency of nutrition, and estimate age from skeletal remains, authors like forensic scientists and anthropologists study teeth.
9. Teeth Are the Only Part of Your Body That Can’t Repair Themselves
Your teeth are unique in that they are the only body part that cannot regenerate once it has been damaged. Skin, bones, and other tissues of your body can repair themselves, except teeth, since they are made of enamel and lack any living cells. Restorative dental procedures like fillings, crowns, and implants often become necessary for damaged teeth.
10. Not All Animals Have Teeth Like Humans
Some animals possess multiple sets of teeth, while humans only have two, namely baby teeth that eventually fall out to allow permanent teeth to grow. Sharks, for instance, lose and foster teeth ceaselessly during their lifetimes.Fascinatingly, certain sharks can develop as many as 50,000 teeth throughout their life!
11. The First Toothpaste Was Invented Over 5,000 Years Ago
Around 3000 BC, ancient Egyptians had invented toothpaste. It was made utilizing ground rock salt, mint, dried iris blooms, and pepper. While this sounds very rough, it probably worked remarkably well to clean teeth. Modern toothpaste is miles ahead of what it had, with fluoride and all sorts of other ingredients that tend to strengthen the enamel and fight cavities.
12. The Tooth Fairy’s Origin
The Tooth Fairy, the beloved myth of childhood, originally came from Europe and changed over time. In medieval Europe, parents removed their children’s missing teeth to ward off evil spirits.In time, this evolved into the modern figure of the Tooth Fairy who frittered away coins or gifts for the tooth.
13. Teeth Are Stronger Than Steel
Believe it or not, the enamel on your teeth is dented pound for pound than steel. It can withstand a lot in terms of pressure when chewing. However, unlike steel, enamel can chip or crack when it comes into contact with hard or sharp objects; hence the need to avoid habits such as chewing on ice or opening packages with your teeth.
14. Saliva Plays a Vital Role in Oral Wellness
At first, you might think of saliva as a mere moisturizer-presented mouth, but it is essential to oral health: this amazing fluid allows you to flush away food particles, neutralize the acids, and remineralize the primary phases of the harm caused to the lacquer. Average lifetime production by the body of saliva amounts to about 25,000 quarts: for two swimming pools!
15. The Most Expensive Tooth Ever Sold
The most valuable teeth in the world belonged to Sir Isaac Newton.One of the notable pricy artifacts sold at auction in 1816 included one of his teeth that fetched a price of 730 pounds equivalent to about $35,000 today. It was reportedly set up in a ring and would be worn as a keepsake.
Conclusion
The teeth, besides serving as an aid in eating, reveal part of your history, health, and identity. If you know and appreciate the exceptional features of your teeth, you can therefore take better care of them and thereby enjoy a healthier smile longer into the future. So always remember to brush, floss, and visit that dentist regularly to make your pearly whites healthy and strong. Should you have concerns regarding your oral health, visit a dentist today because your pearly whites deserve the highest care possible!
