Unique Dental Facts That Will Surprise You: Part 1

Check out these unique and fun facts about teeth and dentistry that we found to be fascinating. Please share which ones surprised you the most when you’re done perusing!

Oral Hygiene And Health

The average American will spend approximately 38.5 total days just brushing their teeth in their lifetime.
The average woman is more likely to develop periodontal disease than the average man.
Americans buy more than 14 MILLION gallons of toothpaste every year.
Coconuts are a natural antibacterial food and can help reduce the risk of developing gum disease and cavities.
Approximately 75% of school children worldwide have active dental cavities.
Roughly 25% of American adults have no teeth.
By drinking one can of soda daily, the average American gains 15 pounds each year.
Kids miss 51 million school hours a year due to dental-related illnesses.

Tooth Anatomy And Material

Bet you weren’t aware of these fun facts about teeth…

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body.
The valuable tooth of an elephant (its molar!) is made up of dentin, which is less hard than enamel.
Tooth prints are like fingerprints – unique to each person!
Hippopotamuses commonly have 36 teeth. Their dental pattern is composed of two incisors, one canine, three premolars, and three molars, distributed in each quadrant.
Teeth start to form before we are born. Can you believe it?
A snail’s mouth is tiny, but it can contain over 25,000 teeth!

Dental History

Here’s a peek at some unique dental history…

During the Colonial Era, people often lost teeth and they frequently resorted to using dentures crafted from ivory or wood.
George Washington’s dentures were not made of wood. He actually possessed four sets of dentures that were created with materials like gold, ivory, lead and – wait for it – a blend of human, donkey and hippo teeth!
The most valuable tooth belonged to Sir Isaac Newton. In 1816, one of his teeth was sold in London for $3,633, which equates to $35,700 today. The tooth was set in a ring!
The first toothbrush was invented by a dentist in China using tufts of wild boar bristles.
The earliest known dentist was Hesi-Ren, an Egyptian who lived thousands of years ago.
False teeth were invented in 1774 by a dentist named Alexis Duchâteau, and made from porcelain and animal bone.
Did you know that our ancestors had a much tougher diet than we do today, which included uncooked plant food and meat, causing excessive wear on their teeth? This diet made an extra set of molars quite useful. Those extra molars are what we now commonly refer to as ‘wisdom teeth’. However, as our diets and ways of preparing food have evolved, our jaws have become smaller, often leaving insufficient space for these third molars. That’s why many people today need to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent dental complications!
In ancient times, people believed that baby teeth had protective qualities and they were often used as amulets to ward off evil.

Flossing

The ADA reports that “interdental cleaners such as floss are an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums. Cleaning between teeth removes plaque that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas where a toothbrush can’t reach. Interdental cleaning is proven to help remove debris between teeth that can contribute to plaque buildup.”

Flossing is an essential part of oral hygiene. When you do not floss, you are missing over 40% of tooth surfaces, which is why your dentist always emphasizes flossing!
Although flossing is essential, many people do not like doing it. A whopping 73% of Americans would rather go to the grocery store than floss their teeth.
The first introduction of commercial floss was in 1882 by Codman and Shurtleff, Inc., later acquired by Johnson and Johnson in 1965.
Floss is more durable than you’d think. In fact, it was reported that a West Virginia inmate once used dental floss to braid a rope, which he used to scale a building and escape in 1992.
In North America, over 3 million miles of dental floss are purchased annually.

Interested in learning more? Stay tuned for the second post in our unique dental facts series!