Four Things You Didn’t Know About Your Teeth
Everybody knows that teeth are helpful for many things. They help you complete simple tasks everyday such as chewing, speaking, and smiling. But the truth is there’s a lot more to your teeth than you’d think. For fun, we’ve put together some interesting facts that prove how remarkable your teeth really are.
Oral care is centuries old
Despite the fact that a lot of movies and TV shows portray peasants and people in the middle ages as dirty and gross, our ancestors have been taking care of their teeth for a long time. They actually chewed on twigs because the frayed ends helped clean their teeth. In the times of ancient Egypt, people used crushed eggshells and ground up animal hooves to clean their teeth so they remained smooth and polished. By the time the 1700s rolled around, a British inventor developed an early version of the toothbrush thanks to a design first used in China. Toothbrushes with nylon bristles came about in the 1930s and the first electric toothbrush was actually brought to the market in 1954.
Teeth are like the rings of a tree, kind of
Perhaps you’ve seen an episode of Dateline or CSI where the solution to the crime depended on dental records? This is because your teeth reveal a lot about you. In fact, teeth reveal age, dietary habits, and where we lived on this planet. The teeth serve as a record of our personal health history because they reveal when we endured periods of stress and illness.
All of your teeth are unique
Teeth may look pretty similar at first glance, but each tooth is quite unique, including the 20 “baby teeth” we each started with. Of our 32 adult teeth, each one has its own shape and size, which means your mouth contains quite the variety!
In the beginning, your teeth were hidden
This one is fascinating and also odd to think about. When babies are born, the crowns of their first teeth are already in place under the gums. What they’re doing is waiting for the right time to push to the surface. This process typically happens between three to six months of age – as you well know if you’re a parent of a toddler.
If you’re looking for a new dentist, be sure to contact the team at Dental Arts Dr. Deb Cassill. We specialize in a variety of dental services including smile makeovers. We love making our patients feel welcome, comfortable, and happy with their teeth. Give us a call today to book an appointment.
