One of the best ways to build a new habit or improve an existing one is to get yourself thinking about it in a new and interesting way. That’s why we’ve assembled 10 of the strangest teeth facts to make you wonder. After reading this article, you’ll find your idle thoughts turning to the crazy things your teeth can do!
Portrait Dental has all the information, jokes, and facts to keep you interested in taking care of your teeth. Keep reading to get just a taste of what you’ll see when you come into our modern and refreshing offices.
10 Bizarre Teeth Facts That Will Make You Brush More Often
Without further ado, here are 10 crazy facts and stories about teeth that you won’t forget. Offer up a few of these to your friends at a social gathering and you’ll either get a few weird looks, a chuckle, or a, ‘hmmm’!
1. One person will produce over 100,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime
Starting with the mouth first, we sure produce a lot of drool! To put this number into perspective, that would be like filling over 20 semi-trucks with drool, or over 1 million red solo cups. Of course, you don’t notice this volume because it happens slowly over a long life, but it’s ridiculous to picture all that drool coming from just one person.
2. On average, women smile more than men
Maybe smiling leads to a longer life, because women have a longer life span on average compared to men as well! On average, women smile around 68 times per day while men smile about 8 times a day. That’s quite the difference!
3. The most valuable tooth belonged to Sir Isaac Newton
You might have thought a diamond or precious-metal-encrusted tooth would be the most valuable but no, a man of science takes this record. In 1816, one of his teeth was sold in London for $3,633. In today’s money that’s over $36,000!
4. Most of your teeth are hidden
We only see one-third of our teeth and the rest is hidden behind the gum line. Your teeth are kind of like an iceberg! There’s a lot happening beneath the surface that can affect your oral health. That’s why it’s important to book your regular dental appointments. You can book your appointment with Portrait Dental here.
5. In rare cases, the human body can grow over 200 ‘extra’ teeth
Thanks to a benign tumour known as an odontoma, which is made up of dental tissue, teeth-like tumours can grow from the jaw. Though they are not cancerous, they can cause development issues and need to be surgically removed. In 2014, a boy in India with an odontoma had 232 ‘teeth’ extracted from inside his lower right jaw!
5 More Interesting Teeth Facts
Now it’s time to get even stranger with these facts about teeth! These next ones will really get you thinking. You might even get over your dental anxiety when you realize that modern people have it lucky when it comes to dentistry!
6. Barbers, blacksmiths and wig makers used to handle people’s dentistry needs
Between the 1600s and 1800s, the dental profession did not exist. Instead, people often visited the barber to get their hair and teeth done at the same time. If a barber wasn’t handy, a blacksmith or wig maker would do the trick. Surely you can imagine how brutal these treatments were, so we won’t go into too much detail. But you can bet that the treatments, while sometimes necessary, involved a lot more pain than you’ll ever experience at a modern dentist’s office.
If you have dental anxiety, check out our article here! And make sure to count yourself lucky you’re living in the 21st century.
7. Early toothpaste included ingredients such as crushed bones, eggshells, and ashes
Even ancient and classical peoples took care of their teeth as best they could. The Greeks and Romans used crushed bones, oyster shells, charcoal and tree bark to make toothpaste. And in China, ingredients for toothpaste included ground-up ox hooves’ ashes, burnt eggshells, and pumice. It’s pretty crazy to see a few ancient ingredients make their way into modern toothpaste!
8. Mayans would bejewel their teeth using an early form of a drill
Ancient remains of Mayan kings and queens have been discovered to have minute holes drilled into their teeth. Inside are tiny pieces of precious jade. Jade was a precious stone to the ancient Mayan. It represented nature, growth, and sustenance. Rulers used it to signify their power and their role as leaders. Not to be left out, the wealthy non-ruling class modified their teeth as well, but they did so with more affordable jewels.
9. A medieval cure for a toothache in Germany was to kiss a donkey
What is with medieval storytellers and their obsession with kissing strange animals? For some reason, the people of Wetterau Germany believed that the symptoms of a toothache could be cured by kissing a donkey. And oddly enough, the Ancient Greeks believed that strong teeth could be had by using a mouthwash made from donkey’s milk. Can you imagine what inspired ancient peoples to associate donkeys with good teeth? Maybe because of the animal’s own prominent set of chompers!
10. The average person spends almost 39 days over a lifetime brushing their teeth
Sure, you may only spend a few minutes a day brushing your teeth, but little by little, this time adds up! On average, a person spends 38.5 hours in a lifetime brushing their teeth. Remember that when you next dread brushing your teeth. A few minutes is really just a drop in the bucket.
Learn More Interesting Teeth Facts with Portrait Dental
After reading these insane facts about teeth, you must be feeling pretty fortunate to live in the modern era with access to professional dentists. If you’re itching to get a cleaning after reading about bedazzled teeth and ancient toothache cures, give us a call at 416 534 6000. We are happy to answer any questions you might have and to book your next appointment with us.
Located in Toronto, our modern and luxurious offices are waiting to welcome you to your next appointment. Our dental specialists provide a number of dental services. We’re confident that we can help you along your journey to a perfect Hollywood smile. Learn more about our general, specialized, cosmetic, and sedation dentistry here.