10 Astounding Dental Facts

Say cheese, everyone! There is a lot more to your pearly white that meets the eye. Here are some funny, crazy and downright astounding facts about your pretty pearls that will leave you speechless. (Take care of your teeth; you will need them to talk.)

1. Neglecting one’s teeth can lead to more than decays and gum disease. Irregular brushing and poor oral hygiene can lead to gum diseases like Gingivitis and Periodontal Inflammation. These diseases lead to fluctuation in cognitive functions of the body, affecting the brain’s ability to process details and leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s, a progressive degeneration of the brain, causing the affected patient to lose cognitive ability in a short span of time. A study carried out by the New York University College of Dentistry reveals a direct correspondence between poor oral hygiene and IQ levels. Test subjects, ages about 70 years with swollen gums scored lower than those with good oral health.
2. A common practice is to cap brushes after use to prevent dust settling on the bristles. According to the American Dental Association, this is actually more detrimental to oral health than leaving brushes uncapped. Moisture trapped by the cap acts as a breeding ground for bacteria favoring growth microbes and viruses.
3. A new born has excellent oral hygiene and no decay bacteria residing in the mouth. The bacteria are transmitted from the mother to baby when the mother kisses the infant, or cools food by blowing onto it.
4. For those who do not floss, plaque accumulation on the teeth is very high, taking up a large chunk of grinding space. Plaque is a breeding ground for over three hundred different species of bacteria. Flossing regularly eliminates most of the plaque reducing the chances of decay and oral diseases.
5. Tooth reconstruction has to take place within fifteen minutes of it being broken off from the jaw. In the event of an accident or fight, if a tooth is broken, it starts to die within a span of fifteen minutes; however, if one puts the tooth in milk, it is preserved longer.
6. The human body has been designed to exert and withstand extreme pressure. The muscles of the jaw can exert a force as great as fifty-five pounds on the anterior incisors and as much as a whooping two hundred pounds on the back molars.
7. Like the DNA and fingerprint, the teeth set of every individual is unique. Even identical twins have an exclusive teeth set, hugely different from that of the sibling. Dental records have long been used to identify victims of murder and arson whose faces have been destroyed beyond recognition. Given that enamel is the strongest tissue in the human body, it can withstand most damage and thus offer detectives a reasonably clear indication of a person’s identity through dental records identification.
8. An interesting fact about eating and chewing your food is that the action of chewing follows the writing rules. If you are right-handed, you will most likely chew on your right, and if you are left-handed, you will favor your left, with the exception of those affected by decay, aches or oral surgery.
9. A snail, possibly one-hundredth the size of an average human, has a head no larger than a pin head. Yet, it has over twenty-five thousand teeth in its minuscule mouth.
10. The largest mammal on land, the elephant has an astounding set of teeth. A single tooth can measure approximately a foot across and weighs over six pounds.
11. img c/o pixabay