How well do you know your teeth? Treat them to some TLC after the Christmas binge and brush up on your knowledge with our fun facts!
Fun dental facts
Throughout their lifetime, the average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth!
Only half of us brush our tongues – which can help remove bacteria from our mouths.
Two-thirds of people lose respect when a boss has bad dental hygiene – someone pass the Tic Tacs…
50% of people said a smile is the first feature they notice about someone, according to a survey by the American Academy of Periodontology.
You’ll produce enough saliva to fill a wine bottle every day. That’s 20,000 litres in a lifetime – enough to fill 53 bathtubs!
Ancient cultures crafted toothbrushes from twigs or roots which they would chew on to clean their teeth.
It wasn’t until the 1700s that the modern toothbrush was invented when Englishman William Addis fixed boars’ bristles to a bone handle! Synthetic bristles and specially adapted handles weren’t created until the 1930s.
Since around 5000 BC, people have found ways to clean their teeth, often by using abrasive and acidic substances such as lemon juice, charcoal, chalk and tobacco. Modern toothpaste was thankfully invented in the 1800s!
Fluoride can prevent tooth decay by at least 40%, which is why it is often added to water supplies and dental products – yet amazingly one-fifth of people still think it’s a marketing gimmick.
It takes far fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown – 17 as opposed to 43. So why the long face?
On average, those who drink 3 or more glasses of fizzy drink each day have 62% more tooth decay, fillings and tooth loss than others.
If you’re unfortunate enough to have a tooth knocked out, putting it in milk and then holding it against the socket can improve the chances of a dentist being able to reaffix it. But make sure you call us for an emergency appointment immediately.
Women smile more times a day than men – a whopping 62 compared with around 8 times for men.
The first dentures were made from wood or the teeth of dead soldiers until the early nineteenth century. Thankfully, we now have acrylic and chrome cobalt dentures and titanium implants to replace them!
Did you know tooth decay is classified as an infectious disease? It is caused by a strain of bacteria that can actually be passed between people – in fact, it is one of the most common childhood diseases.
A child’s teeth start to form before they’re even born – even though they don’t show until around six-twelve months old. That’s why it’s important to brush your baby’s gums.
Tooth enamel is the hardest part of your entire body. The fact that fizzy drinks and sugar can dissolve this enamel shows just how much damage they can do!
