1. Your Teeth are the hardest substance in the human body.
Your teeth are the hardest substance in your body. This is because of the shiny white enamel that covers your teeth. It acts as a shield for the more sensitive inner tooth layer, called dentin. Enamel is made up of approximately 96% minerals, primarily calcium and phosphorus, that bond together to form hard crystallites. Tooth enamel acts as the first line of defense against the harmful acids found in certain foods.
However, as strong as our teeth are, they are the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself. If your tooth enamel is destroyed, it cannot and will not grow back because it is not living tissue.
2. The human mouth contains more bacteria than there are people on earth.
It’s time to hear the truth about your mouth. You probably know that it’s full of bacteria, but there are more than you think!
A typical human mouth contains billions of bacteria, and if you haven’t brushed your teeth lately, you might have more bacteria in your mouth right now than there are people living on planet Earth. Those billions of oral bacteria live in diverse communities, where they go about the business of life: being born, working, feeding, defecating, mating, and dying – yes, all this is happening right now in your mouth. When you eat, the bacteria on your teeth excrete acids that can weaken tooth enamel. Remember that using fluoride toothpaste and other fluoride products, like mouth rinses, helps strengthen enamel and prevent cavities.
3. If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces.
Cleaning between your teeth helps to remove the sticky film called plaque. Plaque contains bacteria that feed on leftover food or sugar in your mouth. When that happens, it releases an acid that eats away at the outer shell of your teeth, causing cavities. Plaque that remains between teeth is also a big contributor to bad breath. This is the result of the metabolism of the bacteria in plaque.
Plaque that is not removed by brushing and cleaning between your teeth can eventually harden into a rough substance called tartar (or calculus). When tartar collects along your gum line, it can lead to gum disease. Make sure you brush and floss twice a day!
4. No two people have the same set of teeth
You are unique! No two people have the same set of teeth. They are as unique as your fingerprint. Just like your fingerprints, no one else has the exact same teeth as you do, and no one can ever replace them.
Your teeth help you eat, speak, smile, and laugh. They also help you chew food properly so that it can be digested easily. If you have any problems with your teeth, these things can become more difficult or impossible for you to do on a regular basis, which can lead to health problems down the road. So, when you’re looking for a dentist, it’s important to find someone who is going to take the time to get to know your mouth. And if you’re not sure who to go to? We can help! At Clermont Dental, we pride ourselves on being able to help our patients find a dentist in their area who will take the time to get to know them and understand what they need out of their dental care.
5. The side you chew with matches the side you write with
Are you left or right-handed?
Studies have shown that you tend to chew food on the side of your mouth which correlates with your hand movement. That’s because people have a dominant hand—and they use it to write and chew on the same side of their mouth.
This means that if you’re right-handed and tend to chew on your right side, chances are good that the right side of your mouth is stronger than the left one and vice versa. However, this may not apply to all people, as about 15% of people have chewing patterns that are opposite to their writing.
6. Teeth can tell stories about you.
Scientists can tell a great deal about us just by examining our teeth. How may you ask?
This is because our teeth carry significant clues such as DNA (from the bacteria living in our mouths) that give insight into our overall health, including periods of stress or illness we’ve endured.
Teeth reveal all these details because they build up a record over time. Stains from food and tobacco, as well as any injuries or cavities, are all recorded in the dentin layer of your tooth (the hard outer layer that is hidden beneath the enamel). These physical markings within teeth provide clues about events throughout our lives, including when we were born and if we lived on farms or in cities during childhood or adulthood. They also help us, your local Denver dentist understand you and your habits. In addition, teeth can also tell you how old a person was when they died.
In short, teeth are a lasting record of our personal history.
7. Yellow Teeth are Not a Result of Staining
Our teeth look yellow when the enamel is worn away, allowing the color of the dentine underneath to show through. The less enamel you have left, the more yellow your teeth will be. As you age, the white enamel surface of your teeth may wear down allowing the yellow core of your teeth to become more visible.
However, teeth can become stained from certain substances, such as coffee or cigarettes. But, if you notice your teeth turning yellow, it is more likely to be from your enamel wearing away. Be sure to ask your dentist about this at your next dental appointment
8. Cheese Protects Your Teeth
You’re probably well aware of the fact that cheese contains calcium. Calcium is an essential nutrient that helps keep your teeth strong. But did you know it also has casein in it? Casein is a protein found in milk products like cheese and yogurt, and it can help protect your teeth. By creating a layer over the top of your teeth, cheese protects your teeth from being damaged by plaque, bacteria, or acid. It also balances the pH level in your mouth, making your saliva less acidic and reducing the chance of cavities.
Cheese is also high in vitamins A and B2 (riboflavin), as well as vitamin D—all of which provide additional benefits for overall dental health.
9. In your lifetime, your mouth is going to produce around 21,000 liters of saliva
Crazy right? But it doesn’t stop there, in case you didn’t know 21,000 liters is enough to fill up two regular-sized swimming pools!
- Nevertheless, saliva is important because it:
- Keeps your mouth moist and comfortable
- Helps you chew, taste, and swallow
- Fights germs in your mouth and prevents bad breath
- Has proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay and gum disease
- Helps keep dentures securely in place
You make saliva when you chew. The harder you chew, the more saliva you make. Sucking on a hard candy or cough drop also helps you make more saliva.
10. You can only see 1/3 of your tooth.
A tooth is like an iceberg – only about 1/3 of your tooth’s total size is seen above the gum. The other â…” of your tooth is hidden under your gums.
What you find below the gum line is the part of the tooth called the root. This part is not visible to the bare eye, but it makes up more than 60% of the overall mass and structure of your tooth. Its name comes from its primary function, which is to root or ground your tooth in place.
Bonus Facts
#DidYouKnow:
- Your teeth are part of your immune system. They trap germs and break them down before they can enter the bloodstream.
- A sneeze flies out of your mouth at over 600 mph.
- 100 years ago 50% of adults in North America were toothless.
- Your teeth can exert an average of 200 pounds of pressure when you bite down?
- A snail has 25000 teeth
- The largest mammal on earth, the Blue Whale has no teeth!
