Magnolia Smiles: Dental Fun Facts!

1. The enamel on the top surface on your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body. 

2. Teeth start to form even before you are born – milk teeth or baby teeth start to form when the baby is in the womb, but they come through when the child is between 6-12 months old.

3. Humans use four different types of teeth (incisors, canine, premolars, and molars) to cut, tear and grind their food.

4. Humans have only two sets of teeth in their entire lifetime – baby and permanent teeth. Once you have your permanent teeth, make sure to take good care of them. 

5. Your mouth produces over 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime – that’s enough to fill two swimming pools. Saliva has many uses, including assisting you with your digestion and protects your teeth from bacteria in your mouth.

6. An average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth over their lifetime.

7. Many diseases are linked to your oral health, including heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

8. One third of your tooth is underneath your gums – that means only two thirds of your tooth’s length is visible. 

9. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes. The average person does it for just 48 seconds. 

10. Know why your dental records are so important? Because like your fingerprints, your teeth are completely unique to you. 

11. A single can of soda can have 12 teaspoons of sugar. That’s as much sugar as 6-12 cups of coffee. No wonder your dentist warns you of soda! 

12. The first bristled toothbrush was made in China all the way back in the late 1400s. The bristles were made of hog, horse and badger hair. 

13. Toothpaste goes back a long, long time. For instance, the ancient Romans used a toothpaste made from honey and crushed eggshells.

14. Women smile on average 62 times per day. Men? Just 8.