There are numerous things about teeth that are somewhat unknown. Here are a few fun facts:
- Dental enamel is the protective coating on your teeth and it is the hardest part of your body. The enamel is harder than even your bones. This is very important as your permanent teeth need to last your lifetime and can use all the protection they can get.
- No two people have teeth that match. Just as fingerprints are unique to each individual so are teeth. The same is true about the tongue – no two people have tongues that are matching.
- Only two thirds of a tooth are visible. One third of your tooth is located in your gums. The part of each tooth that you don’t see has roots and is attached to bony tissue so that your teeth will be held firmly in place.
- The first commercial bristle toothbrush was invented in China in 1498. Until then a variety of items were used to clean teeth, including twigs from trees.
These are just a few of the fun and interesting facts about teeth; but taking great care of your teeth and oral health is not something to be taken lightly.
Baby teeth actually begin to form while the infant is still in the womb, and lay just beneath the surface of the gums when the child is born. Those baby teeth begin to emerge anywhere from three to six months of age. As teeth poke through the gums, a baby becomes uncomfortable and can even run a fever when teething. Twenty primary teeth are expected for the average child.
Around age six or seven, baby teeth begin to fall out and permanent teeth will come in to take their place. Thirty-two adult teeth are the norm.
With excellent care, those permanent teeth will sustain you through your lifetime. With the wonderful advances in dentistry, even lost or missing teeth can be replaced that appear and function like your biological teeth allowing you to eat all the foods you love.
That excellent care involves eating a healthy diet; no tobacco use; brushing and flossing daily; and visits to the dentist every six months for cleaning and exam. If it’s time to schedule your next appointment, contact Howl Dental at 918-749-1626.