1. Even ancient populations knew the importance of oral hygiene.
While ancient oral hygiene practices seem barbarian compared to those we have today, people back then had definitely figured out that there is a connection between oral hygiene and strong, healthy teeth.
Ancient people tried many different methods to keep their teeth clean. Some would go so far as to chew tree bark or wooden sticks with frayed ends to clean their teeth. Ancient Egyptians made a powder from pulverized eggshells and ox hooves mixed with water and brushed with that. So it is easy to see how good we have it now!
2. The modern toothbrush we know today was not created until the 1700s.
A man in England named William Addis attached boar bristles to a bone handle to create the first mass-produced toothbrush. It wasn't until the 1930s that brushes with nylon bristles and ergonomic handles were developed.
These products seem primitive compared to modern toothbrushes, but they were highly innovative at the time!
3. The Tooth Fairy is also affected by inflation.
Today, the Tooth Fairy needs a lot more silver than she did in 1900, when she left an average of twelve cents per tooth. In 1998, she left an average of one dollar. In 2013, the going rate for a tooth reached an average of $3.50. In 2018, it was not uncommon for kids to find a $5 bill under their pillows! How much do you get?
4. North Americans use around 3 million miles of dental floss every year.
But we still aren't flossing enough! Only 30% of North Americans report flossing once a day, the general recommended amount.
5. The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime.
That's enough drool to fill two swimming pools! Gross.
6. Teeth can tell us a lot about human history.
Teeth are the hardest part of any mammal, which means they are the part most often fossilized. The size, number, shape, and organization of the teeth are different in every species of mammal, making them very useful in the classification of organisms (taxonomy). Studying teeth contributes greatly to understanding certain elements of evolution, and without teeth, the fossil record would be quite a lot harder to for us to understand.
7. The United States has the most cavities per person in the entire world.
On the other hand, there are some countries (like China) where people eat such small amounts of sugar that entire cities are completely cavity-free.
8. The phrase 'long in the tooth' means 'old'.
This expression originated with horses. As horses age, their gums recede indefinitely, making it seem like their teeth are growing. The longer the teeth look, the older the horse.
9. Snails have teeth. Lots of teeth.
Snails and slugs eat with a jaw and a flexible band of thousands of microscopic teeth called a radula. The radula scrapes up, or rasps, food particles and the jaw cuts off larger pieces of food, like a leaf, to be broken down by the radula.
10. According to Louisiana law, if you bite someone with your natural teeth, it's assault, but if you bite them with dentures, it's aggravated assault.
This is because while simple assault is committed with your person, and aggravated assault is committed with a dangerous weapon (which dentures are, if you're using them for biting people).