9 Facts About Teeth
Date: July 31, 2015Category: Author: Infinity Dental Web
Did you Know that not everyone loses their baby teeth? We have 20 baby teeth by the age of 3, and by our teens we lose these baby teeth and adult teeth grow in their place. But, some people do not lose all their baby teeth because they do not have an adult tooth to replace the baby tooth; therefore, the baby tooth stays put so there is not a gap.
Also, don’t you find it weird that we replace 20 baby teeth, but as an adult we have 32 teeth (including wisdom teeth)? As we grow older, molars grow in at the back of the mouth, giving us a grand total of 28-32 teeth, depending on whether or not you have your wisdom teeth removed.
Most babies’ teeth grow in after 12-18 months, but some babies are born with bottom teeth. These teeth erupted in utero and are called natal teeth, which are very weak. These teeth are removed shortly after birth to make breast feeding less painful for the mother.
We all strive for straight, pearly white teeth, and we do whatever it takes with the use of braces, whitening strips, veneers, etc. But in Japan they strive for crooked teeth. Some people who are blessed with straight teeth will go to the dentist to have crooked veneers.
You know that stuff that protects your teeth, enamel? Well enamel is composed of elements and is the hardest substance found in the body! Who knew that the protecting covering of our teeth is the hardest substance?! But I guess that makes sense.
Yet, even though enamel is the hardest substance in the body, it is also susceptible to erosion. This is due to plaque and the bacteria that grow on plaque. Enamel also can become stained from things such as tea, coffee, wine, strawberries, cigarettes, etc.
We know we only have two sets of teeth, baby and adult teeth. But sharks are able to grow a new tooth if one is lost. (Some sharks will go through 30,000 teeth in a lifetime, that’s a lot of teeth!) If we were able to grow new teeth, losing an adult tooth wouldn’t be such a big deal, but we do not have this capability. So make sure to take care of your teeth, you only have one set of adult teeth!
Are you aware of how much saliva you will produce in your lifetime? Well if you don’t know, one person produces enough saliva to fill two average sized swimming pools, which is about 25,000 gallons total. I bet you weren’t expecting that answer.
The average man in American today has a lifespan of 76 years, which is 27,740 days. Of those 27, 740 days, the average person spends the equivalent of 38.5 days of his life brushing his teeth (if a person brushes twice a day). Putting this all in perspective, practicing good oral hygiene habits can help prevent heart attack and stroke, which means spending .0013878 of one’s life is definitely worth it.
The full article can be found on https://www.hygienetown.com/Hygienetown/Blogs.aspx?action=VIEWPOST&b=254&bp=2349
Dr. Mike Malone and his team practice expert cosmetic dentistry in Lafayette, LA. Dr. Malone is the former president and current accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also the official Cosmetic Dentist of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants. Check out his website for more information.