6 Interesting Facts about Your Teeth That You May Not Know

You use your teeth every single day to eat, speak, and smile. If you suddenly lost all of your teeth, it would make it quite challenging to do any of those things. However, you probably don’t think about them all that often. Dental care has advanced a lot throughout the past century, and we’ve learned a lot about teeth that we didn’t already know. Continue reading to learn some interesting facts about teeth that may come as a surprise!

Your Smile Is One-of-a-Kind

Just like the prints on your fingers, there isn’t anyone in the world that has a smile quite like yours. Even if you have an identical twin, there are going to be some differences to distinguish your smiles from each other. That’s why dental records can be used to identify human remains and even solve crimes. Your tongue also has a print that’s completely unique to you.

You Get More Teeth as You Age

As a child, you start out with 20 primary teeth. However, as your permanent teeth erupt, you gain several more in order to fill your adult smile. If you haven’t had any permanent teeth fall out or extracted, you most likely have 32 teeth in total. If you’ve had your wisdom teeth removed, you’re sitting at 28.

Your Enamel Doesn’t Grow Back

Broken skin can heal, nails and hair grow back, and fracture bones can repair themselves, but tooth enamel cannot regrown. Because it’s not living tissue, it cannot be naturally regenerated. That’s why it’s so important that you take steps now to keep your enamel strong and healthy.

Your Teeth Are Kind of Like Icebergs

When you smile in the mirror, you are only seeing the surface of your teeth. In fact, about a third of each of your teeth is underneath the gum tissue. This is why it’s so important to ensure that your gums are healthy. They should be pink and firm.

You Make Lots of Saliva

Every single day, your body produces about a quart of saliva. When you add it all up, you make approximately 10,000 gallons in a lifetime. This is enough to fill a small swimming pool. Saliva makes it easier for you to swallow food, and it contains enzymes that jumpstart digestion. It also helps to wash away food particles and neutralize harmful acids in the mouth.

Not All Oral Bacteria Is Bad

The plaque in your mouth is home to about 200 to 300 different species of bacteria. The one that is usually the culprit for poor tooth health is called Streptococcus mutans. This converts sugar into acids which eat away at your teeth. However, there are some species of bacteria that have actually shown to be helpful. For instance, a group of helpful bacteria called lactobacilli can fight several kinds of bad bacteria and may help restore a healthy balance in your mouth. Good bacteria in your saliva can also help break apart proteins and sugars, making for quicker and more effective digestion.

Your smile is an interesting place, and it pays to keep it in good health. By maintaining an excellent oral hygiene regimen and seeing your dentist for regular checkups, you can keep your pearly whites in great shape for many years to come!

About the Author

Dr. Terry F. Rakowsky is an experienced dentist who has been working in the field for nearly 35 years. He earned his dental doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and has completed continuing education at the world-renowned Dawson Academy and Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. Currently, he is a proud member of the American Dental Association and Pennsylvania Dental Association. For more information or to schedule an appointment at his office in Doylestown, visit his website or call (215) 348-2224.