Here at Helotes Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, your teeth are our passion. The more we learn about teeth, the more fascinating we think they are. In this blog post we’ll share some truly amazing facts about dental hygiene. You might want to keep these in your back-pocket for the next time you attend a trivia night.
Teeth Are One of a Kind
Like fingerprints and snowflakes, each and every tooth is different and unique. Your teeth are completely different from each other, from your family members’ teeth, and from every other tooth on the planet! Because of this individuality, teeth have long been used to identify people. In fact, in the United States it dates back to the Revolutionary War. Paul Revere is thought to be the first American to use forensic dentistry to recognize a fallen soldier by the wiring he’d used to install his artificial tooth.
Strong Yet Fragile
Tooth enamel is actually the hardest part of your body. In fact, your enamel is harder than steel. Knowing that, it’s hard to believe you’d ever have to worry about decay! But the truth is that enamel is thin and brittle, and it can wear away and chip. Despite knowing its strength, be sure to handle your teeth with care. Enamel isn’t indestructible, and it doesn’t grow back.
Gallons Of Saliva
You produce a lot of saliva over the course of your lifetime--25,000 quarts to be exact. That breaks down to somewhere between two and four pints of saliva a day. That’s a lot of spit, and it’s vital to our dental hygiene. Why? Because it washes away food particles and bacteria, and keeps our teeth healthy and strong.
Another Fun Fact
Regular dental exams and cleanings prevent tooth decay. Okay so that fact might not be as fun as the others but it's important and very relevant. Our friendly and gentle team members are ready to make your next dental visit as pleasant and comfortable as possible. And we might even have some more fun tooth facts up our sleeves. Feel free to pick our brains at your next visit. Give us a call or click the link below to schedule.
Contact Helotes Pediatric Dentistry Today!