10 Weird and Wacky Dental Facts

10 Weird and Wacky Dental Facts

Weird Dental Facts for Odd Fact-lovers

Did you wake up this morning thinking about teeth? Maybe you jumped out of bed, stretched, and proceed to the coffee pot with a little skip in your step just imagining the opportunity to spend the day in a dental office. Does the thought of poking and prodding pearly whites simply inspire you? Do you share stories about the various teeth you’ve encountered the same way that a doting mother shares memories of their child’s first spit-up?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, chances are you’re either a bit unhinged or a member of the specialty profession of trained doctors devoted to oral health known as dentists. Sure, these individuals with a passion for all things tooth can seem a bit, well, quirky. In reality, however, it’s their commitment to dental matters that sets a great dentist apart from the crowd and helps ensure happy and well-cared for patients.

Residents of Dallas, Texas, know they can count Dr. Gary Alhadef at Dallas Cosmetic Dental among those trusted professionals who are inspired by dental facts and figures to provide their patients with the highest quality of care. And sure, with countless hours spent in continuing education on top of an impressive career spent caring for his patients’ dental needs, Dr. Alhadef has certainly accumulated plenty of useful knowledge, but he’s also managed to come across a few, shall we say, less useful but far more entertaining figures. Here we delve into the latter and share with you our top 10 weird and wacky dental facts sure to impress when busted out at your next social gathering, or at least leave your friends scratching their heads over your newfound knowledge.

1. The average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth.

If you’re a consummate multitasker, that equals the time spent brushing twice a day for about as long as your favorite pop song. We’ve got a few recommendations if you’re looking to stay on musical theme.

2. Seventy-eight percent of Americans have had at least one cavity by the age of 17.

If you’re feeling guilty over that sweet tooth that led to your most recent filling, you can rest assured you’re in good company. On the other end of the spectrum, one 94-year-old man managed to brush and floss his way to a cavity-free mouth for life.

3. The average person’s mouth contains 32 teeth.

While that may seem like a mouthful of a fact, not everyone has exactly the same number. An Indian man is the current record holder with an excessively large number of 37 teeth in his mouth. That’s a lot of chomping power.

4. Snails have more teeth than you.

Speaking of excessive amounts of teeth, the slimy garden crawlers in the snail and slug family outdo your chewing capacity. While their mouths are no larger than the head of a pin, snails still manage to pack in over 25,000 teeth. Imagine the flossing routine the little buggers must have!

5. Larger size doesn’t necessarily equal a bigger bite.

Sure, the blue whale may be the largest mammal on the planet, but they fall far behind in the dental department. The seafaring creatures eat their fair share of shrimp and krill, but they manage to make it happen without a single tooth. Imagine what they could eat with a mouthful of pearly whites.

6. The tooth fairy is susceptible to inflation.

The magical, mythical, and downright felonious (hello, breaking and entering anyone?) tooth fairy has been visiting children for years to exchange lost teeth for treats and monetary gain. Way back in 1950, the going rate for one tooth was a whopping 25 cents. By 1988 that amount had increased to a solid $1.00. Nowadays, kids get $2.00 or more for missing teeth. Here’s hoping this fairy woman has a solid investment portfolio to fund those returns.

7. Toothpaste by any other name.

You may have an aversion to today’s sweetened, much-hyped versions of toothpaste but there’s no denying the efficacy of a solid fluoridated tube of minty freshness. Squeezing out a dollop onto your brush, however, is a solidly modern innovation. In ancient Greece, everything from pumice, talc, alabaster, coral powder, or even iron rust sufficed. We’ll stick with our icy peppermint flavor, please.

8. Brad Pitt takes method acting to the next level.

While we all know the first rule of Fight Club is that we don’t talk about Fight Club, we’re happy to spill the little known fact about Brad Pitt’s fighter-worthy smile. In order to delve into the role, the normally perfect smile of lead actor Brad Pitt got some purposeful chipping. Don’t worry, though. The dashing leading man had his grin repaired as soon as filming wrapped for this iconic film. Talk about getting into a role.

9. A shark tooth that isn’t really a shark’s tooth..

If you were a child of the 90s or simply weren’t hiding under a cultural and fashion rock at the time, you know the role shark teeth played in accessorizing that favorite look. You didn’t have to be a cool kid to own a shark tooth necklace, choker, or bracelet. As it turns out, however, shark teeth aren’t exactly what they’re made out to be. In fact, this ocean dweller actually has a mouth full of hardened scales in place of traditional teeth, which also allows them to readily grow back these important appendages when one gets lost in a particularly juicy surfer or seal. Teenage us feels less guilty already.

10. A set of chompers that’s positively criminal.

Last up on our list of wild, wacky, and plain old bizarre toothy facts hails from the always exciting, but sometimes questionable tradition-laden state of Louisiana. For some reason lost to history, biting a person with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault down in the bayou. In contrast, taking a nibble out of a person with your artificial teeth or dentures is aggravated assault. Probably one of the least likely reasons you should keep your natural smile healthy by scheduling regular dental visits.

Some True Dentist’s Dental Facts

All laughing aside, having a dentist that is excited and enthusiastic about your oral health is a major plus factor when it comes to patient care and service. If you’d like to see the difference a thoroughly educated dental professional can make in the Dallas, Texas area, reach out to the offices of Dr. Gary Alhadef, DDS today to schedule your initial consultation or cleaning. We promise to keep our sharing of quirky and little known dental facts to a minimum while providing the best in modern dentistry treatment. In the meantime, feel free to regale your friends and family with your newfound dental history and trivia knowledge!

 

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