If knowledge truly is power, prepare to become an undisputed dental powerhouse. Proper dental care keeps your smile beautiful, white, and healthy, but there is much more to dentistry. The list of dental facts below lists some of the largest facts you never realized you wanted to know. Use this information to your advantage as it sheds new light on the exciting world of dentistry. Share one or two facts from the list below with your friends and family if you want to be the coolest person in the group.
The Largest Dental Facts You’ll Ever Learn
- Tooth collections might seem strange to some of us, but for others, collecting them is all the fun. Brother Giovanni Battista Orsenigo of Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy, collected 2,000,744 human teeth for his collection. His massive collection earned him the record for the “largest human tooth collection in the world.”
- Did you know there is a record for the largest tooth ever extracted from a person’s mouth? N.R. Iyer, a man from India, takes the honor. Doctors removed a massive tooth measuring 1.6 inches long from his mouth. The size of human teeth varies but measures 10 millimeters long on average.
- Got milk? Curtis Buddie loves the white stuff, and at 10 years old in 2005, earned the Guinness World record for the ‘Longest Milk Tooth.” A milk tooth, or a baby tooth, is a tooth that falls out to make room for permanent teeth. Curt’s tooth measured 2.4 cm long when a dentist removed it in 2018. Curt says his love of milk helped him earn this amazing record.
- Wisdom teeth emerge between 17 and 25 and quickly cause assorted mouth drama. The tooth is the largest in the human mouth, measuring approximately one inch in width, although it can vary greatly in shape and size. Larger wisdom teeth may expand to two-inch widths. The larger the wisdom tooth, the more likely a person is to experience problems like swelling and infections.
- Patients who undergo full-mouth reconstruction endure the largest dental surgery possible with the removal and replacement of all teeth and implanting dental prosthetics. Some surgeries take upward of 20 hours. Patients with severe dental problems, including tooth loss, are good candidates for full mouth reconstruction. This procedure gives them a healthy smile they love.
- People collect many interesting items, including toothbrushes. Donald E.P. Gimbel proudly boasted the largest collection of toothbrushes, with over 3,000 unique pieces from around the world. Toothbrushes are an important part of any good oral health routine and an interesting artifact some people cherish.
- Thousands of people have diastema or a gap between two teeth. The gap usually exists between the front two teeth. Gaps vary in size, with the largest ever recorded measuring one inch in diameter. Some people enjoy the aesthetic appeal tooth gaps give them, while others are less flattered. If your gap makes you uncomfortable, talk to your dentist about possible solutions.
Dental Care 101
Now that we’ve discussed some of the ‘largest’ dental facts, it is time to discuss the importance of proper dental care. Of all the information in this blog post, this paragraph is the most important for those looking to keep their beautiful, healthy smile.
Proper dental care keeps your smile beautiful and your health at peak. Dentist Dr. Senft said about 50% of all adults in the U.S. suffer from gum disease, which can deteriorate their smile and good health. Brushing twice per day and daily flossing can significantly reduce this risk. Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle toothbrush to remove plaque and tartar stuck to the teeth.
Don’t forget regular dental checkups. About one in four Americans skip dental appointments -and their oral health pays the price. Visit your dentist once every six months for checkups. Doing so ensures oral health issues do not boggle you down.
Other steps that can help brighten and whiten your smile:
- When brushing your teeth, don’t forget to brush your tongue. Your mouth feels cleaner and healthier when you remove debris, food particles, plaque, and tartar from your tongue. It freshens your breath and helps keep your teeth healthy.
- Cosmetic dentists offer many services designed to improve the appearance of your mouth and teeth. If you are unhappy with your smile, speak to a dentist about the available procedures. Teeth whitening is one of the many available services. Needed once yearly, whitening removes discoloration caused by food and smoking and restores your teeth to a beautiful white appearance. You’ll love the way you smile after a dental whitening service.
- Some foods can wear down the enamel of the teeth, cause cavities, and lead to gum disease when consumed too frequently. Sugary food and drink top this list. Avoid these foods to keep your smile beautiful.
- You need two preventative care visits with your dentist every year, although additional visits may become necessary if oral health concerns arise between the visits. While it’s tempting to put off an extra visit, it’s the worst decision you could make for your oral health. At the first sign of trouble, schedule an appointment with your dentist and put the problem to an end as quickly as it starts -before it grows into something much larger.
- Replace your toothbrush once every two to four months -when the bristles start wearing down.
Prioritizing your oral health is a great way to minimize extra dental trips, help you maintain a beautiful smile that you love, and enjoy all the confidence and good health that you deserve.
The Bottom Line
Our teeth are an important part of who we are. It is the first thing people notice when they meet us. We need our teeth to speak correctly, chew food, and help us maintain our confidence. Taking oral health seriously is the easiest way to improve your smile and maintain confidence. Share the largest facts you’ve learned here with all the people you know and care about, and together you can win the oral health game.