Say “Aahhhh” Ten Things You Didnt Know About Dental Health & History

Do you ever wonder about dental care when you’re brushing your teeth?

Everyone must have had these same random questions and thoughts at some point. But the truth is, wondering about the history of dental care and general dental health questions are totally normal. And dental care has been around for centuries, so we understand how some people tend to be curious about the one habit you’ve had since those first sets of baby teeth.To help answer a few critical questions about general dental health, we gathered 10 things you probably didn’t know about dental health.

• • Enamel is actually harder than bones.
    “What?!” – Yeah, you read that right. Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body, and because of that, enamel protects your teeth from chewing, eating, drinking, temperatures, and other chemicals. However, once enamel is eroded, it can’t be regenerated. The best thing to do is to prevent it by using fluoride, brushing teeth at least twice a day, and going to dental appointments every 6 months for a checkup.

• • The invention of toothpaste! There’s no official date for the invention of toothpaste
    . Oral health and practices have long been around before they were officially documented, meaning there’s no precise date about when toothpaste was “first invented.” There were instances in ancient times when people created their own concoctions, and into the 19th century, some dentists made their own pastes for their patients.
  • You spend more time brushing your teeth than you think! “The average American spends more than 82 days brushing their teeth over a lifetime. That is, if you are keeping up with your brushing.
  • First impressions are everything pearly whites make a lasting first impression. Nearly one-third (29%) of Americans say the first aspect of someone’s face they typically notice is his or her teeth, and 24% say this is also the facial aspect that they remember the most after meeting someone.
  • Ladies in the dental field!
    Miss Lucy B. Hobbs was the first woman to graduate in the field of dentistry. She matriculated in the Cincinnati Dental College in the fall of 1864. Win for the women!
  • According to the American Dental Association, tooth brushes being thrown away produces nearly 50 million pounds of waste each year. Make sure to recycle your toothbrushes or better yet, go sustainable. There are many electric toothbrushes, or bamboo options on the market.
  • Early Americans and their odd dental habits are weirder than you might think. Early americans used to scrub their teeth with salt, rough cloths and charcoalto attempt to clean their teeth. This since been debunked, thank goodness we know better now.
  • Cola can cause tooth decay over time.
    The acid in soft drinks such as Coca Cola can damage your tooth enamel around the bacterial colony, allowing the bacteria to move into the eroded areas, eventually leading to cavities and possible tooth decay.
  • 1857 was the first time in america for toothbrushes to be mass produced.
  • Going to the dentist regularly is a key part of keeping your teeth and mouth healthy.
    A survey done with adults showed that those who had regular dental checkups had significantly fewer teeth missing than those who went to see the dentist only for dental treatments.