We use them to eat, speak and smile but how much do we actually know about our teeth? Teeth are far more interesting than you might think. Here are our five fascinating facts about teeth!
- Your teeth are completely unique
Just like your fingerprints, your teeth are completely unique to you. Plus, each of the teeth in your mouth is totally unique from one another. That’s why teeth can be used to identify human remains.
- Enamel is the hardest part of your body
The enamel is the outer layer of your teeth – it acts as protection from the acids and sugars in your food and drink. Like your bones, the enamel is made up of calcium and phosphate. However, the enamel is stronger than bone (and therefore the strongest part of your body) because it contains unique proteins and crystallites.
- Teeth are like icebergs
Much like icebergs, there’s more to your tooth than you can see above the surface – in fact, around a third of each tooth is underneath your gums. Your gums help to hold your teeth in place and protect them from damage, that’s why it is vital to look after them. FYI: healthy gums are firm and pink in colour.
- Teeth start to form before birth
We often see teeth as something we grow as babies, when in fact, they start growing long before that. Teeth first start forming underneath the gums when we are still inside the womb, they just break through the gums when we are between 6 and 12 months old.
- People have been caring for teeth for centuries
You might think of oral hygiene as being a modern thing but we have actually been looking after our teeth for centuries. People have been using chew sticks (a very basic form of the toothbrush) for 5,500 years!
The next time you’re brushing your teeth, it might be good to think about our five fascinating facts. You’ll be sure to care proper care of your teeth when you consider how unique and special they really are!
