We rarely give our teeth much thought. But this blog post is about to change that. Read below – these stats, statements, and tid-bites take a chomp out of tooth conventional wisdom. And they might produce a sleepless moment or ten. Chew on these following facts:

1. Watch your brush. A toothbrush is usually your best friend, but not if it’s within 6 feet of your toilet. If you keep your toothbrush less than 6 feet away, you’re essentially wiping airborne toilet bacteria all over your teeth.
2. Many microbes inhabit your toothbrush. Does 10 billion qualify as a big number? Gross.
3. Tooth grinding causes many oral problems. Don’t fall asleep just yet…if you do and grind your teeth, you can literally end up with stumps for teeth! Plus, tooth grinding may eventually require caps, bridges or even a root canal.
4. Some teeth never stop growing. Thankfully, not many animals lay claim to this creepy fact. But rats, one of the all-time gross-out animals, have teeth that just keep growing…all the time!
5. Plaque has hundreds of types of bacteria. And that’s hundreds of reasons to brush your teeth, floss and visit the dentist regularly!
6. You produce about 2 liters of spit every day. That’s sort of disgusting, but saliva also helps keep your teeth clean – so it’s not that bad!
7. Ancient human teeth were HUGE. Fossil records suggest that Neanderthal and other early hominids had teeth with some serious chomp.
8. Our teeth are changing right now. OK, those changes are slow, but they’re happening. Human ancestors developed bigger jaws and sharp teeth when they began to cook and eat meat. Modern day cuisine options barely resemble prehistoric food options (wooly mammoth, anyone?), and evolution is already planning the next step.
9. In the distant future, our teeth will look nothing like they do now. To expand on that last point, modern conveniences (utensils, ovens, etc.) mean that humans are “evolving to eat mush,” as one paleoanthropologist put it.
10. If you’re not brushing your teeth, you may be increasing your chance of a heart attack. More research is needed to determine the link between improper dental care and heart disease – but stay tuned. Bottom line: it’s always a smart idea to brush and floss on a regular basis.
11. Be thankful you have modern dental care. In the middle ages, blacksmiths and barbers performed routine dental work. Open up and say, “Ahhhh!”
12. Scientists are starting to grow teeth from stem cells. Seriously – right in the lab.
13. There’s something called “Mountain Dew Mouth.” Consider this the next time you reach for a sugary soda.
14. Some sharks shed over 30,000 teeth throughout their life. Consider that the next time you go to the beach!
15. Treating toothaches in the old days was like a horror movie. From inserting live caterpillars in the mouth to hot wax, let’s just say tooth care has come a long way!

Here’s a comforting fact (at last) about your teeth: Dr. Dental offers excellent dental care all throughout the New England region. Our friendly, professional staff ensures your comfort, regardless of your treatment (no hot wax or live caterpillars, we promise!). Plus, we offer daily deals for even more value. Check out our locations page for an office near you – and thanks for reading the Dr. Dental blog!