Oral
hygiene is one of those things that you know is important, but it’s
so hard to get your
family excited about. While a new flavor of
toothpaste or cool light-up toothbrush can help get your kids to
brush their teeth, you simply cannot do that every night. However,
you can tap into the current trivia trend by packing a few cool facts
into your cavity-fighting arsenal. As you prepare your family for
their daily oral hygiene routine, use these fun dental facts to boost
their interest in polishing those pearly whites.
Your
Tongue is Unique
Tongues
are an often-overlooked part of a person’s oral hygiene routine,
but did you know that they can harbor nests of bacteria? For this
reason, cleaning your tongue should be a part of your tooth brushing
routine. A person’s tongue also has a unique print just like a
fingerprint that is completely different from everyone else’s.
Soda
Is Worse Than You Think
Although
soda is notorious for being a major contributor to cavities, most
people have no idea just how bad it can be for their teeth. A single
serving of soda contains 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and people who
drink more than three glasses a day have 62% more cavities and
fillings than those who abstain.
You
are Short-Changing Yourself
When
people are asked how long they brush their teeth, the majority says
they do it for the recommended time. However, it has been shown that
most people brush for a mere 30 to 45 seconds when it takes a full
two minutes to effectively remove most plaque. Set a timer, pick a
two-minute song or challenge the kids to a tooth brushing stand-off
to make sure everyone brushes long enough to make a difference.
Our
Ancestors Used Strange Oral Hygiene Products
Early
humans lacked access to the soft-bristled, colorful brushes that we
have today so they used to chew on twigs. Additionally, the Greeks
used pumice, talc and iron rust as abrasives in their toothpaste.
With that taken into consideration, the minty fresh toothpaste we
have today is amazing.
Washington’s
Teeth Weren’t Really Wood
Legend
has it that President George Washington once sported a set of
charming wooden dentures. While those were a thing, his were actually
made from elephant ivory, gold, hippopotamus tusks and human teeth.
Just thinking about having other people’s teeth and foreign objects
in general in your mouth should get you motivated to keep yours
clean!
There’s
a Fancy Word for Toothache
If
you want to impress your dentist, just ask them about odontalgia.
This was the winning word in the 1986 National Spelling Bee, and it
simply means toothache. Hopefully, you never know what that feels
like from true experience, and you can keep those aches away by
visiting your dentist twice a year.
We
Are Born Bacteria-Free
Although
dental plaque contains up to 300 different types of bacteria,
newborns enter the world without a single type in their mouth.
Unfortunately, habits such as cleaning pacifiers with your mouth,
sharing utensils and kissing on the lips all transfer your oral
bacteria to your little one. While you might not be able to resist
kissing that adorable face (nor should you), limit the amount of food
sharing you do to ensure that their smile stays healthy once it
arrives.
Knowing
a few facts such as how snails have more than 25,000 teeth can make
brushing yours more interesting. Tonight, skip dessert, and instead
treat your family to a few interesting facts that will stimulate
their curiosity about the best ways to take care of their teeth. From
the yuck factor of our ancestor’s tooth brushing habits to
comparing tongue prints, sharing these facts is guaranteed to
generate some big, clean and healthy smiles.
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