Fun Dental Facts

By Center for Dental Anesthesia

Center for Dental Anesthesia

. https://snoozedentistry.net/

More Dental Health Articles

Fun Dental Facts

We put together some interesting and fun dental facts we hope you will enjoy reading.

Did you know…

• chewing gum can prevent cavities? A chewing gum made from xylitol (a natural sweetener made from birch trees) helps prevent cavities. In the presence of xylitol, bacteria can’t stick to teeth. Chewing gum also increases saliva, which protects the teeth from decay.
• cavities can be contagious? Many different types of bacteria, like strep mutans, the bugs responsible for cavities, can be transferred from one mouth to another through kissing. Note If you floss and keep your teeth free of biofilm, bacteria cannot live once its in your mouth.
• in an average lifetime, a person produces 10,000 gallons of saliva? As we age, our saliva diminishes, making us more vulnerable to dental infections as well as bad breath.
• mothers-to-be with severe periodontal infection are almost eight times more likely to have a pre-term, low birth-weight baby? Increased hormone production during pregnancy increases plaque which, untreated, can lead to gingivitis/gum disease in pregnant women.
• people with periodontal disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease and stroke?
• gum disease may make it more difficult for diabetics to control their blood sugar?
• there can be a connection between crusty dentures and pneumonia? A leading cause of death in older people is aspiration pneumonia, often from inhaling debris around the teeth and dentures. By removing dentures daily, cleaning them with a special brush, and storing them in a cleansing solution you can reduce the risk by almost 100%.
• the shape of the modern human mouth is too small to accommodate wisdom teeth? That is why they often are impacted or unable to come in. Partially erupted wisdom teeth are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs that may cause infection.
• natural teeth can absorb up to approximately 540 lbs. per square inch of biting pressure?

Now For Some Fun Facts…

• Fun Fact 1 86% of dogs over four years old have periodontal disease and its tell-tale bad breath. (So, when Fido lavishes kisses on your face and mouth, beware. He could be giving you his germs.)
• Fun Fact 2 For those who are calorie conscious, a 60-second kiss burns 26 calories.
• Fun Fact 3 In 1994, a prison inmate in West Virginia braided dental floss into a rope, scaled the wall and escaped.