Teeth help us chew food and make for a great smile. They are astounding in a way. There are some little-known facts that future dentists pick up while studying teeth. They are usually pretty interesting if not amusing. Some will make you chuckle.

There’s a time for serious and a time for fun, but today we are going to meet you somewhere in the middle. If you are here to learn why your cavity hurts or if you need a root canal, you are in the wrong place. But if you are here to learn something new about dentistry that’s not often covered, then by all means stick around.

 

Here are 10 facts about your teeth you probably haven’t heard

1. Only two-thirds of your tooth’s length is visible. The rest is hidden underneath your gums!
2. Don’t cap your toothbrush. Putting a cap on your toothbrush allows bacteria to grow. Bacteria cause many types of oral diseases.
3. Humans use four different types of teeth (incisors, canine, premolars, and molars) to cut, tear and grind their food.
4. Humans have only two sets of teeth in their lifetime- baby teeth and permanent teeth. Take care of your teeth!
5. No two people have the same set of teeth. Which is why they are often used to identify a John Doe.
6. Yuck! You produce 5,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime—enough to fill two swimming pools.
7. An average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth over their lifetime.
8. The most common disease in the United States is the cold. What’s the second most common disease? Tooth decay.
9. Enamel (like the kind on the surface of your teeth) is the hardest substance in the body.
10. Milk can help a dislodged tooth survive. If one of your teeth gets knocked out, put it in milk, hold it in your mouth, and get to a dentist, ASAP!