Wild and Wacky Facts

Did You Know?

  • The average modern toothbrush contains more than 2,500 bristles.
  • The first toothbrush was invented in China in 1498. It was made from boar hairs attached to a bone stick.
  • The first commercial dental floss was sold in 1892 and was made of silk.
  • Like finger prints and snowflakes, everyone has a uniquely patterned tongue.
  • Americans spend close to $1 billion each year in chewing gum. Dr. Sexton recommends chewing sugar free gum to keep teeth healthy and prevent cavities.
  • People who drink 3 or more sugary drinks (soda, juice, energy drinks, sports drinks) a day experience 62% more tooth decay.
  • Like our bones, our teeth our alive. They form before you’re even born and continue to develop until you are an adult.
  • Kids have about 20 teeth by their 3rd birthday.
  • Adults have 32 teeth.
  • The land mammal with the most teeth is the Giant Armadillo, which can have as many as 100 teeth.
  • The ocean animal with the most teeth is the long-snouted spinner dolphin that can have as many as 252 teeth in their jaw.
  • Sharks lose teeth throughout their life and they grow new ones to replace them.
  • Rats gnaw with their front teeth to wear them down because if they didn’t their teeth could grow into their brain.
  • George Washington had dentures made of hippopotamus teeth, ivory, lead, human teeth and cow and sheep’s teeth.
  • In the 1600’s Japanese women blackened their teeth because they thought it showed loyalty to their husbands.
  • Mayan’s shaped their teeth into various shapes and decorated them with jewels. Sound familiar? This is the ancient version of ‘Grillz.’