3 Facts To Test Your Dental Knowledge

We love sharing interesting facts about dentistry and oral health! The human body is so fascinating, and dentistry is so multifaceted that there is always something new to learn. If you are curious about oral health, here is some dental trivia you can use to impress your friends and family:

Fact #1 – Dentistry is one of the oldest medical professions in the world: Archeologists have uncovered indications of dentistry practice in the Indus Valley from as far back as 7000 BCE. That means, as a civilization, we’ve understood the importance of taking care of our teeth for over 9,000 years! Descriptions of dentistry and tooth decay have been found in ancient Sumerian texts dating back to 5000 BCE. They believed that tooth decay was caused by worms, which we didn’t prove to be false until 1700 A.D.! (source: ADEA – History of Dentistry)

Fact #2 – Your body makes between 2 and 6 cups of saliva a day on average. Saliva is truly a wonder substance. It keeps your mouth and throat moist so you don’t have to guzzle water constantly. It helps break down food to make it chewable and digestible. It contains enzymes that eliminate infection-causing bacteria. It cleans your teeth by washing away food particles and diluting acid. It contains a substance that prevents calcium loss to keep your teeth strong. It helps you taste your food, has healing powers, and much more. Bonus fact: You have 3 sets of salivary glands that are responsible for producing 90% of your saliva. (source: Cleveland Clinic – Saliva)

Fact #3 – People who don’t floss are leaving up to 40% of their teeth dirty. When we bathe, we wouldn’t leave half of our body unwashed. That is basically what we’re doing when we don’t floss. Teeth have 5 surfaces. By not flossing, 2 of those surfaces never get touched. Additionally, neglecting to floss all but guarantees you will get gum disease. Flossing is the only way to effectively clean between teeth and along the gum line, where food particles get stuck and attract hungry, plaque-producing bacteria. Not only that, but not flossing raises your risk of tooth decay, tooth loss, and other serious oral health issues. So, let’s all make a promise to floss our teeth at least once every single day.

We have one more fact to share — visiting our office located in New Braunfels, TX at least every 6 months is essential for maintaining good oral hygiene and overall health. Professional dental cleanings and examinations help prevent countless oral and systemic diseases, including decay, tooth loss, gum disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory infection, and pregnancy complications. Plus, when you visit us regularly, it gives us a chance to catch up with you! Please call us or go online to schedule an appointment.