Fun Dental Facts

A group of people holding up pictures of their teeth while sharing fun dental facts.

Believe it or not, dentistry can be fun! We do take our jobs seriously, but sometimes we can have some fun and a good chuckle.

Fun Dental Facts

  1. A typical elephant’s molar weighs nearly nine pounds
  2. In 1994, a West Virginia prison inmate braided dental floss into a rope to escape!
  3. The first toothbrush with animal hair bristles was made in China in 1498.
  4. A snail’s mouth is no larger than the head of a pin, but can have 25,000 teeth inside!
  5. Some of the world’s most choked on objects are toothpicks! Be cautious when picking your teeth or holding one in your mouth.
  6. Like cows, humans actually chew side to side—not just up and down.
  7. In North America, over 3 million miles of dental floss are purchased each year… Enough to circle Earth 120 times!
  8. When you skip flossing, you’re missing 35% of your teeth’s surface area!
  9. The first modern(ish) braces were constructed in France in 1728. They were made from metal and string.
  10. The enamel on the top surface on your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body
  11. An average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth over their lifetime.
  12. More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.
  13. In Medieval Germany, the only cure for a toothache was to kiss a donkey.
  14. The average woman smiles about 62 times per day! A man? Only 8.
  15. The average person spends about 48 seconds per day brushing their teeth, but dentists recommend at least 2 or 3 minutes.

Thanks for trusting us to keep your mouth and teeth healthy!

For more dental trivia and facts visit the Canadian Dental Association.

Dr. Christopher Sims
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