When the discussion surrounds oral health, it should be taken seriously. However, you can always make room for humor also. The top ten weird and interesting facts about teeth have been gathered here to celebrate the humorous side of teeth.
1. If you have a toothache, kiss a donkey.
Before the invention of modern dentistry, treatment for toothaches was not reliable. Every area of the world had various old wives’ tales about home remedies for teeth. Germany during the Middle Ages could win the prize for the strangest home remedy.
It was believed that kissing a donkey would bring instant relief to the sufferer. A better legend may have been to have the donkey kick the painful tooth out.
2. When you need dental work, go to a barber.
Some people would think this is another legend, but it is real history. Before the 19th century, if a person needed dental work completed, he or she would most likely visit a barber. Barber-surgeons were considered the earliest dentists.
The barber’s experience and expertise with cutting tools made them the most qualified experts to remove teeth. Some barbers would perform other procedures including producing denture from animal bones.
3. The longest human tooth on record measure 3.67 cm.
In February of 2018, Urvil Patel of Vadodara, India had a canine tooth extracted that measured 3.67 centimeters. This tooth became a new entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.
The typical human tooth measures a measly 2 centimeters. The 18-year old had to endure a 30-minute extraction which included the use of local anesthesia.
4. Over a lifetime, sharks can grow more than 30,000 teeth.
Sharks are truly impressive and terrifying at the same time. A shark can have a massive amount of rows of teeth that are razor sharp. A bull shark can have over 50 rows of these types of teeth.
The interesting fact here is these teeth are replaced as soon as they are lost. Some large species of sharks can actually lose and replace over 35,000 in a lifetime.
5. Wisdom teeth are called love teeth in certain parts of the world.
When you call your third molars ‘wisdom teeth’, it is a mistranslation. The term comes from the Dutch term ‘verstandskiezen’ which describes where the teeth are located. Many people confused this term with ‘verstand’ which means wise.
Other areas of the world have different terms to describe your third molars. For example, Koreans have ‘sarangnee’ or love teeth. They call them love teeth because the teeth first appear during young adulthood which is a period that is associated with love and heartbreak.
6. Where should you place milk (baby) teeth?
Most children in the United States are told to place their milk teeth under the pillow for the tooth fairy. However, in many Asian cultures, the children are told to throw the teeth in the air if they were upper teeth or throw them down if they were lower teeth.
Children in Turkey are told to throw the teeth on top of the roof. Instead of the tooth fairy, children in Italy and Latin America receive presents and money from a tooth mouse.
7. The Japanese consider crowded teeth attractive.
Some cultures do not appreciate straight and pearly white teeth. In 2011, it became a fad for Japanese women to ask dentists to make their teeth appear more crowded according to the New York Times. Many people in Japan consider the double tooth look cute. This ‘yaeba’ look can actually cause issues for oral health.
Another interesting fact about Japan’s smile preferences dates back to medieval Japan. During this time, many women would stain their teeth with ink because black teeth were considered attractive.
8. The name Bluetooth comes from a Danish king.
Blatand can be translated to the English word ‘bluetooth.’ This name was given to a 10th-century king from Denmark who ate so many blueberries his teeth were stained blue. This story may not be completely true, but the king’s unifying kingdom achievements are.
These achievements earned him the honor of having the ‘Bluetooth’ wireless technology named after him. The logo for ‘Bluetooth’ includes his initials in rune form.
9. Actors can be dedicated to their roles.
Brad Pitt is an actor known for his dedication to his roles, but he may have gone to the extreme when he got the part of Tyler Durden. Entertainment Weekly reported that he intentionally chipped his front tooth for this role in ‘Fight Club.’ A dentist did the chipping and then restore Pitt’s smile as soon as filming was concluded.
10. If you are a redhead, you may need more anesthetic.
The University of Louisville in Kentucky in 2002 conducted a study to determine if the color of your hair affected your sensitivity to pain. The results indicated that women with ginger hair typically needed 20 percent more anesthetic to numb pain during dental procedures when compared to women with other colors of hair.
Do you need a dentist? Call or send an email today to Southland Dental Care to make an appointment or schedule a consultation with our expert dentists.
