Think you know your teeth? Let’s find out. How well do you know your dental facts?
False!
The first teeth you have are called “baby” or “primary” teeth. You only have 20 in total, 10 on each jaw. This number balloons out to 32, or 16 upper and lower, when you grow your “permanent” or “adult” teeth.
False!
Baby teeth actually serve a pretty vital role in the growth and development of your mouth. They help to shape your jaw as you grow, and also guide your adult teeth. Losing baby teeth early can cause big problems with the shape of your jaw and the positioning and placement of your adult teeth.
True!
Some people simply never develop wisdom teeth.
False!
Wisdom teeth only need to be removed if they cause, or are likely to cause, problems. Some people have adequate space in their jaw to accommodate the extra teeth, and never have issues. Others … not so lucky.
Cheese!
Soft bread and dried fruit easily stick to your teeth and provide lots of food for bacteria growing in your mouth. Cheese is relatively low in sugar, helps produce saliva which protects your teeth, and gives you a nice boost of calcium.
It’s not, unfortunately, great for your waistline if you eat too much — but all good things in moderation.
False!
In fact, dentists pretty much globally agree that if everyone actually stuck to the recommended daily oral hygiene regime, they’d lose a lot of patients. The most common problems with oral health — cavities, infections, etc. — can almost all be avoided by simply taking care of your teeth. Is brushing twice a day really more of a hassle than visiting the dentist to get work done?
Milk!
Milk actually helps keep the tooth clean and free of germs once it’s knocked out. Rinse it off, drop it in some milk — or some water with salt if you don’t have milk — and get it to the dentist ASAP. In many cases you can actually get the tooth back in place if you get there within the hour.
False!
It is a symptom, but it’s actually a sign of advanced gum disease. Very early gum disease is almost unnoticeable, and the first symptoms are usually soreness, redness and swelling.