Weird Dental Facts
Exploring the Quirky and Curious World of Dentistry
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No Periodontal Disease For Me, Dude (Shark Week Fact 7)
Shark teeth are not attached to gums on a root like our teeth. If they were, they would not be able to be replaced as quickly as sharks actually replace them. Shark teeth are arranged in neat conveyor belt rows and can be replaced within a day of losing one.
Tougher Than Tough (Shark Week Fact 6)
Shark teeth and human teeth are equally as hard, but the coating of shark teeth is acid resistant and less water soluble than our teeth.
Bye, Ma! (Shark Week Fact 5)
Sharks are born with complete sets of teeth and swim away from their mother to fend for themselves.
That Would Keep The Tooth Fairy Busy (Shark Week Fact 4)
Venice, FL is known worldwide as the Shark Tooth Capital. Ten million years ago, when Florida was submerged under water, the area was teeming with sharks. Thus, it holds a bountiful cache of fossilized sharks teeth. Megalodon tooth. Photo Credit: Robin Draper.
Look Ma, No Cavities (Shark Week Fact 3)
Sharks do not suffer from cavities. They don't brush or floss, but they also eat a diet perfectly suited to them. It is additionally interesting to note that shark teeth were recently discovered to contain fluoride.
Sharkey’s Machine (Shark Week Dental Fact 2)
New teeth are constantly being formed in rows in a shark’s jaw. A shark typically loses at least one tooth per week. (They may get stuck in prey and become broken, or get knocked out during a feeding frenzy.)
Shark Week Dental Fact 1
In honor of "Shark Week" (Discovery Channel) here's our latest Weird Dental Fact: The biggest shark species has the smallest teeth. The 12 meter long whale shark (that's a little over 39 feet) can feature between 300 and 350 rows of teeth at a time -- each only 3mm...
Smile, and say “Cheese!”
Certain cheeses including Aged Cheddar, Swiss, and Monterey Jack, have been found to protect teeth from decay. Why, you ask? Because eating cheese increases the production of alkaline saliva and neutralizes acid in the mouth. It also creates a protective layer...
Hey Bud. Wanna Buy Some Teeth?
In the 18th century people would sell their teeth to the rich, who then used them to make false teeth. Weirdly enough, one can still buy human teeth today -- but these are typically used for practice by dental students.