Dental Trivia

Did you know?

• The higher the sugar content in foods, the greater the risk teeth have for cavities.

• The higher the starch content in food, the greater the chance for cavities.

• Frequent snacking increases the chance for cavities.

• Sticky or dry foods adhere to teeth and increase the chance for cavities.

• Cheese and other dairy products can be anti-cariogenic due to their buffering effect. However, in combination with sugars or starches, they are not.

• Fruit juices contain sugar and water and are no better for your teeth than soda pop.

• The longer the time food remains in the mouth, the greater the chance for decay.

• The sequence in which foods are eaten can determine the risk for cavities. For example, if you eat sugary foods after meals, you decrease the chance for cavities, as opposed to eating sugary foods alone.

• Tartar-fighting toothpastes can cause blemishes around the mouth. It is important after brushing your teeth to wash your face thoroughly.

• Tartar-control toothpastes may cause sensitivity in teeth, due to the pyrophosphates they contain.

• Sensitivity-formulated toothpastes can take four weeks or longer to take effect before helping reduce the sensitivity.

• There are almost 9,000 accidental pockings and piercings with toothpicks per year.

• At least 20 new ideas for tooth care devices appeared in the magazine Popular Mechanics between 1920 and 1930. Interplak was the first rotary action toothbrush for home use that appeared in 1987.

• The most common sports-related injuries are orofacial. Anyone playing any type of contact sport should wear a stock or custom mouth guard.

• Although many people believe raisins are much healthier than chocolate, raisins can actually cause a higher incidence of tooth decay, due to their sticky properties and adherence to the tooth's surface for prolonged periods of time.

• According to Consumer Reports, dentists are among the five most trusted professionals in the United States.

• Approximately $2 billion a year is spent on dental products such as toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.

• The earliest record of a toothbrush was found in Chinese literature about 1600 AD.

• In Arabia and India, dental cleaning sticks had a religious significance. Prayers were said while brushing. Fifteen minutes of tooth brushing was said to equal 70 prayers.

• The electric toothbrush was first introduced in 1939.

• The first toothbrush was made by William Addis of Clerkenwald, England.

• The Florence Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts was one of the first companies to produce toothbrushes in America. They were introduced in 1885. The first model was the Pro-phy-lac-tic brush. This company was also the first to distribute the toothbrushes in boxes to prevent any cross contamination.

• The first American to gain a patent for a toothbrush was H. N.  Wadsworth.

• The natural bristles of early toothbrushes were taken from the necks and shoulders of swine, especially pigs living in colder climates like Siberia and China.

• The first nylon bristles were introduced in 1938 and soon replaced the natural swine bristles.

Did you know that clean teeth can help prevent a heart attack? It’s true!