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Dental Trivia: Fun Teeth Facts For Kids

Published date field Last Updated:

Medically Reviewed By Colgate Global Scientific Communications

Parents know that it's beneficial to go the extra mile with their kids' well-being. So if you have to make a sandwich in the shape of a dinosaur for them to eat their lunch, then so be it. Or if you have to get them a bright pink glittery winter coat for them to bundle up during the winter, it's all good. Getting them involved with their oral health is no exception. How, you ask? Well, luckily, there are plenty of historical and scientific details and facts that few know when it comes to dental hygiene. Quizzing your kids and revealing these little-known nuggets below can only help pique their interest in keeping their teeth clean and their smile bright.

Dental Fun Facts for Kids

Have them chew on these funny and wacky scientific dental facts.

  • Since sugar wasn't part of anyone's diet in prehistoric times, there most likely wasn't any tooth decay present in children.
  • Every bone in your body isn't as strong as your teeth enamel — making it the perfect armor to protect your teeth from cavity-causing bacteria.
  • While you can mend a broken or cracked bone back together — you cannot restore enamel or a cracked tooth the same way. There are many ways to repair teeth, but it's nothing like bones growing back together.
  • You could actually consider cavities contagious, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. Hear us out. The bacteria found in everyone's saliva that causes cavities can be transmittable from each other, most often from parent to child. So think again the next time you share your silverware, cups, etc.
  • Do you know what African animal only has bottom teeth? It's the giraffe.
  • Total teeth found in:
    • Humans — 32
    • Dogs — 42
    • Cats — 30
    • Pigs — 44
    • Armadillo — 104 (holy armadillo!)

Historical Trivia on Oral Hygiene

History has taught us a lot. We've evolved from the wheel to the automobile's wagon to pretty soon — the autonomous electric vehicle. And it's no different with the first versions of dental care products.

  • Some ancient cultures would clean their teeth by gnawing on a piece of tree bark or wooden sticks. And some current cultures use wooden sticks for oral cleaning. Whatever works.
  • Whether it's a primitive form of toothpaste or mouthwash is up to you. Still, Egyptians cleaned their teeth with a powder consisting of pulverized eggshells and oxen hooves mixed with water. The result was a slightly abrasive concoction that helped remove food debris.
  • In the 1700s, an Englishman named William Addis thought to fasten boars' bristles to a bone handle. And voila — a brush for your teeth was invented.
  • When choosing a toothbrush today, you have a lot of options. But it wasn't till the 1930s that nylon bristles and more ergonomic handles entered the toothbrush market.
  • In 1816, Isaac Newton's tooth was sold for today's modern equivalent of nearly $36,000. It's a good thing there wasn't a tooth fairy back then.

These are just a few dental tidbits worth sharing. Share them with your children and family, so they realize how lucky we are to be living in an age where modern dentistry and oral hygiene products have advanced. It's safe to say that your son or daughter would opt for nylon soft-bristles over boars bristles any day.

Oral Care Center articles are reviewed by an oral health medical professional. This information is for educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist, physician or other qualified healthcare provider. 

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