Tooth Trivia

Sometimes kids forget to keep up with their oral hygiene responsibilities so here’s some cool tooth trivia to get kids interested:

George Washington, the first president of the United States, had false teeth because his real teeth were so bad that they had to be removed. After many attempts to create dentures comfortable enough for Washington to wear, a set of false teeth were constructed out of teeth from a cow, a hippopotamus and a walrus. Dr. Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics in Brownsburg, IN stresses that kids brush their teeth twice a day to avoid rotten baby teeth and so that they can keep all 32 of their permanent teeth.

We at Chapman Orthodontics also recommend using a soft toothbrush; can you guess what people used to use to brush their teeth? The first toothbrush with nylon bristles wasn’t invented until 1938. Before then, people would chew on the end of a stick until it formed a brush which was then used to clean their teeth. And before the invention of toothpaste in the beginning of the 20th century, people used to use ashes, chalk, charcoal, honey, lemon juice, crushed egg shells or parts of animal hooves.

Did you know that elephants only have four teeth? Elephants have two upper molars and two lower molars that measure one foot across and weigh 9 lbs. Because they grind their food their teeth are worn down to the gum line and eventually they fall out. And unlike us, an elephant may go through six sets of teeth in its lifetime. Dr. Chapman wants kids two remember that we only have two sets of teeth, our baby teeth and our adult (permanent) teeth, so we have to take care of them to avoid chipped, fractured or broken teeth.

Go over these fun facts with your child while they are brushing their teeth, and if you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Chapman at 317.852.5566.