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Toothbrushes as we know them (with bristles),
were invented by the Chinese and came to Europe during the seventeenth
century. |
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| Teeth are the hardest substance in the
human body! They are even harder than bone. |
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| Dogs have 42 teeth. Cats have 30 teeth.
Pigs have 44 teeth. Adults have 32 teeth. Armadillos have as many as 104
teeth, more than any other land animal! |
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| Beavers must gnaw on wood and other
materials to wear down their teeth. Otherwise, the incisors would grow
too big for their head. |
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| Sharks have an unlimited supply of teeth
that are set in layered rows in their gums. If one tooth falls out, a
tooth from another layer takes its place. A shark may shed as many as
50,000 teeth in its lifetime! |
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| "Arachibutyrophobia" is the fear of peanut
butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. |
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| The first toothbrushes were actually small
sticks mashed at one end! |
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| The Romans employed slaves to clean their
teeth. |
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| The first electric toothbrush was developed in
Switzerland after WWII. |
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| Our first president, George Washington, did
not have wooden teeth. By 1776, he had lost all but one of his teeth. He had
dentures made of elephant ivory, hippopotamus tusks, and cow teeth. The
dentures had sharp hooks, screws, and springs that made it hard for him to
smile. |
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| Baby Teeth guide the permanent teeth into
position. Brushing baby teeth (deciduous teeth) is just as important as
brushing the permanent (adult) teeth. |
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| You should also brush your tongue! Bacteria
can live on the tongue too, and cause bad breath! |
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| It is a good idea to change your toothbrush
if you are sick or have been sick. You should change your toothbrush when
the bristles become "mashed down" or the bristles become "frayed" looking.
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| Visit your dentist twice a year! Preventive
dental visits help find small dental problems before they become large and
severe. |
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| Brush and floss daily, use fluoride
toothpaste, and eat nutritious snacks! Here are some tooth friendly snacks:
cheese, popcorn, pickles, sugar-free popsicles, yogurt, peanut butter,
fruit, raw vegetables, nuts, and sunflower seeds. |
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| 98% of dental hygienists are women.
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| 31% of USA general practicing dentists are
aged 55 or older. |
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| 21% of Americans admit to grinding their
teeth!!! |
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| $570 million total sales of whitening
toothpaste sold in the USA (as of May 2003). |
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| $66 billion total annual consumer spending on
dental care (according to the US Census, 2002). |
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| 1639 - The date of establishment of the first
dental practice in America. |
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45 million Americans say they suffer from "sensitive teeth".
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50% of Americans do not receive oral health care!!
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| 94% of Americans say they brush their teeth
every night.
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It takes 43 muscles to frown, but only 17
muscles to smile. That makes it 2.5 times easier to smile! |
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(A special thanks goes out to "Gumlines" and
"Contemporary Oral Hygiene" and the American Dental Association for the "Did
You Know?" information.)
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