Everybody knows that teeth are an important part of the human body.

We brush and floss our teeth every day. We visit the dentist. We buy good toothbrushes, toothpastes, and other trusted products to care for our teeth.

We are aware that our teeth must remain strong and clean so we can eat properly and prevent any pain from toothaches. Having bright, white teeth when we smile can also enhance our physical appearance.

However, aside from their role in chewing and smiling, do you know anything else about your teeth?

If you want to learn more about your pearly whites, we have 25 fun facts that may want to sink your teeth into:

1. Teeth are made up of enamel, dentin, and pulp. Enamel is the hard outer layer that protects our teeth. Dentin is the middle layer, and pulp is the soft inner layer that contains nerves and blood vessels.
2. The enamel on our teeth is the hardest substance in the body. Enamel is so strong that the average human jaw can apply a force of about 171 pounds.
3. People lose about 10% of their tooth enamel every decade.
4. Enamel isn't the only hard part of our teeth. The dentin underneath the enamel is also pretty tough. Unlike enamel, dentin is semi-reparable so when the tooth first wears down, a reparative secondary dentin is formed to cover the damage.
5. Wisdom teeth are the last set of adult teeth to grow in. Most people get them between the ages of 17 and 25.
6. The roots of back molars extend down into the neck. This is why people with wisdom teeth often experience pain in that area.
7. Teeth are unique. Each tooth is shaped and sized differently. Just like fingerprints, no two sets of teeth are exactly alike and no two people have the same set of teeth.
8. A baby's first tooth typically comes in between 6 and 10 months of age.
9. Permanent teeth start to come in when a child is about six or seven years old.
10. The average human adult has 32 teeth. There are 26 primary teeth and 6 permanent teeth.
11. Teeth play an important role in speech. Different sounds are made when air passes over certain teeth, which is why certain letters in the English alphabet are represented by how specific teeth are positioned. For example, ‘f’ is made by blowing air over the top front teeth.
12. An average person consumes more than 10,000 gallons each year for brushing teeth.
13. Tooth decay is the most common dental disease in the world and it is the second most common disease in general next to the common cold.
14. People used to think that tooth decay was caused by a worm that lived in the teeth and you get toothaches when this worm crawls around in the tooth cavity.
15. The first people to use dental floss were the ancient Egyptians.
16. The first toothbrush with nylon bristles was invented in 1914.
17. The toothpaste we know today has existed for only a few hundred years. When it wasn’t invented yet, humans used various kinds of mixtures to clean their teeth. Some ingredients they were fond of were pulverized brick, ground chalk, crushed oyster shells, charcoal, lemon juice and salt.
18. The other parts of the human body regenerate when harmed, but the teeth are the only body parts that can’t heal themselves. Once teeth deteriorate, it is irreversible unless you seek dental treatments to repair them.
19. In an average person’s entire lifetime, 38 days in total are spent on brushing teeth.
20. Humans only get 2 sets of teeth, whereas some animals like dolphins only get one (monophyodont), and others grow multiple sets (polyphyodont) like sharks that have around 40 layers.
21. Your oral health is connected to 90% of system diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
22. Dental plaque is composed of over 300 types of bacteria.
23. After brushing your teeth, you must keep your toothbrush dry because it can be a breeding ground for bacteria that thrive on damp spaces.
24. Most people only brush their teeth on an average of 45 to 70 seconds per day, while dentists suggest that the best amount of time is 2-3 minutes to thoroughly clean the teeth.
25. Sir Isaac Newton’s tooth is the most expensive tooth ever sold. It cost $3,633 ($35,700 in today’s currency) and was bought in London in 1816.

With these fun facts, we hope you learn to appreciate your teeth more. They help us chew and digest food, form a part of our facial structure, and they can be the first thing people notice about us. It is important to take care of our teeth by brushing and flossing regularly and seeing a dentist for check-ups. You can also avail our Luelli products to bring a dentist’s touch in your own home.