What can your teeth tell you about yourself? That you’re a grownup now! By the time you’re 25, your 20 baby teeth have been pushed out by 20 replacements, and joined by adult molars — including four wisdom teeth. And if you’re wise, you’ll take good care of them, because they will have to last you a lifetime. Obviously you already know the top three “musts” for your teeth: Brush, floss, and see your dentist regularly. However, your teeth have much more fascinating work to do for you than just to chew your food. By keeping your teeth healthy, you are saving more than just your smile. Your teeth are one of the single most important markers of human life, and — if taken care of –will outlive you and reveal more about you than any other body feature.
For example: Since teeth grow, fall out, and are worn down at a predictable rate, anthropologists can estimate the age of their owner. Your baby teeth begin to grow at about seven months, and can be expected to reach their quota of twenty by the time you are two. Your first molars and permanent incisors will form by the age of six, but become visible above the gum line by seven. By the time you are ten, you’ll have your second premolars and, by 25, your third molars (the wisdom teeth we mentioned). (Please check these facts.)
Even more fascinating is that your teeth can tell scientists what race you belong to. For example, if you are Asian, or Native American, you have what is referred to as shovel-shaped incisors. Furthermore, teeth can reveal the elements that are in your body. They can identify the type of soil in the region that you inhabit, or the prevalent chemicals used in the foods that you ingest. More importantly, your teeth can be used to identify you because,. like your fingerprints, your teeth (including the traces of previous dental work they include) are unique to you, and can be much more useful to the identification process than your fingerprints. Because your teeth are stronger, and can outlive many your other body features, they are often looked upon as an absolutely reliable means of identification.
It’s no wonder our teeth are inseparable from our mortality. Because they are so important, and you have only a limited number of them, you are strongly encouraged to give them attention–especially since there has been a 15% increase in life expectancy in the last 60 years, and they’ll have to last you for a long time! So remember to take care of your teeth, and be sure that you see your dentist regularly.
In upcoming blog posts, we will be covering more topics that you may find helpful regarding keeping your smile healthy and beautiful- and how that can transform your life.
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