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We all know the basics of our teeth. Brush two times a day, floss at least once and visit your dentist at least two times a year. Here are some cool and crazy things you probably didn’t know about teeth:
1. Some babies are born with teeth
I bet you didn’t know that 1 in every 2000 babies is born with natal teeth. This means that some infants have their first dental appointment only days after birth. Natal teeth typically grow on the bottom gums and tend to have weak roots. Strangely enough, in ancient times a child born with teeth was associated with evil.
2. Some People Keep their Baby Teeth
Most children develop a full set of 20 temporary “baby” teeth by age 3. The small chiclets loosen and eventually fall out as permanent teeth start moving in. Kids typically start losing their teeth when they are around 5 or 6. However, if a person doesn’t have a permanent tooth to replace their baby teeth, that tooth will stay put.
3. Some People Keep Growing Teeth
There is a condition called hyperdontia in which affected individuals grow extra, or super numerary teeth. The majority of the teeth remain hidden below the gumline, but sometimes they will crowd other teeth. Dentists can remove their extra teeth through surgery or an orthodontist can straighten them out.
4. Braces are Hip
For many years, braces were a necessary aspect of every “nerd” stereotype in the movies. Not anymore! Today options for braces include Invisalign or lingual braces which are hidden along the inside of the teeth. Modern traditional braces even include glow-in-the-dark or LED technology, forget those old fashioned wire days!
Additionally, the hip hop community had popularized the use of “grills” which have been worn by pop stars like Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus–even though, they are terrible for your teeth.
