Toothy Trivia to Engage the Weary Mind

Everyone in our office loves a little bit of trivia! In the spirit of getting ready for back to school, we thought we’d compile a list of fun facts we’ve batted around recently…let’s see if we can get your brain back a whir! 

 

Here’s our team’s list of the top 25 fun facts…about your mouth! If you think of any we’ve forgotten, leave us a comment on our Facebook page! Our only hope is that some of the facts on this list allow you to win Jeopardy one day. So get reading! 

 

1. Without saliva, you wouldn’t be able to taste anything. You would also have a hard time chewing and swallowing food.
2. Your fingerprint is not the only thing that makes you completely unique! Your teeth are also completely different than anyone else, as is your tongue print.
3. The hardest substance in your body isn’t a bone—it’s your tooth enamel!
4. Taste is the weakest of the five senses.
5. On average, people have 9,000 taste buds. Interestingly, women have more taste buds than men.
6. Teeth are like bones are classified as “being alive.” This means teeth have their own blood supply and nerves and can die.
7. Not all taste buds are found on your tongue. There are a few on your lips and cheeks, too!
8. The average person spends more than 38 days of their life brushing their teeth.
9. Humans have two sets of teeth in their life: those commonly known as baby teeth and adult teeth. Compare that to sharks, who have more than 40 sets of teeth in a lifetime!
10. The tongue is the only muscle in the human body attached by only one side.
11. The inside of your mouth contains the same number of bacteria as there are people on earth.
12. The ability to roll your tongue is not entirely genetic as it was once thought. Some experts believe that is a combination of both environmental and genetic factors that develop this trick.
13. The tongue is comprised of eight different muscles, and relative to its size is the strongest muscle in the human body.
14. It is possible (though not recommended) to get a tattoo on your teeth. This process works by stamping an image on a crown that is then placed over your molar.
15. After the common cold, tooth decay is the second most common disease.
16. In the American Civil War, soldiers were required to have at least four opposing front teeth so that they could open a gunpowder pouch. Some draftees had their front teeth removed to avoid service.
17. You mouth produces over 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime—that’s enough to fill two swimming pools!
18. Giraffes only have bottom teeth.
19. More than 78% of Americans have had at least one cavity by age 17.
20. If you’re right handed, you will tend to chew your food on your right side. If you’re left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side.
21. If your tooth gets knocked out it can only live for 15 minutes. That is why it is important to seek help immediately.
22. What you see of your teeth when you open your mouth only represent two-thirds of your tooth. The remaining third is hidden below the gum line.
23. Don’t drink pool water: chlorine can wear down tooth enamel.
24. At least 35% of people are born without wisdom teeth.
25. A ten-second kiss transfers 80 million bacteria from one person to the other.