Dentistry wrongly gets a boring rap because teeth don’t seem exciting.
As long as they work and give you a good smile, why bother? Besides, the good folk at Elizabethtown Dentistry for Children have got you covered.
In truth, your teeth and the science of caring for them doesn’t have to be boring.
There are plenty of exciting things about dentistry for kids to learn and want to learn more. Read on to know what a few of them are.
#1: No One Else Has Teeth Like You
Nor does anyone else have a tongue like you! Your teeth and tongue are as unique as your fingerprints. They are special to you specifically.
Much like your fingertips, your tongue is a swirl of patterns. These swirls create a design that can be printed but never replicated.
Not even identical twins have the same patterns.
Meanwhile, each of your teeth has its own shape and size. Their placements in your mouth and jaw have their own pattern as well. Even if you straighten your teeth with braces, that pattern is still unique to you.
This is how it is possible to use your dental records to identify you! And your Elizabethtown dentists can also use these records to tell what age you are, your general health, and how well you’re growing.
#2: Your Enamel Fights Cavities
If you have a cavity, don’t worry. Most kids will get a few cavities in their lifetime.
It can be dangerous the younger you are, but your dentist knows what they’re doing. They’ll fix you up easily.
More than likely, one of the biggest reasons for that cavity is the wear down of enamel. Things like a ton of sugar can do that. Also, if it was a baby tooth, that tooth likely had thinner enamel anyway.
But as you grow, your enamel will get stronger and stronger. Your enamel will have the most minerals in it than anywhere else in the body. This will make your enamel stronger than your bones!
Just keep in mind, it can’t repair itself. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. But as long as you take care of it, it will be your greatest line of defense against future cavities.
#3: Your Spit
Gross, right?
But not really. You have saliva for a very good reason. Your salvia, or spit, helps keep your mouth healthy.
Your spit keeps your mouth clean between brushes. It does this by using minerals and other things to wash away bacteria. Which in turn, keeps you from having bad breath.
On top of that, it helps you chew when you eat and kicks off your body’s digestive process.
And the coolest thing about spit is that it helps heal you. No, that does not mean you should be spitting on your other wounds. But if you have one in your mouth, your saliva will help heal it!
#4: Your Mouth Used to Be Bigger
Maybe not your mouth, but human mouths.
As you grow, you’re going to lose baby teeth first. But once you grow your permanent teeth, you aren’t done. Soon, you’ll have to deal with wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth will be the last teeth that try to grow in your mouth. But chances are, you won’t have room for them. Most people will have some kind of procedure to remove them.
So, if you don’t need them, why do you have them?
Well, that’s because they are leftovers from human evolution. In the past, human mouths used to be bigger to accommodate more teeth. This allowed them to eat harder food, such as roots and nuts.
Nowadays, that’s not such a problem anymore. So, mouths are becoming smaller over time.
#5: Braces Are Ancient But Still Relatively Rare
Once you’re old enough, you might start looking into braces.
The technology in orthodontics to straighten teeth has improved over the last century. But western countries weren’t the first to ever try this. The first documented success was in ancient Rome by an Aulus Cornelius.
Now, braces are fairly common in the US for young teenagers. It’s a common practice or even a right of passage. But it isn’t for everyone in the world.
There are still a lot of countries where crooked teeth aren’t unusual. And straightening them seems radical.
Still, the growth in orthodontic technology is still relatively new. People have tried it in the past, but western countries are perfecting it.
So, if you decide to get braces, welcome to being a part of history!
#6: The First Dentist Was Egyptian
Speaking of history, do you know who the first dentist was?
His name was Hesy-Ra, and he lived during the early Third Dynasty of Egypt. Which is to say, ancient Egypt.
Humans didn’t always have minty toothpaste and colorful toothbrushes. Often, our ancestors had to make do. In ancient Egypt, people would use twigs and powder to keep their teeth clean.
Hesy-Ra is the first person that we know of to have an official title of a dentist.
Hesy-Ra had a long life. He is also known to have been a high official and had several titles throughout his career. Including, “confidant of the king” and “magician of Mehit”.
#7: The First Woman Dentist Was American
In 1861, Dr. Lucy Hobbs Taylor became the first woman dentist in history. She opened her own practice in Cincinnati, and she saw a wide variety of patients. Including children!
The road to her dentistry career wasn’t easy though. Both the Eclectic Medical College and Ohio College of Dentistry kept rejecting her.
Why? Because she was a woman.
But she didn’t let that stop her. She was able to convince teachers from both Electic and Ohio College of Dental Surgery to tutor her. With the private programs of study, she earned the education.
Even after this, she was denied the dentistry program again, but luckily, that didn’t matter. Back then, she could practice with the knowledge even without the diploma.
It was a hard fight. But in 1865, she gained professional recognition. She was even allowed to join the Iowa State Dental Society, finally earning the D.D.S.
There’s a Ton to Learn About Dentistry for Kids
From history to human evolution, there’s a lot to dentistry for kids to get excited about. Make an appointment with Elizabethtown Dentistry for Children today to keep that excitement alive!