Raise Your Dental IQ: 10 Tidbits About Your Teeth

February 19th, 2020

7. The medical term for baby teeth, deciduous, comes from the Latin word "decidere," which means to fall off or be shed (like leaves from a deciduous tree).

8. Diet sodas aren't healthier for your teeth! Despite being marketed as better for your waistline, diet drinks still have the same acids in them that can erode tooth enamel over time.

9. Some people have baby teeth that never fall out. These teeth are called retained baby teeth and they can be caused by a lack of permanent teeth to replace them.

10. Less than 200,000 Americans have what's called an ankylosed tooth. This is a fancy term meaning that the root of a tooth is permanently connected to the jaw because it no longer has the protective periodontal ligament around it. Medically, we don't know why the periodontal ligament around a tooth dissolves, but one suspected cause is severe dental trauma.

Well, there you go! Next time there’s a lull in the conversation, you can wow your friends, family, and coworkers with your knowledge of dentistry!