You may know the right way to brush and floss your teeth. You may be aware of less common dental guidelines like the appropriate angle at which to hold your toothbrush. But how much dental trivia do you know? The world of dentistry is full of fascinating and surprising facts! Take this fun quiz, courtesy of your Fairfield dentist.
Armed with new knowledge, are you feeling inspired to take control of your oral health? Dr. Gary Horblitt offers advanced dental services. He specializes in dental prosthetics and replacing missing teeth. He can also address severe jaw defects and injuries.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment.
1. What percentage of Americans visit the dentist each year?
A) 50% C) 63%
B) 71% D) 88%
Answer: C)
According to the CDC, only 63% of American adults visit the dentist each year. This is especially problematic since routine dental visits are one of the easiest ways to prevent decay and gum disease. Perhaps it’s no surprise that nearly half of all adults over the age of 30 suffer from periodontitis.
2. Who invented dental implants?
A) Markus Merk C) Edgar Buchanan
B) Per-Ingvar Brånemark D) John Greenwood
Answer: B)
Brånemark was a Swedish researcher and physician who accidentally discovered dental implants. While researching bone healing, he implanted titanium rods in rabbit bones. He consequently discovered that the metal actually integrated with the bone tissue. He later used titanium posts to support dental prosthetics.
3. True or False: Invisalign® is appropriate only for patients with mild dental misalignment.
Answer: False
People often assume that Invisalign is only a cosmetic treatment for minor orthodontic issues. As a matter of fact, it can be appropriate for moderate overbites, underbites, crossbites, and overall misalignment.
4. When was the toothbrush invented?
A) The 9th century C) The 15th century
B) The 18th century D) The 17th century
Answer: C)
The first recorded mention of a toothbrush can be found in a Chinese encyclopedia. Though the book was published in the 17th century, it states that the toothbrush was invented in 1498.
5. Which American president likely suffered from dental anxiety?
A) Abraham Lincoln C) Andrew Jackson
B) George Washington D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Answer: A) Abraham Lincoln
Honest Abe may have held the Union together, but he couldn’t hold it together in the dental chair. Historians speculate that his anxiety sprung from a bad experience. In 1841, he suffered a broken jaw during a botched tooth extraction. Fortunately, tooth removal has gotten much safer and easier in the last 180 years!
6. Which animal has the most teeth?
A) Human beings C) Sharks
B) Slugs D) Armadillos
Answer: B) Slugs
It’s a good thing most slugs are so small. With their huge number of teeth, these animals would be terrifying on a large scale! Some species of slugs have several hundred thousand teeth, which they use for scraping food. Plus, slugs grow new teeth throughout their lives. The sea slug grows about 750,000 teeth over a lifetime!
Contact Your Fairfield Dentist
Dr. Horblitt doesn’t spend his time filling his head with dental trivia. But he does have encyclopedic knowledge of dentistry thanks to his advanced and specialized training.
To take advantage of his expertise, complete our online contact form or call us at (203) 335-1011.