Quirky Dental Facts in Arlington That May Surprise You

At Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry post, we care about our patient’s dental health and overall well-being. We do everything we can to ensure that our patients are happy with their smiles. In today’s blog post, we’re going to discuss some fun dental facts in Arlington in hopes that it will help our neighbors understand the importance of oral health.

• Many dental patients are aware that before there was formal dental training and licensing, barbers often performed dental procedures. But did you know that blacksmiths also moonlighted as dentists?¹ How would you like your dental visit to involve tools used to hammer hot metal?
• The Mayans were accomplished cosmetic dentists. One popular treatment in Mayan culture was bejeweled teeth – a procedure that involved the drilling of holes to embed precious gems.
• The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. That is enough to fill up two swimming pools. Not a very pleasant image, right?
• Nylon toothbrush bristles weren’t introduced until 1938. Prior to that, pig hair was a common bristle material.
• A popular toothache treatment in medieval Germany was to kiss a donkey. There is no evidence that it actually worked and it is unknown if the same remedy was used to cure toothaches in donkeys.
• Every person’s tongue is unique, just like a fingerprint.
• In medieval Japan, black teeth were considered appealing. Style-conscious women used dark colored roots to stain their teeth.

We hope you enjoyed some of these quirky dental facts in Arlington. At Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, you won’t find pig hair, donkeys, or anvils. What you will find is advanced dental care and a warm and friendly team of dental professionals. Our list of services includes dental implants, dentures, and dental veneers. Contact Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry today at 817-678-5112 to hear more fun dental facts in Arlington.