Say cheese! When you smile, you’re sharing with the world one of the most important, and underrated, body parts that exist – your teeth!
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where you can find “teeth” among 45 words.
Apart from helping you achieve dazzling smiles, and allowing you to devour your favourite foods, your teeth serve important functions. Here are a few facts about them that might surprise you:
1. Oral care has been a part of life for centuries
The first toothbrushes were twigs that our ancestors chewed on. In Arabia, the miswak – a twig from the Salvadora persica tree – has frayed ends that provide the perfect brush-like texture to clean teeth. It has been used for over 7,000 years, and many communities still prefer to use the twig today. In 5,000 BC, Egyptians found another way to polish their teeth – they used crushed eggshells and ground animal hooves. By the 1700s, a British inventor adapted a design he first saw in China – a bone handle with boar bristles that were secured with wire. That became the precursor to the modern toothbrush.
2. Our teeth tell stories
Scientists are able to dive into our past just by looking at our teeth. Imprinted in our enamel is information on how old we are, our diets, and even where we live. Teeth also provide vital clues about our overall health, and any periods of illness we have endured.
3. Every single tooth is unique
Whether it’s the 20 baby teeth that you use in your childhood, or the 32 permanent teeth that serve you well in your adult years, no two teeth are exactly alike. So, when someone says you have a unique smile – it’s true!
4. You already have teeth when you’re born
In newborns, the crowns of the first 20 teeth are already in place, just under the gums, waiting to break through sometime over the next three to six months. And throughout one’s childhood, the crowns and roots of adult teeth already begin forming under baby teeth, getting ready for their time in the sun!
Did you know these toothy facts? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
