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General Dentistry

Dental Facts You'll Want to Know

May 19 • 2 minute read

Teeth, brushing, and flossing are a lot more fascinating than just being part of your daily routine. Yet, most people don't know much more than that. So, we've compiled a short list of dental facts you'll want to add to your memory bank. Some of these facts will make you laugh, some might gross you out, and others may even cause your jaw to drop.

Let's take a look:

Brushing Facts

  • Every day, people underbrush their teeth by 2 minutes and 30 seconds! That's about 912 minutes missed a year!!! Be sure to brush twice a day for 2 minutes to keep your teeth clean.
  • 60% of toothbrushes contain fecal particles due to storing them too close to the bathroom. You need to store your toothbrush at least six feet away from the toilet. Oh...and be sure to put the toilet lid down before you flush.
  • To keep bacteria from growing on your toothbrush, be sure to store it in an upright position (bristles up).
  • Soft bristles are better than hard bristles. Hard bristles can do some damage by putting stress on your gums that could lead to receding gum lines.
  • Manual toothbrushes are as effective as electric toothbrushes. The only difference is that most people don't spend enough time brushing with a manual toothbrush to get a proper cleaning.


Flossing Facts

  • Many adults only floss when they feel something stuck in their teeth. Yet, by not flossing daily, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces.
  • Flossing can extend your life expectancy because it reduces the chances of getting infectious diseases.
  • Did you know that you can buy floss in just about any flavor? The most popular flavors are mint, cinnamon, and bubblegum, but you can buy more obscure flavors like wasabi or even bacon!
  • As soon as young kids have two teeth that touch, they should start to floss.
  • Dental floss has been used to break out of prison.


General Oral Health Facts

  • The enamel on the top surface of your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body.
  • About 40% of kids have dental decay before they reach kindergarten!
  • About 1 in 5 adults currently have untreated decay. That's why yearly check-ups are so important.
  • About 85% of people with bad breath have a dental condition that's the cause.
  • Many diseases are linked to oral health, including heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.


Weird Dental Facts

  • People who drink three or more soda glasses each day have 62% more tooth decay, fillings, and tooth loss than others.
  • Yellow means decay, not just coffee stains. Enamel is partly responsible for your teeth's white appearance, so when it decays, your teeth may start to appear yellow.
  • You know that we each have unique fingerprints, but did you know we each have unique tongue prints?
  • Your mouth is home to 300 known types of bacteria. In total, your mouth contains more bacteria than the entire human population on Earth!
  • In a lifetime, your mouth will produce enough spit to fill a very big swimming pool.
  • A sore jaw combined with chest pain can signal a heart attack – especially in women.
  • In 2003, the toothbrush was chosen as the #1 invention people can't live without, beating out cell phones and cars.


After reading these facts, I bet your daily oral routine becomes much more interesting. Hopefully, you'll put your new-found knowledge to good use. If you need to schedule your next appointment or have questions, contact us, and we'd be happy to assist.

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Ive never been a dentist hater, but genuinely this is the best place to get your teeth cleaned or fixed if needed. Babbitt is a gentleman and Laurie is a sweet heart. i always look forward to Laurie (im sorry if i spelled it wrong!!!) cleaning my teeth. her southern accent and sweet disposition is utterly calming, and anyone afraid of dentists would benefit from being her patient. Bonus, she is fluid in "equipment in the mouth talk" and some how always knows what you are trying to say when talking with all that stuff in there. She's funny too so its actually fun talk with her.

Office is clean, bathroom is clean, staff is friendly and utterly helpful. Its a wonderful experience every time. i feel so at ease i could fall asleep in the chair!
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The reviews are all true! I'm always skeptical of "reviews" as there are a lot of fakes or people who only write about bad experiences. But with no solid leads, just googling for dentists in our network, after seeing so many positive personally written reviews (not just on yelp), my husband and I decided to give Dr. Babbitt a try. I admittedly hadn't been to the dentist in a long time and have always had the typical irrational anxiety over it. Even simple cleanings have made me very uncomfortable.

Everything from start to finish was amazing. Stephanie at the front desk is super professional. Dr. Babbitt himself is very professional, nice and honest. His assistant Debbie was really sweet. Aside from my initial consult, so far all I've had is a cleaning but my hygienist Lori was a DREAM. So nice, so personable and real, so gentle and the whole experience was, GASP (can't believe I'm saying this) ENJOYABLE. Even though she's probably seen it all 9 million times, Lori kindly explained everything to me as she went along, and it seriously felt like a salon visit, where you gab with your stylist and it goes by quickly. I don't know what my dentists in the past were doing, but I never thought it could be so simple and easy. I have yet to have any extensive work done but I'm actually not dreading it like I have in the past. So glad we found this place!
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Stephanie is the sweetest receptionist. She's always kind, couterous and professional. Ready to answer any questions or concerns.
Laurie is the best R.D.A. I've been going to her for years and quiet honestly don't trust anyone else with my teeth, lol.. I could listen to her talk all day and she has the best stories! I love and thoroughly enjoy my time with her! Dr. Babbitt and his office are amazing! Everything is always nice and cleanCouldn't imagine going to anyone else.
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Logans 5.
Very professional. Gets you in for your visit on time. Very friendly and attentive staff. Dr. Babbitt is an excellent dentist; knowledgeable, proficient, and with a kind and friendly demeanor. You can trust him to do a great job for you.
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