Why are teeth Cool? 10 Reasons

As credited to Dr. Tanya Smith at Harvard, here are 10 cool and interesting reasons to study teeth and dental anthropology!

In other news, I'm taking her amazingly awesome course HEB 1421: Teeth -- check it out folks!

Me holding a tooth sample! Who knew roots were so much larger than the crown?

10) Abundance -- In many cases we have more fossilized teeth than living specimens. And in some cases of extinct species, all we have are their teeth!

9) Variation -- From variation in metric and non-metric data we can reconstruct phylogenies.

8) Development --As early as 10 weeks of fetal age, there are already signs of teeth buds! Further, the first (permanent) molars already appear 2-3 weeks before birth. Amazing!

Teeth morphology -- A small collection of Homo sapien teeth

7) Record-Keeping -- Using the 'birth certificate' embedded within our first molars and other cues we can determine approximate age at death with striking precision.

6) Forensics -- Aka forensic odontology aka everything you see on CSI, NCIS, and all those addicting, romanticized crime dramas. But seriously, you can reconstruct criminal events, identify remains, and even examine bite marks.

5) Aging -- Did you know that not everyone grows wisdom teeth, or grows all four of them? 3rd molar eruption is highly variable. Tooth wear in aged populations and calcification in juveniles can help determine age.

4) Stress & Disease -- Teratoma formation ... don't really want to elaborate

Our textbook -- does NOT compare to the online readings

3) Dietary Evidence -- Tooth chemistry, isotopic chemistry, micro and macroscopic wear. Also, more light and fun stuff like discoloration (er not quite fun) from coffee (very fun) and betelnuts (fun for some)!

2) Enamel Thickness -- Did you know that women have relatively more enamel, whereas men have relatively more dentine? Also, hominins have evolved to have really thick enamel.

1) Genetics -- Many dental traits and characteristics are indeed heritable. Shovel-shaped teeth, anyone?

And that's it folks! Come back soon for more!

E

What (NOT) to eat/drink to keep your teeth white!

So I'm really excited because this is my first post actually related to the name of my blog!

A large part of teeth whitening is in fact the prevention of discoloration and the maintenance of currently white teeth.

In the future I will talk about all the non-natural ways of whitening your teeth - whitestrips, particular pastes, whitening kits, etc - but for now here are some things to keep in mind at your next meal or the next time you order that grande caramel macchiato from Starbucks.

1) A great number of beloved/routine/favorite American drinks stain tooth enamel. Coffee is the main culprit here, especially black coffee. Although I consider myself purely a social drinker when it comes to coffee (particularly iced coffee), TONS of people I know incorporate cups and cups of it into their morning and evening rituals. If you can't possibly cut down on coffee, try drinking it through a straw (iced coffee of course! please don't burn your throats) to avoid contact with the front of your teeth. Also, the darker the coffee, the more it dims your smile. Add some milk to your cup o' joe to lessen the effects!

2) Red wine also stains your teeth. An easy answer is to use a straw so that it bypasses your teeth. But yeah we all know how silly you would look sipping on that cabernet sauvignon through a straw on your Saturday night date or at your cousin's wedding. To avoid looking too dorky, discretely swish your mouth with water after you finish your glass (getting caught playing with water in your mouth is arguably less embarrassing than your hot date completely judging you for using a straw). Plus, you can hedge your bets that your buzzed family will be too distracted to catch you in the act - so swish away!

3) Dark sodas and fruit juices, especially cranberry and grape juice, will also cause teeth discoloration. Not only are these drinks already on the D-list for being extremely high in sugar, but also they may erode your enamel. Less (or NO) soda please!

All of these drinks stain your teeth slowly. Unfortunately, these stains become more and more noticeable as we age (a one-way train-ride, sorry kids!).

One of the BEST things you can do to keep your teeth white is of course daily maintenance. Now go brush your pearly whites!!

A general rule of thumb: anything that can cause a stubborn stain on a white cotton T-shirt most likely can stain your teeth.

Make sure your date doesn't see you like this! (see below)
or even worse, her blouse could be your front teeth. (solution = straw)!



photo from Douglass Green

Eric