Totally Weird But Completely True Dental Facts

Nowadays it’s difficult to know if what you read online is real or false. These weird dental facts may seem made up, but they are completely true!

Tooth Tattoos

Yep, this is a real dental fact! And no, we aren’t talking about people getting tattoos of teeth on their bodies (although that is also very real!).

This new fashion trend is sweeping the nation in certain circles, and is currently seen as “the new cool,” as so many people now have their bodies inked. To be more unique, now, some are getting custom tattoos on their teeth.

Don’t worry – these designs may be permanent, but they don’t get placed on regular unrestored teeth. Instead, if you want a tooth tattoo, you’re going to need a crown first, and most dentists will not cap a healthy tooth. Instead, crowns are needed when a tooth is infected with so much decay that, after removal, has consumed so much of the tooth that there isn’t enough left to place just a filling. In this case, a buildup is added to what was removed.

Your dentist will then take an impression of the area to send to the dental laboratory so they can create the crown. At this time, if they offer tooth tattoos, they will ensure the lab adds the design to your order. After it has been milled, your dentist will cement the crown permanently, and you’ll be able to show off your new tat to all of your friends.

There is, however, cosmetic dentistry, and reasons a dentist would place a cap for nonessential reasons. Be sure to check with your dentist if you’re interested in putting ink on your porcelain!

John Lennon’s Tooth

Another one of our weird dental facts actually made headlines back in 2011, when John Lennon’s molar was put up for auction. It sold for quite a hefty chunk of change, too. But why? It was a decrepit, discolored tooth!

The story goes that Lennon gave his tooth after it was pulled to his housekeeper back in the sixties. He thought it would make a good gift for her daughter, a Beatles fan. Since then, it stayed in her family for many years until recently. In 2011, it was sold to a Canadian dentist, who had some interesting plans for the rotten tooth: using it to draw attention to mouth cancer.

Teeth in Weird Places

The final one of our weird dental facts may not be for the squeamish.

One man kept having nosebleeds over and over for years. Eventually, he ended up at the doctor to find out why, and ended up having a tooth removed from his nasal cavity. Another man, blinded by an explosion, had his sight restored by an out of this world surgery involving his tooth. A teenage boy in Mumbai had severe swelling of his jaw, and when inspected, it was found that he had over 200 teeth growing in a benign tumor.

Normally, teeth grow only in our mouths, and come out the same way as others. However, there are a few cases of teeth growing in people’s heads, or in other peculiar places on their bodies.

Thankfully, we live in an era with exceptional technology and medicine, so surgeons are able to remove these extra teeth without much complication. Even the boy with 232 teeth recovered and was pain-free after the procedure.

Share Your Weird Dental Facts With Us

Do you have any other weird dental facts? We’d love to hear them the next time you come in for an appointment!