What is the hardest part of the human body?

Tooth enamel, the layer that covers the crown of the tooth. It is harder than bone. The catch is that it has no living cells, so it does not regenerate: once it decays or breaks, it will not heal on its own and needs to be repaired.

Where does the Tooth Mouse (Ratoncito Pérez) come from?

The writer Luis Coloma created it in 1894, in a story commissioned to comfort the boy king Alfonso XIII when he lost a milk tooth. So it is a character with a known author and date, not an age-old tradition — the local version of the Tooth Fairy.

Why doesn't a broken tooth heal on its own?

Because enamel has no living cells to repair it, unlike bone or skin. That is why decay or a fracture does not get better by itself: it can only be stopped by treating it at the clinic.

10 dental curiosities (almost) nobody knows

In short: the mouth is full of facts that surprise people. Here are 10 dental curiosities, all true and explained simply, perfect for a dinner conversation, a quiz or those radio shows full of questions. Spoiler: enamel is the hardest thing in your body, your teeth are as unique as your fingerprints, and the Tooth Mouse was born in Madrid.

1. Enamel is the hardest thing in your body

Harder even than bone. Enamel is the layer that covers the tooth and is built to withstand a lifetime of chewing. The catch? It has no living cells, so it does not regenerate: once it decays or chips, it will not heal on its own. That is why a cavity must be treated rather than waited out.

2. Your teeth are unique, like your fingerprints

No two sets of teeth are the same: shape, position, wear, fillings… every mouth is a one-off pattern. That is what forensic dentistry relies on to identify a person when other methods are not possible. Your smile is, quite literally, an ID card.

3. The Tooth Mouse has an author and a date

It is not a timeless character: the writer Luis Coloma created it in 1894, in a story commissioned to comfort the boy king Alfonso XIII when he lost a tooth. From there it spread across Latin America. In much of the world a fairy collects the tooth; around here, it is a mouse with a first and last name.

4. You make over a litre of saliva a day

Between 1 and 1.5 litres. It sounds unglamorous, but saliva is your natural “dishwasher”: it rinses away debris, neutralises acids, protects enamel and starts digestion. When there is too little of it —the well-known dry mouth— cavities and bad breath go up.

5. Some babies are born with teeth

They are called natal teeth and, odd as it sounds, it happens: around 1 in every 2,000–3,000 newborns arrives with one already showing. It is usually a milk tooth that came through early.

6. Wisdom teeth are named after the age they appear

They come through late, between 17 and 25, at the “age of wisdom”. Hence the name. Many people do not have room for them and they cause trouble: that is why they sometimes need to be removed.

7. For centuries a “tooth worm” got the blame

Before we knew that bacteria cause cavities, people believed a worm ate the tooth from the inside and caused the pain. The idea already appears on Babylonian tablets almost 4,000 years old and survived until very recently, historically speaking.

8. You will spend more than a month of your life brushing

If you do what is recommended —2 minutes, twice a day— and add it up over the years, it comes to more than 1,000 hours with a brush in your hand. Seen that way, making that time count really does matter.

9. The modern toothbrush was born in China

The first brush with bristles —boar hair on a bone or bamboo handle— was used in China more than 500 years ago. Before that (and still today in some places) people cleaned their teeth with twigs from trees such as the miswak.

10. Chewing well is a matter of powerful muscles

The muscle that closes the jaw, the masseter, is one of the strongest in the body relative to its size. When it works too hard —through stress or bruxism— you feel it: a tired jaw, headaches and worn teeth.

Want more? The mouth has plenty to offer, and we see curious things at the clinic every week. If it has been a while since your last check-up, make the most of it: the first visit is free. Book an appointment whenever suits you and we will gladly answer any questions.