Dinosaurs and Gum Disease
According to scientists, gum disease has a long history. In fact, a fossilized jawbone of a Sinosaurus has been found that may be evidence of an animal with dental disease. The dinosaur, which lived an estimated 190 million years ago, is believed to have suffered gum disease.
Dinosaurs often lost teeth, according to the studyís coauthor, but this dinosaur was different: It lost its tooth to dental disease rather than trauma. The fossil was discovered in 2007. The Lufong Dinosaurian Museum recovered the fragments of jawbone and an incomplete skull from the Yunnan province in China. The skull only had two remaining teeth instead of the 13 or 14 it should have had.
Scientists took X-rays that revealed the socket of the tooth, which revealed that the bone had begun to fill in. This type of anomaly is common in mammals after tooth loss, but it has rarely been seen on reptiles. The researchers theorized that the dinosaur may have suffered dental trauma that weakened its teeth and led to dental disease.
Dinosaurs, like people, often suffered from dental fractures, stress fractures and infections. However, we can take steps to keep our teeth healthy. Brushing twice daily, flossing daily and visiting our dentist regularly all work together to reduce the risk of dental disease. A fracture should be treated promptly to reduce the risk of infection or other serious dental problems that could ultimately lead to tooth loss.
Contact our dental office today to schedule your next checkup with our dentist in Los Angeles.