Teeth

[Radioactive Age]

Northerners have healthier teeth then southerners.


Anyone care to disagree?

[sarahjc]

It is my personal opinion that with no detal care, teeth are most likely pretty damn gross no matter where you go.

There may be a better chance of you loosing some in a bar fight in the south however. Less Bunny hugging down there.

[Spoon]

Er, why does more sand equal worse teeth?

And also, is this post really exploring the world of Zalanthas, or just a "I am considerably smarter than thou." type thing?

[Cuusardo]

I think everybody has icky teeth no matter where they are, unless they can afford to have nice teeth.

[Sandstorm Phoenix]

Even if they were rich, does there exist the magick of dentistry?

[Agent_137]

Charcoal can be used as toothpaste. There are brushes ingame already. I'm sure if you wanted to brush your teeth and had a steady job to pay the minimal cost, you could do so.

True, when sand is ground down into the bread because of bread making techniques (egyptians), it will grind down your teeth. But if you aren't CHEWING THE SAND then you shouldn't have too much worse a problem.

More biology 101, eh?

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Pfft. Northerners already have fluffy tregils, subtlety that's borderline racial tolerance, a Renaissance-esque appreciation for fine arts even among the lower classes, and lemon-scented farts. I don't think we need to add impeccable oral hygeine to the list of things that make them seem "better" or more "sophisticated" or "advanced" than the 'Nakkis.
FiveDisgruntledMonekysWit. Hatin' on Tuluk since '01.
Anyway, my point is that in a low-tech civilization, I think how much sand is in your stew would be a moot point. Even among the rich, denistry would not be their top concern. Besides picking bits of meat out from their teeth between meals, yanking out a sore molar, and maybe, maybe, maybe the occasional brush without water, I think oral hygeine would be pretty much non-existant.
If you're walking around Zalanthas with a mouth full of yellowed teeth, you'd be considered damn sexy. Because, hey, at least you still have 'em.

[Maybe42or54]

I agree with the Monkey. All five of them.

[Rhyden]

And here I was thinking I could get an affordable dental plan with Kurac.

Krath.

[Angela Christine]

Diet and genetics play a part too.  

Certain nutritional deficiencies increase the chance of losing your teeth.  Some foods encourage tooth decay.  Some foods may inhibit tooth decay, there were reports a few years ago that eating cheese was the next best thing to brushing . . . something to do with the bacteria, I think.   Shortages durring fetal development and childhood may lead to developing weaker teeth.

As for genetics, some people just have better, stronger teeth.  Two people may have similar habits and upbringing, yet one has significantly more dental decay than the other.  Go figure.


Angela Christine

[Spoon]

So, yes, this post is just you saying "I know more about dentistry than everyone else.".

And calling everyone a jerk.

[Cenghiz]

Spoon... Please.. Maybe you don't want to join the discussion.. I don't want to, too.. But I'm shutting up instead of flaming the post. Please stop it.

[WarriorPoet]

Anyone care to disagree?

So you're pissed off that they disagreed, yet you asked them to?

If noone disagrees, however will you be able flex your ePenis?

Seriously though, that's why the gdb is here, to discuss and debate all manner of things. Personally, I would rather someone refute my posts and to learn from the attending arguments, than have everyone nod stupidly at my flawed logic and leave it at that.

-WP

Oh, oh.... There is nothing to say that a low-tech society will have rotten teeth or bad oral hygiene. The wear of sand on your chompers aside, a healthy diet and the occasional scraping will keep you in good stead with the Tooth Fairy.

There is a book around here somewhere, written by a man in the early 19th century, who travelled among a number of different tribes of American Indians. There is a section devoted to the fact that he was amazed at the pearly white smiles they sported, and the fact that tooth decay or gum disease was a rarity, in comparison to whites. I could find the title and author, if anyone would like...

[Maybe42or54]

I think it was George Curtis.

And since there are no preservatives in the food, the teeth wouldn't be deteriorated by them. Cave men had good teeth, if they had any. But junk just got into the gums and they rotted away.