5 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Your Pearly Whites

Apparently B.C. tooth fairies are cheapskates.

As 14,000 dentists, hygienists and related industry folk gather in the city this month to talk bone grafts and gummy smiles at the 20th annual Pacific Dental Exhibition (March 8 to 10), we take a closer look at the West Coast’s relationship with our pearly whites.

1. According to the latest Visa Canada tooth fairy index, $2.46 is the under-pillow payout per tooth for kids in this province—the lowest in Canada, and almost a full dollar below the national average.

2. In an analysis of how much people smile on Instagram, software company Jetpac ranked Vancouver second to last among 25 Canadian cities—smilier only than Niagara-on-the-Lake.

3. 15.8 teeth, on average, are filled, decayed or missing in an adult B.C. mouth, according to a Ministry of Health report. That’s half of all teeth in an average person’s mouth.

4. There are 1,693 dentists there are in Metro Vancouver—one of the highest densities in Canada, at one for every 1,455 people.

5. 22% of B.C. dog owners in an Ipsos survey for Royal Canin brush their pet’s teeth at least a few times a week (likely in expectation of much face-licking). Only eight percent of cat owners do the same.