Indian Woman Makes History with Record-Breaking 38 Teeth

A 26-year-old Indian woman, Kalpana Balan, has recently set a new Guinness World Record for the highest number of teeth in a female’s mouth. With a total of 38 teeth, including four extra mandibular (lower jaw) teeth and two extra maxillary (upper jaw) teeth, she surpassed the typical adult count by six. Her parents were surprised to discover her extra teeth and recommended extraction, but her dentist advised waiting until they grew out more before removing them. Despite the challenges with eating caused by food getting trapped between her additional teeth, Kalpana ultimately decided to keep them and is now proud of achieving this lifetime achievement.

Ms. Balan still has two unfilled teeth, meaning she may have the potential to extend her record in the future. The medical term for having extra teeth is hyperdontia or polydontia, and it is reported that up to 3.8% of the world’s population have one or more supernumerary teeth. The exact cause of hyperdontia is not known, but it is thought to result from a malfunction in the tooth formation process.

On the other hand, Evano Mellone from Canada holds the male record for this title with 41 teeth. This achievement is part of a trend of many interesting news stories that highlight individuals who have achieved remarkable feats through perseverance and determination.