The 40 Million-Year-Old Ecosystem In Your Mouth

The hardened residue scraped off your teeth at the dentist is called your dental calculus, and your dental calculus is the only part of your body that actually fossilizes while you’re alive! And scientists have figured out how to study & trace the evolutionary history of these microbes over tens of millions of years. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to ***** Produced by Complexly for Digital Studios Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible: Paul Corty, Ric, Casper Lubbers, Roberto Adrian Ramirez Flores, Jason Rostoker, Jonathan Rust, Avery Sanford, Mary Tevington, Bart & Elke van Iersel - De Jong, Kip Obenauf, Jack Crissy, Jules Martineau, William Craig II, Tracey, Hizrihel Alkawa, James Dowling-Healey, Irene Wood, Derek Helling, Margaret Luby, WilCatRhClPPh33, Mark Talbott-Williams, Angel Alchin, , Eric Roberto Rodriguez, Hil