Here's the Scoop: Why don't the teeth fall out of a skeleton's skull?

We all know what's coming when a baby tooth gets wiggly. Within days, that tooth will be nothing but a memory. Even adult teeth fall out sometimes due to injury or infection.

But anyone who's seen a skeleton (and there are plenty around town these days) knows that, after we die, our teeth stay in place, giving skeletons their infamous creepy grin.

Schaumburg High School sophomore Ely was looking at skeletons and wondering why teeth don't fall out as a body decays.

So, here's the scoop: Our teeth are embedded in our jaw bones, where each tooth has its own little cubby hole known as a socket. Long roots hold each one in place. Roots contain blood vessels and nerves, and are anchored by ligaments and dental tissue called cementum.

It's no coincidence "cementum" sounds like "cement" - it actually performs the same function.

With all those forces in place, our teeth are firmly secured in our mouths.

Then along comes death, and all the other body parts, such as skin, hair, nails, organs, etc., slowly rot away.

But not the cementum and ligaments. They actually calcify - or harden - and fuse the teeth to the bone. This process allows the teeth that served us well in life, by chewing food and smiling for the camera, to stay with our bodies "to infinity and beyond!"

Well, maybe not infinity ... but a very long time.

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What can you do about your teeth?

Keeping your teeth healthy so they last into old age is easy with a few simple steps:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and don't go to bed without brushing.

• Cut back on sugary foods and drinks, especially carbonated beverages.

• Get a dental checkup and cleaning twice a year.

• Be sure to floss.

• Sources: Sciencing.com and "DK Eyewitness Books: Human Body" by Richard Walker