26-year-old Indian woman Kalpana Balan has achieved a Guinness World Record for having the most teeth in a female’s mouth. With 38 teeth, she surpasses the typical adult count by six. This record sets her apart as having the highest number of teeth for a woman globally, as confirmed by the Guinness World Records.
Kalpana Balan’s journey with her extra teeth began in her teenage years when they started growing individually. She has four additional mandibular (lower jaw) teeth and two extra maxillary (upper jaw) teeth.
Despite not experiencing pain, Kalpana faced challenges while eating, as food would often get trapped between these extra teeth. Her parents initially suggested extraction, but due to the difficulty in removing them, her dentist recommended waiting until they grew out more. Eventually, Kalpana decided to keep the teeth, even after they had fully grown, fearing the extraction process.
After securing the world record, Kalpana expressed her joy and pride in this unique achievement. She might even extend her record in the future as she has two unfilled teeth. The current male record holder is Evano Mellone from Canada, with 41 teeth.
The Guinness World Records report elaborated on hyperdontia or polydontia, the medical terms for having excess teeth. This condition affects up to 3.8% of the global population and is caused by a malfunction in the tooth formation process, though its exact cause remains unknown. Supernumerary teeth are believed to develop from an extra tooth bud near a regular one or from splitting a regular tooth bud.
