Guinness glory: Indian woman Kalpana Balan claims World Record with 38 teeth; defies dental norms
Indian woman Kalpana Balan sets Guinness World Record with 38 teeth, overcoming dental challenges and choosing to retain her unique set, making it a lifetime achievement.
FollowA 26-year-old Indian woman, Kalpana Balan, has secured a Guinness World Record for possessing 38 teeth in her mouth, surpassing the typical adult count by six. According to Guinness World Records, Kalpana, a mother of one, has four extra mandibular (lower jaw) teeth and two extra maxillary (upper jaw) teeth. Her unique dental journey began in her teenage years, with the gradual emergence of these additional teeth, growing one by one.
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Despite experiencing no pain, Kalpana faced challenges with eating as food often became trapped between the extra teeth. When her parents discovered this additional set of teeth, they were surprised and initially recommended that she undergo extraction. However, Kalpana's dentist advised waiting until the teeth grew out more, as they could not be easily removed, according to a GWR release. Despite the option for extraction, Kalpana decided to keep the additional teeth, even after they had fully grown out, due to her apprehensions about the procedure.
After achieving the Guinness World Records title, Kalpana expressed her happiness, calling it a "lifetime achievement." Notably, she may have the opportunity to extend her record in the future, as she still has two unfilled teeth. The male record holder for this title is Evano Mellone from Canada, who boasts a total of 41 teeth.
Guinness World Records explains that the medical term for the presence of excess teeth is hyperdontia or polydontia, affecting up to 3.8% of the world's population. Hyperdontia results from a malfunction in the tooth formation process, with the exact cause remaining unknown. It is believed that supernumerary teeth develop from an extra tooth bud arising near a regular tooth bud or possibly from the splitting of a regular tooth bud.
