It’s easy to take things that we use everyday for granted. When was the last time you thought about what your teeth do for you? Whether you think about it or not, your teeth do some pretty amazing things for you that you probably don’t even notice.
5 Reasons to be Thankful for Your Teeth
On this Thanksgiving Eve, I thought I would mention a few reasons to be thankful for your teeth.
1 – Your Teeth Help You Chew Turkey
Not just turkey either! Your teeth tear and grind all the different foods you eat every day. I vividly remember an experience I had working at a dental clinic before going to dental school. An older man came in for his final appointment to get his dentures. He excitedly told me that the first thing he was going to do was to go down to the local grocery store and buy a vegetable tray. Before that incident, I’d never really taken the time to think about how I would eat without teeth.
2 – Your Teeth Make You Attractive
A smile can go a long way toward improving your appearance. Without teeth, you wouldn’t be very likely to smile. Every year, people spend millions of dollars trying to make their teeth look whiter, brighter, and more beautiful.
3 – Your Teeth Help You Speak
Try saying the phrase I’m thankful for turkey. Notice how your tongue touches your teeth during the th and t sounds and your upper teeth touch your lower lip to say the word fo.
Speaking without your teeth is harder than you might think.
4 – Your Teeth Affect the Shape of Your Face
Here’s a thought exercise: picture a 101 year old man with no teeth in your mind.
You probably saw a man who’s mouth appeared “sucked in” and his face kind of seemed scrunched up and not very tall. Your teeth support your lips and cheeks and make your face appear longer. To learn more, read How Your Teeth Affect the Length and Shape of Your Face.
5 – They Keep Your Jaw Bones Strong
Your jaw bones stay as thick and strong as they are because they work hard by holding onto your teeth. Without teeth, the jaw bones begin to atrophy and shrink from lack of use. This can make it easy for your jaw to fracture — it’s also a reason why people who have been missing their teeth for a very long time can’t get a lower denture made that fits very well: they simply don’t have enough bone to support it.
Why Are You Thankful for Your Teeth?
Did I miss any reasons why you’re thankful for your teeth? Speak your mind in the comments section below. Thanks for reading, and to all of my fellow Americans: Happy Thanksgiving!
Everyone should read this post because we tend to take our teeth for granted especially when we’re young. I’m very thankful for my teeth or what is left of them. I think knowledge is power and the new generation is blessed with all this knowledge at their fingertips thanks to amazing people like you who take the time to educate them.
I think it is really important to realize how much our teeth help us. If we didn’t have our teeth, it would be very difficult to talk or chew. I think that if we were more appreciative of our teeth, we would be more willing to take care of them. I would like to start taking extra care of my teeth so that I can always be sure that they are in good condition. Thank you for the great post!
I didn’t realize speaking without your teeth is so difficult. I tried saying I was thankful for turkey without using my teeth and it sounded ridiculous. Reading this has made me more grateful for my teeth. Thanks for sharing.
Healthy teeth have an important effect on our diet, health and overall sense of well-being. So it is not only critical to keep your teeth, but to keep them healthy.
Great post! I guess I’ve been taking my teeth for granted. If I could add one more to this list, I guess I’d say that teeth are great for showing emotion. It’s one thing to smile with your lips, but giving a big toothy smile is something that conveys true emotion. I guess I need to thank my local dental clinic. Thanks for sharing!
It’s true that our teeth are an important part of the way that we articulate sounds when we speak. Without your teeth, it’s really hard to make the “th” sound, like you mentioned in your post. Making sure that you have your regular checkups at your dental clinic can help to ensure that you keep your teeth and are able to clearly communicate. Thanks for the article.
I didn’t know that teeth did so much. They obviously help chew and stuff, but who knew that they help your jaw bone stay strong. It’s scary to think that, without teeth, your jawbone would just shrink and get really weak!