How Your Teeth Put the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for? Friends, family, food? What about your oral health? Your teeth do a lot more than shine in your mouth, they’re an essential part of digestion and socialization. If you’ve never considered what your teeth do for you, perhaps Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect.

If you want to learn how your teeth help you in a variety of ways, continue reading. By the end of this blog, you should have a newfound appreciation for your teeth!

1. Your Smile Says a Lot About You

A recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry found that 48 percent of people notice your smile foremost during a first meeting. It stands to reason, then, that your teeth do a lot of work for you during social situations.

Bright, healthy teeth that are well cared for make people more likely to talk to you. People with great smiles are also found to be more confident overall.

2. Your Teeth Are the First Step of Digestion

Without your teeth, you wouldn’t be able to eat your Thanksgiving feast! If that doesn’t convince you that your pearly whites are worthy, nothing will.

In seriousness, your teeth and saliva make up the very first step of your digestive system. Without properly breaking down your food and providing lubrication for it to travel on, you’d have a very upset stomach.

3. You Need Your Teeth to Speak Correctly

Teeth are completely necessary to produce certain sounds. This is why people with dentures have a hard time pronouncing some words when they first get their prosthetics. Without your teeth, you wouldn’t be able to communicate clearly, which is an important part of Thanksgiving togetherness.

4. Clean Teeth Save You Money

If nothing else, be thankful for all the money you saved through good oral health practices. While routine dental work is relatively inexpensive, repeated treatment and complex procedures can add up over time. With healthy teeth, your time at the dentist will be easy and painless, especially for your budget.

Now that you can see all the great benefits your healthy teeth can offer you, it’s time to give back. While they don’t appreciate sweets, they do like to be cared for, so brush properly and floss every day. If you want to go the extra mile for your pearly whites, visit your dentist! A good professional cleaning and a checkup might just be the perfect way to say “thank you.”

About the Author

Dr. Joe Kern has been practicing dentistry for over 20 years. Despite this lengthy career, he still has as much love for his patients and passion for his job as the day he started. He earned his dental doctorate at The Ohio State University and has been serving his community through quality dental care ever since. To schedule an appointment at Kern Family Dentistry, call (701) 352-2013 or visit the website to learn more about the services they offer.