The Thanksgiving feast comes around once a year so family and friends can gather together around the dinner table and appreciate all the things they have to be grateful for. However, it can be a little too easy to take a particular set of friends you have for granted. Your teeth do a lot to enrich your life, and they only ask that you practice proper oral care in return. Here are a few reasons you should be grateful for your teeth this Thanksgiving and remember to take excellent care of them during the rest of the year.
A Healthy Mouth Is a Crucial Part of Your Overall Health
Most of the things that enter the body do so through the mouth, so it’s important to take care of it so it can be healthy, clean, and able to do its job well. Strong, healthy teeth are a crucial part of the digestive process because they allow you to chew a wide variety of nutritious foods. If your teeth aren’t healthy, the list of the foods you can chew can become much shorter. To make matters worse, the bacteria that cause oral infections can ride your airway down to the lungs where they can cause respiratory infections like pneumonia. Keeping your teeth free of decay is great for your overall health.
Your Teeth Play a Key Part in Speech
Your teeth help you control the flow of air from your mouth as you speak, allowing you to vocalize the full range of consonants and vowels. People with missing teeth often have difficulty with speaking. When you’re getting ready to dig into your Thanksgiving dinner this year, remember how your teeth help you express yourself smoothly and easily.
A Beautiful Smile Is an Asset in the Social and Professional Worlds
Frequently smiling makes you appear friendly, confident, and approachable to other people. Unfortunately, many people are too shy to smile because they are afraid to show the flaws in their teeth. This makes it harder for them to make friends, close sales, and even just have fun on a night off. This Thanksgiving, be sure to appreciate how your teeth help you keep up your appearance and navigate the social scene.
Now that you know why you should appreciate your teeth, you might ask how you can show them how grateful you are to have them. All you have to do to show your teeth how much you care is to stick to a daily regimen of brushing, flossing, and rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash while keeping up with your regular dental appointments. This can keep them healthy and strong for life.
About the Author
Dr. Danny Hayes earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia and has pursued courses covering topics like dental implant placement, cosmetic dentistry, and bone grafting. He proudly serves as a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. His office in Chesterton, IN offers preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To schedule an appointment, contact his office online or dial (219) 926-7595.