Our mouth is one of the most functional organs in our body. It is used as the receptacle of food for our digestive system and also a tool for us to communicate and express our feelings. One of the lesser known facts about teeth is that it gives form and structure to our face.

We tend to give lesser thought to this part of our body as we instinctively use it for our daily life. The moment we wake up in the morning, we start to use our mouth for something as simple as yawning. Imagine the inconvenience of not being able to yawn if your jaws cannot function properly!

• More than just a receptacle of foods.

Your mouth is more than an entry point for food. In the oral cavity, our mouth produces saliva which helps to break down food before it enters our digestive system.

Our teeth is a chewing mechanism to break down food into pieces so that our gut does not have to work too hard to enable the absorption of nutrients. So chew your food more, it will aid in digestion!

• Structure  for our Face

When you lose a teeth in either side of the jaw, some of the neighboring teeth may shift or tilt towards the space from the missing teeth. This will result in changes to your facial structure as the jaw bone loses support from the teeth.

This is more commonly seen in elderly with either side of their jaw missing the whole row of teeth, causing a sunken profile or sagging features to their faces. This is also why people with missing teeth are often perceived to look older. Teeth help to give shape and form to our face. A healthy mouth with a full set of teeth makes us look good to ourselves and to others.

• Expressing Ourselves

The saying goes “to give mouth to one’s thoughts”.

All of us rely on our mouths to speak clearly. We are able to form words to speak to one another because of the structure and tissues in our mouth. Our tongue is one of the most important muscles in the body as it allows us to speak and pronounce our words. Other than that, tongue also allows us to taste our foods.

A trait that most mammals have is the innate ability to suck for nourishment using lips and jaw the moment they are born. Let’s not forget kissing, which can be unpleasant if your partner does not have good oral hygiene. Your mouth serves a functional purpose, so take good care of your oral health, it will also mean taking care of your overall well-being.

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