As you look forward to enjoying indulgent meals—and removing corn from between your teeth—this Thanksgiving long weekend, you might consider taking a moment to feel grateful that you have a healthy set of teeth. Here are some reasons we believe you should do just that (if only as you’re brushing those pearly whites!):
1. Good oral health allows you to have good overall health
As obvious as it may sound, your teeth allow you to eat nutritious foods like raw fruits & vegetables (‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’), sources of protein, and yes, your favourite junk foods as well. Your mouth is the beginning of the digestive system and therefore the beginning of good health.
Less intuitively, the state of your oral health is linked to the probability you will suffer from life-altering chronic conditions such as prediabetes, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s. So, remember to give your smile some extra love this Thanksgiving—once you’ve finished your sugary apple pie dessert, of course!
2. Your beautiful smile gives you confidence
Many of us have heard of the fact that, although being happy makes you smile—it also works in reverse. Smiling makes you happier. But what happens when you have poor oral hygiene—a neglected smile?
Poor oral hygiene—leading to things like bad breath, tooth loss, teeth discolouration—begins a scary cycle between worsened mental health, and worsening oral hygiene. This cycle exists because a smile which is not conventionally ‘beautiful’ will exacerbate the very factors which cause oral health problems to exist in the first place: having lower self esteem, lesser success in the professional world, etc.
Thus, being able to care for your smile is a blessing indeed.
3. A healthy mouth is a pain-free mouth
Anyone who has experienced a deep cavity, tooth sensitivity, or a tooth infection can attest—dental pain is no fun. Severe toothaches can interfere with your sleep and daily functioning. So, if your teeth are feeling fine and dandy, that is certainly another reason to feel grateful this October (but it’s no excuse to skip your regular dental cleanings & checkups!).
4. Not everyone has access to oral hygiene products
If you have the ability to feel thankful for a healthy smile, it’s likely because you’ve been doing the basic preventative things for your oral hygiene—like brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and changing your toothbrush every three months—as you should.
But not everyone has the access to even the most basic oral hygiene necessities.
In fact, 1 in every 3 lower-income youth experiencing homelessness does not have proper access to these basic oral hygiene products, like toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Here at TorontoTooth, we aim to fill that gap—we strive to provide access to toothbrushes and toothpaste to the most vulnerable groups in Toronto, such as youth and children experiencing homelessness. These individuals deserve the dignity of being able to care for their oral health in the most basic sense.
And you can help us make that happen. Your monetary donation—no matter how small— will help get Toronto one step closer to oral hygiene equity.
Click the DONATE button below to see how your donation can help. We are thankful for your support!