You smile, you bite into a sandwich or chew an incredible steak, but you probably don’t stop and think about how difficult all that would be without your teeth. How about talking? It gets really hard to do without your teeth. Go ahead, try saying “thirty-three thirsty thieves” without letting your tongue touch your teeth.
Now that we all agree that the little guys allow us to complete fundamental tasks in a way that leads to a much higher quality of life, we must understand that they’ve got a dirty, stressful job, and they’re always on the clock. We subject them to thousands of cycles of use, day and night (sometimes much worse at night, where are the grinders?) and they’re constantly fending off attack from millions of bacteria. Sound exhausting? It must be.
They need a little external help. You do a lot of the required maintenance yourself by brushing and flossing, using your mouthwash and perhaps even a probiotic, but regular check ups and preventive care will catch a problem before it interferes with your life.
Because a smile is a terrible thing to waste.