God made our mouths just right. The shape of the jaws, the placement of teeth, the way the tongue works. Everything goes together to let us eat and speak.

• Teeth begin to form even before a baby is born.

• There are 20 primary (or “baby”) teeth. These will all fall out over time.

• Adults have 32 permanent teeth.

• Teeth are for chewing. Chewing is the first step in digesting food.

• Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body.

• Unlike skin and bone, your teeth cannot repair themselves. The enamel in your permanent teeth is all you get for a lifetime, so take care of it.

• Your mouth can make more than 25,000 quarts of saliva in your lifetime. Saliva starts the process of breaking down food so your body can use it. Saliva also washes away bacteria in your mouth.

• Those bacteria feed on sugar. They turn sugar into acid. Too much acid makes cavities.

• It takes about 20 minutes for saliva to “clean up” your mouth. If you snack, that’s another 20 minutes!

• A toothbrush can be a germ farm. One of the best ways to keep your brush sanitary is to keep it dry. Bacteria like moisture.

• Teeth work with the lips and tongue to help us talk. Try to make a “V” sound. What do your teeth do? Now try an “L” sound. Could you speak well without teeth?

Think about the many choices you can make.

You can choose to eat healthy foods. That makes your mouth healthy. It makes your body healthy. You will grow strong. Then you can do what God has for you to do.

You can choose to care for your teeth. Don’t overeat sugars. Brush regularly. Keep those teeth around for a long time!

You can choose what you say. Tell the truth, and do it with kindness. Use your words to build up other people for their good.

Put your teeth to work: Nourishment in. Encouragement out.

Encourage one another and build one another up. — 1 Thessalonians 5:11