The anatomy of human teeth is important to understand when considering cosmetic dental work, or any dental procedures, for that matter. The bulk of your teeth is called dentin, which extends down from the crown (top) of your smile and well underneath the gumline. Nourished and held tight by your dental pulp (including roots) the visible part of your dentin is covered in a protective coating called enamel. All of these parts work together in a clean and healthy mouth so that you can eat, speak, and smile with comfort and ease. As you get ready to settle in for your turkey dinner next week, have you ever considered whether or not your favorite Thanksgiving bird has teeth? Lincolnshire cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent A. Engelberg is no turkey, but has more information to share on this terrific T-day topic.

How Do Turkeys Eat?

Every type of poultry we consume is equipped with a beak which they utilize to obtain food. Bird mouths have salivary glands, just the same as humans. However, if your turkey is dry on Thanksgiving, it has nothing to do with dry mouth. The natural moisture inside a turkey’s oral cavity moistens the feed they consume, making it easy for the bird to swallow. Also just as humans do, turkeys have tongues which they use to push food to the back of their mouths for easier swallowing. Bird feed comes in small particles, so the need for chewing is eliminated. Turkeys use enzymes in their saliva to begin the digestion process as soon as their food enters their mouths.

Mindful Chewing in the Human World

We are unlikely to prefer our turkey or any other part of our Thanksgiving meal the size of bird feed. Luckily, we have teeth to allow us the pleasure of chewing our food before we swallow, unlike turkeys. However, we tend to rush our eating for various reasons. Chewing a few times each bite before swallowing is not nearly enough to break down the often complex mounds of food we eat as a culture. Chewing properly keeps us from choking on big chunks of food.  Taking bites that are too big, or eating too fast can also cause issues with your temporomandibular joints (TMJs). All of that is for the birds, so utilize those beautiful human choppers and chew well this Thanksgiving.

Contact Your Lincolnshire Cosmetic Dentist

To schedule a consultation for any of your cosmetic dental needs, call our 60069 dentist office at 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.