I am trying to inspire people to just take control of their oral

The words of Sherri Shepherd are not merely about teeth and gums; they are about the foundation of dignity, health, and self-respect. She says: “I am trying to inspire people to just take control of their oral health, because if we don't take care of our oral health, it affects so many different aspects of our lives. If your smile and mouth is not together, it affects your relationship, your self-esteem, your health.” This truth, though wrapped in the language of dentistry, speaks to the deeper order of life. For the smile is not only an ornament of the face—it is a gateway to confidence, a bridge to human connection, and a signal of one’s well-being.

In the style of the ancients, let us see beyond the surface. In olden days, the great healers understood that the mouth was the beginning of the body’s temple. From it comes nourishment, from it flows speech, and through it shines the smile that can uplift or conceal the soul’s state. If the mouth is neglected, then decay enters, disease follows, and even the spirit is weighed down by shame or pain. Thus, what Shepherd declares is no trivial reminder—it is an eternal teaching that small disciplines safeguard great blessings.

We can recall the story of President George Washington, whose oral health plagued him throughout his life. Suffering from tooth loss and constant pain, he wore uncomfortable dentures, some made of ivory and metal. Though a man of immense strength and leadership, his struggles with oral health affected his confidence and speech. His story is a solemn testament: even the most powerful among men are humbled when the smile falters and the mouth is burdened. In his silent suffering, we see why Shepherd warns us to guard this precious gift.

But the teaching goes beyond history—it touches the very fabric of relationships. How many loves have been dimmed, how many opportunities lost, because someone hid their smile out of low self-esteem? The face that turns away, ashamed of its own laughter, loses more than beauty—it loses connection. A smile is the language of trust and welcome, a force stronger than eloquence. If this light is clouded, then the bonds between souls weaken, and one’s spirit retreats into shadows.

Health, too, is intertwined with this truth. Modern wisdom shows that oral health is bound to the health of the whole body—diseases of the heart, the blood, even the mind, can trace their roots back to the neglected mouth. What seems small, what seems unworthy of daily care, is in truth the hidden root of vitality. To ignore it is to build life upon fragile soil; to tend it is to strengthen the fortress of the body.

Thus, Shepherd’s call is more than advice—it is a summons to stewardship. Take command of what seems small: brush, tend, protect, honor the mouth. Not only for health, but for the courage to smile without fear, to speak without shame, to live without the silent chains of self-doubt. The ancients would call this discipline of the gate, for the mouth is the gate through which life enters and expression flows. Guard this gate, and your days will be fortified.

The lesson is clear, my children: do not neglect what carries great weight in hidden ways. Your smile is not vanity; it is power. Your mouth is not a mere vessel; it is the foundation of life. Care for it, and you will walk with confidence, speak with clarity, love with openness, and live with strength. Ignore it, and even the brightest spirit may dim.

So let your daily practice be one of reverence: tend to your oral health as you would tend to the fire of your hearth. For from it springs warmth, vitality, and the courage to meet the world with a smile that is whole, a smile that heals not only yourself but those who behold it. And remember—when your smile and mouth are together, the rest of life may follow in harmony.