A gift horse is not to be looked in the mouth

“Fight tooth and nail”

“A gift horse is not to be looked in the mouth”

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”

How often have you used these phrases? And how often have you wondered where they come from? You will be amazed at how well-founded the origins of these phrases, which have become an integral part of our lexicon, are.

To fight with teeth and nails is the last defense a human has after all other weapons are lost. This is the first image we consider today that serves as a perfect example of how potent and important our teeth are.

Why did people start saying “A gift horse is not to be looked in the mouth!”? The age of the horse is determined by the teeth; thus, “counting teeth” meant knowing its age and, consequently, its cost. Another “hint” that teeth are of great value.

And although the previous two expressions can be considered relatively new, the fact that the phrase “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!” has a biblical origin, proves that teeth have been valued since ancient times. After all, only an eye can be equivalent to an eye (hello to fellow ophthalmologists :), and only a tooth can be equivalent to a tooth.

These are just a few of the expressions that show how important teeth were at different times and among different people. So let’s take care of them in time so that we don’t bite our fingernails with regret later! If we have something to bite them with, of course 🙂