Being a dental hygiene student, I study teeth all the time; I literally look at them and learn about them every single day. And while I have learned so much about the anatomy of our teeth, how to clean them, and preventive methods to keep them healthy, there is one thing that is a little nontraditional that I have learned as well.

We are more like our teeth than you may think.

Now I know what you may be thinking, that I am crazy for comparing our lives to teeth. Maybe I think about teeth too much, I don't know. What I do know is, they make a great comparison to our walk with the Lord.

Now before you think I have totally lost my mind, let me further explain.

There are a lot of similarities between brushing your teeth and your walk with God. When you brush your teeth, it helps remove bacteria and protects against plaque and tartar build up. Similarly, when we have God in our lives, He helps strengthen us in the battle against the devil and his "germs" that allure us to sin.

Just as toothpaste, fluoride, mouthwash, floss, and other dental accessories have proven to help prevent decay, having a Christian community helps us combat temptation and provide support for us to continue our walk with the Lord.

To elaborate further, when it comes to teeth there are many opportunities than just general dentistry that you can utilize to treat them for whatever you may need: periodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, prosthodontics, and the one that I want to specifically focus on right now, orthodontics.

For those of you that don't know what this specialty of dentistry is, when undergoing orthodontic treatment, one receives braces to help straighten their teeth.

I've worked in an orthodontic office for about three years now and I absolutely love it. I went through serious orthodontic treatment when I was younger and I claim that it "saved my life". My smile was transformed into something that I am proud of and love to show off, so now that I am able to help (in small ways) do that for other people is truly a blessing.

Nonetheless, braces move our teeth into a straight line; that perfect, esthetically pleasing smile that we all want and desire.

Likewise, when we put our focus on Christ and follow Him, He helps us to walk on that straight and narrow path. The more that we surrender our all to Him, the more Christ-like we become.

When you undergo the treatment portion, your teeth can get pretty sore from all the movement and change going on.

Like your teeth, when you first start walking with the Lord (and even later on in your walk), it can be painful to surrender your life to Him and give Him control. We have the tendency to make our own plans, but we have to remember that ultimately, His plans are greater. It won't be easy and you may experience pain, but the end result will be worth it.

At the same time, when you get your braces off, you receive a set of retainers to help continue to keep your teeth straight. It is important for you to wear them because your teeth have a natural tendency to want to move back to crooked and out of place way that they were before the braces.

In the same sense, we live in a sin-fallen world with a sinful nature. It is our human tendency to want to do the things that we want to do, even if they aren't good for us. This is why it is so important for us to put on the full armor of God. When we daily surrender and walk with Jesus, it is easier for us to deny our "crooked" and sinful desires, so that we may continue to walk straight.

Hopefully, now you're beginning to see how much we really can relate to our teeth. Next time you brush your teeth, thank God for all that He has done for you. Let it be a reminder to stay rooted in Him as you start your morning and end your day.