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Did you know that November 8 was “Good Teeth Day”? It’s just one of many little-known specially designated mini-holidays in Japan. And what better way to celebrate your pearly whites than with tooth-themed bentos! Take a look at a few clever lunchboxes showcased on Japanese cooking sites.

Good Teeth Day was created in 1993 to celebrate proper oral hygiene by a joint effort of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Japan Dental Association. November 8 was specifically chosen for this day because the date can be read as “ii ha” or “good teeth” in Japanese.

Let’s break it down: The 11 in November resembles the Japanese hiragana symbol, い. When two of them are put together, you get “ii” or “good.” The 8 can be read in a number of ways, but in this case, it’s “ha” or “teeth.” So it looks like November 8 was destined to be a day of tooth celebration.

And as promised, here are those slightly frightening but somehow cute tooth bentos:

Let’s celebrate “Good Teeth Day” with some smiley molar bentos!2

Let’s celebrate “Good Teeth Day” with some smiley molar bentos!3

Let’s celebrate “Good Teeth Day” with some smiley molar bentos!5

Happy belated Good Teeth Day, everyone! Be good to your chompers!
[ Read in Japanese ]