The Term "Long In The Tooth"?

Question

Where does it come from? I know it refers to older people. Is it from the fact that the gums of people recede as they age, and possibly give the visual of having "longer" teeth? I know it might sound bazaar but that's the only explanation I can come up with..

Enlighten me. : D

Answer 1

your answer is right - receding gums! ( it's bizarre by the way)

Answer 2

a person that eats well or over weight

Answer 3

The expression derives from horses, of all things. As horses age, their gums recess, which is the origin of the practice of examining a horse's teeth to determine its age (and therefore value), a sort of early version of kicking the tires. (Horse traders, like used-car salesman, are not to be trusted.) An old horse's gums will have recessed so much that the roots of the teeth are visible, thus making the teeth appear longer--hence long in the tooth to mean 'old', and hence used figuratively paralleling figurative senses of 'old' such as 'past one's prime'.  

Answer 4

no, i think it comes from the fact that when horses get older, if they are not filed properly, their teeth will get really long and overlap eachother! So long in fact that they start cutting into the gums and make all kinza blood!

but im not sure, sounds good to me!

Answer 5

I'm not really sure on the origin, but it was used to refer to single women over the marriageable age (ie. spinsters), who may not have been attractive enough or wealthy enough to find a husband.

Doesn't really help to explain its origin...