Idiom: Sweet tooth

“Sweet tooth” is an idiom used to describe someone who loves sweet food, especially desserts and candy. It is not about having an actual tooth that is sweet, but a strong liking for sugary things.

• General meaning: A person who enjoys eating sweets.
• Grammar use: Usually used with the verb have – e.g., “She has a sweet tooth.”
• It does not change form: we don’t say “sweet teeth.”
• It is used in both spoken and written English, often in informal situations.

Examples:

• I can’t resist chocolate – I really have a sweet tooth!
• Even after a big meal, he always wants cake. He must have a sweet tooth.

Note: “Sweet tooth” is a countable noun phrase, but it’s mostly used in the singular.

_____________________

More Examples and Explanations

Example 1:

“My dad has a sweet tooth – he eats ice cream every night!”
→ Explanation: This means the dad really enjoys sweet foods and regularly eats them. It uses the verb has (present simple) + a sweet tooth.

Example 2:

“I try to eat healthy, but my sweet tooth always wins.”
→ Explanation: Here, the idiom is used figuratively. The speaker wants to eat healthy, but their desire for sweets is stronger. “My sweet tooth wins” means the craving takes over.

Example 3:

“She doesn’t have a sweet tooth. She prefers salty snacks.”
→ Explanation: A negative form. “Doesn’t have” + “a sweet tooth” shows she does not like sweet things. The contrast is made with “salty snacks.”

Example 4:

“Having a sweet tooth can make it hard to stick to a diet.”
→ Explanation: This is a general statement using the gerund (“having”). It refers to people in general who love sweets, and how that affects dieting.

Example 5:

“Kids often have a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate and cake.”
→ Explanation: General truth about children. The structure “have a sweet tooth” is in present simple, plural subject (“kids”).