Rational Insanity
Healthy mouth
My teeth have always been an important part of my anatomy. I have always considered a good set of teeth an asset. Contrastingly, having problematic teeth really gets to me; considering the painful toothaches you have to contend with and the constant food particles that get trapped in between -- bad teeth is definitely a mess.
Some of my friends call me a tooth OC. I gladly indulge because I know that once you loose your permanent teeth, there is no other way to go but to get dentures. I don't want to have dentures, aside from my perception that having dentures can be very unsanitary, I can't imagine how one can eat properly with a chunk of plastic in there. The reason why I take care of my teeth is because I love food -- I can't enjoy my food with a bad set of pearly whites, or could I? Anyway, I am 29 years old now, and luckily, I still have most of my teeth in good condition except for a filling here and there. I don't wear dentures, and I haven't had a tooth extraction since I was in elementary. Now, because I want all of you to enjoy life with a good set of teeth, I would like to share with you some practical tips on how to make sure that you have your pearlies intact the longest possible time.
1. Time and again it has been said by many a dentist -- brush your teeth regularly; three times a day, after every meal. When brushing use an alternate 'up-down' and 'circular' stroke. Brush each of your two rows (upper and lower) at least thirty seconds per brushing.
2. Have a toothbrush ready in your vanity pack that you bring with you wherever you go so that when you drink anything that could stain your teeth like coffee, red wine, or black tea, go straight to the toilet for a quick brush.
3. Even ceramics crack and break after being exposed to hot water and to cold water immediately after. Your teeth are no different, they become brittle if you like drinking hot stuff, and following this up with a glass of cold juice or water after. Wait for the temperature in your mouth to regularize first before having your cold drink. This would take from fifteen to thirty minutes -- not long enough considering the care you are giving to your teeth.
4. When you are a sweet tooth, always drink a glass of water after your bar of chocolate or that exceptionally sweet piece of cake. Sugar does not stay long enough in the mouth, unlike pieces of meat, but it raises the acid levels in your mouth and can turn your saliva into a corrosive cocktail, so rinse your mouth after chowing down on those just desserts.
5. Floss at least once a day. Flossing can promote good gum health by stimulating blood flow in your mouth aside from just getting rid of those solid pieces of food that get trapped in between your teeth and eventually rot to cause tooth decay.
6. There are three kinds of brush rigidities available, medium, soft, and hard. Choose the right brush rigidity for you if you don't want to end up having sandpaper on your teeth, or a useless washcloth that cannot get off the food build-up.
7. Of course, visit your dentist regularly, at least once a month. Visiting the dentist isn't really as unpleasant as it can be. A dental visit is way better than a toothache, I am sure everyone knows this.
8. Stop smoking. Nicotine can stain the teeth very badly. Nicotine stains are more difficult to remove from the teeth compared to other stains. Again, if you cannot help it, every time you smoke, get hold of a glass of water and rinse your mouth.
9. Try to outgrow your oral fixations. Most of us like to bite our nails or chew on a pencil or ball pen while thinking of something. This very bad habit can cause our teeth to move out of their rows, and you would end up with a row of teeth that would compete with the zig-zag road in Baguio.
10. Drink milk. Well, not only milk, drink other beverages that are rich in calcium, as well as foods that have this mineral. Calcium strengthens our bones and our teeth as well. So, have that stock of cheese and milk in your refrigerator ready for snacking!
There you go folks, I hope this bit of advice reaches you in time -- when I say in time, I mean before you have totally abused your teeth and lost all of them!
Be rational; be insane... every once in a while! TTFN! I love you all! Byers!