Every year I make it my goal to wring praise out of my dental hygienist. I don't know why... dental hygienists have become the Joan Rivers of my mind. The What Not to Teeth. The thing is, there are some ways in which you can still recover your health in old age--you can start eating right and working out in any decade, and it will almost always have some health benefit. But teeth are on a downward trend from the day your adults grow in--they were at the height of their powers when you were, like, ten.
Dental hygienists are prone to work-based arm injuries--in fact, it's not a profession you can really do for life. One of my dental hygienists tried to clean a bad mouth in one session, and she woke up in the middle of the night with pain shooting through her arm. So at the very least... do it for your hygienist. (And they're all young and hot, so straight men and gay women have no excuse not to go to the dentist.)
I've worked out a system for clean teeth, that takes into account my inherent laziness. For the past few years (I only go once per year because, with my insurance, I have to wait 9 months between cleanings) I haven't had cavities, and I have never yet had a root canal.
(My thoughts come from conversations with dentists and hygienists--but of course, everyone's mouth is naturally different.)
1. I brush my teeth once, at night.
If you're going to brush once per day (as I do) then you'll want to do it at night (the Canadian Dental Health dudes agree) otherwise the gunk will sit there for 7 hours having a party. In the morning you just need to get rid of the bacteria, which you can do by eating breakfast (as one should!)
WARNING: Don't brush too hard! Hold the brush lightly and don't overdo it -- because you'll make your gums recede, and then it's all about the skin grafts. My gums are receding a bit on my back molars, but since brushing lighter it doesn't seem to have gotten worse.
Use a soft bristle--my dentist recommends GUM products.
I also read a book while brushing, so there's no rush. (The husband says I need to cultivate the ability to be bored.)
2. I keep floss next to the couch, next to my bed, and next to my desk. (But not in my school bag... I am not going to pull out the floss in the middle of class.) This way if I've just eaten something sticky, or I happen to think of flossing, there's no effort--I do it while watching TV or reading a magazine. One of my hygienists said she does the same. Actually, I rarely floss before bed.
WARNING: Don't let your cat eat the floss!
3. I rinse my mouth with what I'm drinking, if it's sugar-free.
4. I chew sugar-free gum.
If you're a tooth-grinder, this is problematic cause it can make your problem worse. But I keep gum in my bag, and next to my couch/desk/bed, and eat a piece (or even half a piece) after each meal, or when my teeth feel gross.
5. Remember to brush your tongue. (My dentist gave me a Colgate 360 - ooo fancy!)
And that's how I keep my hygienist happy. :-)
FOODS BEWARE:
- Carbs sit on your teeth and make sugar, so that's when I usually go in for the gum and floss.
- I do drink apple juice, but otherwise I drink fake-sugar drinks at home.
- Apparently that hard powdery candy (like the little necklaces at Halloween) are like rubbing sandpaper on your teeth.
TYPES OF FLOSS:
I prefer cheap, mintee, and waxed, but I've tried many kinds because my hygienist awards them to me! Heh heh.
- shredding: if you hate the shredding, there are non-shred kinds
- poofy: there are ones with little poofy bits, that I assume help drag the food out
- tight teeth: you can get skinny brands, but also glossy ones - Gum eez-thru is like fine plastic, and it's so slippery I have trouble holding it. I don't know how tight-teethers like it (my teeth are spacious.)
Here's the Canadian Dental Dudes guide to flossing and brushing.
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