My Adventure at Renaissance Fest

“Jassy’s Updates”

Dental Tips from a Novice

By Jassy Jubilee

Have you ever went to a doctor’s appointment and have been overloaded with information that you forget as soon as you walk out? That being said, I decided to actually remember the advice my dentist gave me this time by making a practical, easy to remember list. Overall, I enjoyed my experience today and want to commend my dental tech, dental hygienist, and dentist. Our teeth are so very important to our health, as they are our first means of entry for vital nutrients. I honestly am very grateful for my dentist office and all the help they give me and work they do to make me feel comfortable.

I write, ‘Dental Tips from a Novice,’ because I am the novice. My hygienist is the professional. Who’s to say I’ll remember everything correctly or even communicate it correctly? Well, I will try the best I can. Thanks for reading! Here are a few tips the dentist gave me today at the office that I would like to share with you.

Tip #1: Use an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can get into the grooves of your teeth very well in a way that regular toothbrushes cannot. While you’ve been trying desperately to make those perfect cylindrical circles around your beautiful teeth, an electric toothbrush could do more work with even less effort. What a steal! I think I will invest in one of these goodies, preferably one that is gentle to the gums and that has a soft touch handle. There are even some with two minute timers to insure that you brush your teeth within the accurate amount of time!

Tip #2: Alcohol-free Mouthwash. I’ve always shied away from some mouthwashes, just because even the mere scent triggers my gag reflex. Here’s an idea: Alcohol-Free mouthwash. Something I never knew existed! Apparently, there are a spectrum of different flavors of wide varieties for mouthwash! My dentist showed me a picture of all the diverse flavors for Listerine, specifically. I was beside myself. And it seems that I am the last to know! Sorry, I don’t really spend my days meandering around the mouthwash section just daydreaming about teeth. That’s usually me with clothes, food, or books. It’s time to invest in a proper mouthwash again and maybe widen my shopping horizons.

Tip #3: Don’t…Drink…Coffee! Coffee gives your teeth horrible stains, as I know. I never experienced this before, but as an aging individual with more life demands than time, I fell into the coffee addiction trap. No more! Eight hours of sleep and a balanced breakfast will get me by, not a coffee high. Of course, I know this may be a hard habit to stop, as we all experience lack of sleep in our busy lives, and we may just need the extra coffee kick, so I would tweak my advice to be: everything in moderation, including coffee. And chocolate, am I right?

Tip #4: The last and final tip. Does this tip even matter? It is for pure aesthetics. I asked her the cheapest way I can make my teeth whiter. Obviously, she said use a whitening toothpaste.

I do not know if this information was redundant, or helpful, but I just wanted to share just a tidbit of what I learned in the dentist’s office. In short, one may benefit from electric toothbrushes, non-alcoholic mouthwash, not drinking things that stain your teeth (like coffee), and using a toothpaste with a whitening property. Teeth are just as important as any other part of your body in regards to health, so remember to brush twice daily, doing floss and mouthwash at least one of those times, and at least for a duration of two minutes. Thanks for reading. Have a great day. :)