Odd topic, I know.

See, I have my dad’s teeth and treat them like they’re my mom’s. Her side of the family has horrible teeth trouble. So many in their younger days, even teens and 20s, have bridges and partials. My dad’s family’s teeth are so bulletproof that many didnt even bother brushing their teeth. For weeks. Which is disgusting. And yes, he’s one of those that does that.

Anywayz.

Both parents started having major dental problems around 50yo. Like extractions, bridges partials, root canals, etc.

I’m 57 and have not yet started down that journey. How, you might ask. Well, here’s my teeth cleaning regimen and reasoning. Keep in mind that one of my high school buds was training to be a dental hygienist and thought this was utterly ridiculous. She now has mostly fake teeth.

Waking Up: Brush and floss teeth.

Gotta use the brush in such a manner that it flakes off the ick and leaves the enamel as much intact as possible. So, the whole circular motion thing. Very little pressure. If your toothbrush bristles are flattened, you’re pressing too hard.

Flossing is more of an art. So many people just push the floss in, and pull it out. Uh, now. Go up & down between teeth, and rub the nearby teeth with the floss to remove the plaque. Like I said, more of an art form. Took years to get this down.

Rinse well. As in, really well. Some people don’t bother rinsing thinking that they’re doing good things for their teeth by keeping all the toothpaste chemicals in there. Uh, you’re also keeping all the gick you worked so hard to remove in there. Silly humans.

After Eating: Rinse

Seriously. That’s it. I honestly believe that your body releases chemicals in the mouth to break down food, and it takes a bit for them to dissipate. Meaning, if you brush your teeth right after a meal, you’re grinding the hell outta the enamel. So. Just rinse, and rinse well with plain, filtered (or distilled) water.

Before Bed: Mouth Wash

Like, a really good one. One of those 7 in 1 formulas that has bubbles, and helps build enamel. It does the best job the longer you don’t eat or drink anything afterward. How about 8 hours of sleeping?

Whiteners

Just. Don’t. They work by removing the yellowed enamel. Meaning you get more tooth sensitivity to hot & cold, and more importantly, easier for the cavities to form. The enamel protects your teeth. Why do you want to remove it?

Afterall, if you take good care of your teeth, they won’t be all that icky looking anyway.

Dry Mouth

One of my cousins suffers from this due to medications. Here’s how she combats it.

Some folks say drink lots of water. Sure, that’s nice, and it hydrates the whole body. What you want is to hydrate the mouth.

With this in mind, get a tablespoon or two of filtered or distilled water in your mouth. Hold it for 15-20 second to soften things up, and get absorbed by the parts that need it. Swish around for 5-10 seconds.

Spit. It,. Out. You’ve removed a lot of ick, much of which was about to deposit on your teeth. Your belly doesn’t need it, either.

Do this every hour.

Drinking plenty of water still helps, of course. If the medication dries out your mouth, it’s probably giving you wrinkles and dry patches, too.

Maybe use eyedrops because those are probably dehydrated, too. Like Similasan that works with your body instead of the nasty chemical/drug ones that target the body like an enemy.

Wrapping Up

Sometimes you do more damage by over-caring for something, and I believe this includes teeth. The best protection your teeth have is their enamel. Care for you enamel, and you’ll have a better smile, imo.

  • Brushing too hard, too frequently, or right after a meal removes enamel.
  • Whitening really, really removes enamel.
  • Flossing is good for between the teeth and to remove the plaque hanging out at the gum line.
  • Use enamel builders. Sure, some dentists say they’re bunk. But no one says they’re harmful.
  • Dry mouth is better combatted by hydrating the mouth itself, in addition to drinking lots of water.

… picture from https://news.usc.edu/files/2018/04/Tooth-enamel-web.jpg