Here’s a question. What have you been doing since you were seven, and most likely haven’t been doing properly?
The answer: brushing your teeth.
Brushing your teeth properly is important because it keeps your teeth and gums healthy. Older adults have a higher risk of tooth decay: gums naturally recede; dry mouth becomes more common, reducing saliva — the mouth’s natural defense system; and poor oral hygiene is linked to serious health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infections.
Good brushing removes food particles and, more importantly, it removes bacteria from your teeth. These bacteria and other microorganisms grow inside everyone’s mouth and form a sticky biofilm commonly known as dental plaque that can’t be just rinsed off but needs to be manually cleaned.
Now time for a test. How many of these best practices for properly brushing your teeth do you follow?
1. Brush twice daily. Brush once before going to bed because while you’re asleep, there is less saliva in your mouth to fight any bacteria that remain. And then one more time, such as before or after breakfast. If you brush after breakfast, the American Dental Association recommends waiting 60 minutes.
2. Brush for at least two full minutes. And it’s important to concentrate on what you’re doing during those few minutes. Develop a brushing routine.
3. Use fluoride toothpaste that contains fluoride and choose a brand and flavor that you enjoy using, as this will make you more likely to continue your regular brushing.
4. Reach all tooth surfaces. Focus on cleaning all of the tooth, using a soft-bristled toothbrush with a smaller brush head to get into those hard-to-reach places. Don’t press too hard; gentle pressure is enough to loosen plaque.
5. Floss daily either before or after brushing to get to those spaces between the teeth that you can’t reach.
6. Visit your dentist twice a year. And if you’re still unsure about how to clean your teeth properly, speak with your dentist at your next visit.
And these practices you may not have known. At least, I didn’t.
7. Brush the gumline. The most important place to remove plaque is not your teeth, but the gumline — where your gums meet your teeth. Think of brushing your gumline rather than your teeth. The best way is to brush your teeth along the gumline at a 45-degree angle.
8. Spit and do not rinse after you brush. This is still up for debate, but the idea is that rinsing after brushing washes away the fluoride in your toothpaste, which helps fight decay and strengthen your teeth. Spit but don’t rinse, so the fluoride stays on your teeth longer. Rinse before brushing to remove food particles.
Did you pass?
You may not gain a whiter smile, but following these best practices for oral hygiene will improve your teeth, gums, and overall health.
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Brain Tease: Can you figure out the logic used to decide the order of the following words: gun, shoe, spree, door, hive, kicks, heaven, gate, line, den?
Hint: Quickly read the words aloud.
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The popular column that offered household advice was “Hints from Heloise.” I received correct answers from Sam Bilyeu, Doug Nelson, Bruce Johnson, Donna Mollet, Rebecca Abrams, Marny Weting, Julie Hoffman, Judy Kiser, Sandy Haechrel, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Debbie Medina, Patti Munk, Pat Evenson-Brady, Kim Birge, Nancy Higgins, Ken Jernstedt, and Mike Ballinger, who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
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And last week, while imagining I was seven years old, watching Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans on a Saturday morning, I missed David Liberty, Margaret Haupt, Tina Castanares, Nancy Higgins, and Donna Mollet.
This radio personality was the host of “News and Comment,” a Chicago-based program broadcast from 1951 to 2008. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this broadcaster with the unique and unforgettable radio style? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-980-4645, or send it with the “Rest of the Story.”
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Well, it’s been another week, taking it as it comes. Until we meet again, as Kin Hubbard once wrote, “Live so that you can at least get the benefit of the doubt.”
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Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.
Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) — Wednesdays with music on second and fourth Wednesdays; Dufur — Wednesdays at noon at 320 NE 2nd Street;
Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333).
For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services at the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068), and in Skamania County, call Senior Services (509-427-3990).
Answer: Each word rhymes with its numeric position in the list. (e.g. ‘gun’ rhymes with ‘one’, etc.)
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