Cómo pensar en tus dientes

I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “A word to the wise is plenty.” That is why I am speaking to you about your teeth today. I understand that most people prefer not to talk about or even think about their teeth; yet, teeth are crucial. As you are no doubt aware, the natural teeth you currently have in your mouth are the only “natural” teeth you will ever have for the rest of your life. I’m sure you already knew that, so let’s get on with it.

In short, my goal here is to remind you that it is your responsibility to take good care of each and every one of those teeth, to preserve them, to “baby” them.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Obviously, you must protect and care for your teeth for one, if not three, crucial reasons. When I say “three” reasons, I’m attempting to remind you that the majority of individuals chew and swallow food at least three times per day – every day of their lives. That implies teeth are used to chew food so that it can be properly swallowed and digested throughout each of those meals. In other words, teeth play an important role in the preservation of the rest of your body. For humans, this has always been the case.

Humans, in fact, have relied on their teeth to keep them nourished and healthy since Adam and Eve. I recently read that archaeologists in Pakistan discovered human skulls with teeth in them while digging in a graveyard dating back to the Stone Age, some 9,000 years ago, and the teeth revealed evidence that they had been drilled, filled, and fixed by an ancient “dentista!” This demonstrates that individuals were aware of the need of oral hygiene even back then.

Now I’ll discuss three words that most people try to avoid at all costs: tooth paste, tooth brush, dental floss, and what appears to be the most dreaded of all: dentista! Your dentista, believe it or not, wants to help you keep your teeth…he is not there to empty your pocketbook or chequebook. He sincerely desires the opportunity to assist you in avoiding both dental and financial agony.

Back in the 1500s, when you got a toothache, you went to the marketplace to see the local “tooth barber.” He’d have you lie on your back on the ground, place your head between his legs, and then start to work on your toothache for you. He would first perform some incantations and prayers before pouring a concoction of herbs and urine into your mouth. He performed all of this to kill the “tooth worms” that he said were causing your toothache, and then he would go to work on your ailing tooth with his knife, pliers, and fingers, extracting your problematic tooth in this manner. Meanwhile, a swarm of bystanders cheered him on in his efforts to ease your toothache.

DECAY OF THE TEETH

You might be wondering what causes tooth decay, so allow me to explain. In fact, there are millions of microorganisms in your mouth. Some are there to aid digestion. Others, such as Streptococus Mutans, are a major source of decay problems since they exclusively eat sugar. When it eats the sugar on and around your teeth, it secretes an acid that has the capacity to pierce the outer covering of your teeth, the enamel, resulting in holes or cavities. If those cavities are not filled (by a dentista), the depth of those cavities can reach into the pulp chamber of the tooth, necessitating a costly “canal raíz” treatment.

How can you avoid getting cavities?

1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day to reduce the quantity of germs.
2. Use fluoride-containing toothpaste.
3. Avoid sugar-containing foods and beverages.
4. Consume items containing sugar substitutes rather than real sugar.
5. If you do eat sweets, make sure to clean your teeth within one hour to remove the sugar from your teeth.

DENTURES

If you still have all or most of your natural teeth, make sure to brush them regularly and visit your dentista at least twice a year. You must do so because if your natural teeth are extracted, you will be forced to wear a denture for the rest of your life. Wearing a denture indicates that you have made a significant adjustment in your life. For example, you will notice a significant shift in your self-esteem. For example, you will feel as if you have aged almost overnight; you will have to change your diet and only eat foods that you can chew carefully; when you speak, you will have to be careful how you form the words; and even sneezing will be a new experience because you will have to be careful that your denture does not fly out of your mouth.

You will also need to learn how to clean and care for your denture. You will believe that everyone around you is aware that you are now wearing a denture, and you will be extremely self-conscious about your denture. In short, you’ll be left wondering why you didn’t take better care of your natural teeth.

Modern dentures are the best ever created, yet they will never be as good as your real teeth. So, while you still have your natural teeth, do everything you can to keep them healthy. Paying a dentista to maintain your natural teeth is money wisely spent, and it is significantly less expensive than purchasing a denture.

All of this is to make you realise the advantages and benefits you have when you go to the dentista these days: a comfy chair, pain-relieving Novocain, water-cooled drills, sterile tools, and a highly sensitive and caring dentist who wants you to feel comfortable. – Why? As a result, you’ll be returning to him for regular checks to ensure that your teeth and mouth are as healthy as possible.

In conclusion, now is the time to start taking better care of your natural teeth. If you don’t, you can end up like me, with no top teeth left in your mouth! I have a complete upper denture and would much rather have my natural teeth. But it is unchangeable, and I have learnt to live with my top denture (all the while taking very good care of my remaining lower teeth). These days, I am quite conscious of the typical denture problems, such as a loose denture, a denture that slides when I chew food (three times a day), sore places on my gums, difficulty speaking – and the need to clean and care for that denture every day.

Nonetheless, a modern denture provides all of the necessary elements for oral comfort when eating: stability, support, and adequate retention. Because of these three advantages, your confidence in your denture will provide you with peace of mind when you interact with others, smile, converse, and chew your food. This contemporary denture is strong enough to survive for several years.