See that big smile! Please know that it did not come easy. Just two days ago I sat in a dentist chair in Tijuana, Mexico for 5 hours worth of drilling. It was traumatic to say the least, and I cried when I got the news. Yes, I felt horrible. Here I am, Miss Self Care. I was humbled, mortified and puzzled that I had let this naively happen. It was also expensive.
Trust me I thought I was doing everything right. For some reason I was gifted with teeth that decay easily, and I therefore have had a ton of dental work over the years. I have had to learn to keep my teeth healthy, and my system healthy too. This could be a very long blog post if I were to go through the whole story. So, I will cut to the chase and tell you what I just learned from my dentist two days ago.
First of all I want to let you in on my current (now past) dental hygiene practice. I brush twice a day and floss everyday. I also use a water pic about once a week. I gargle with peroxide every week or two, and I oil pull every few days. Good, right? I also do not eat a lot of sugar, hardly any. My diet is about as good as I know to get it. I also often rinse after a meal.
But, all that said and done, it was not enough. I was scolded by my dentist, who happens to be one of the best in the world by my standards. He was referred to me years ago when I met the filmmakers of a film on biological dentistry and the effects of mercury. So, there ya go. I go to the best, I think I am a good girl, and still once again I go to see him and find I have 4 new cavities in some of the teeth I still have in my mouth that do not have crowns. I was devastated. How could this be?
When I was a baby my Mom fed me chocolates. She was shoving them in my mouth all day long thinking she was doing a good thing. Is this why? I have always blamed her teasingly, but who really knows. I wonder why I have never really been a chocolate lover, perhaps this is why.
I also want to warn you against some dentists. My dentist is in Mexico, so traveling there is not always easy. Because of that, I will get my teeth checked by a local dentist, depending on where I am, and then I send the labs to my dentist in Mexico. He always has a different story, and an enhanced procedure. He has saved me teeth, root canals, and much more. Study and research before you get root canals, before teeth are filled, and do what you can to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Here is the new protocol my dentist gave me this trip around. It is a 6 part process that he actually had prepared on a hand out. He never handed this before, so there must be more people like me that need to see the written word, scolded, and pressed into a new dental hygiene practice.
1. Irrigate: Waterpick (medium size, not family or portable-except when traveling). Why: This is done to remove large food particles and plaque before you begin the cleaning process. It is also vital for gum health. (take the small travel size when you travel)
2. Brush: Sonicare toothbrush by Phillips. Why: Best for removing plague from inner and outer surfaces of teeth.
3. Brush again (gently!): Compact head medium bristle toothbrush (Oral-B or Reach by Johnson and Johnson). Use minimal fluoride-free toothpaste. Why: To massage gums and improve blood flow. Brush down on upper teeth and up on lower teeth.
4. Rinse before flossing: 50/50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide. Why: To prevent bacteria from being pushed into the gumline during flossing. (I never did this)
5. Floss: Glide by Crest. Why: To eliminate plague from between teeth and to remove any remaining debris.
6. Rinse again with a 50/50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide: Why: To prevent bacterial growth at the gumline and to help with rapid healing of micro-cuts caused by flossing.
Wow, this is quite a procedure, but one I am now committed to.
Do it! Your teeth will last much longer, you will save money and the horrible experience of being in a chair with a drill in your pretty little head for several hours. Ouch!
If you are wanting any further consultation please feel free to contact me for a 30 min, no obligation, complimentary consultation. I love to help others by what I have learned.