Imagine yourself in a blind date with a woman who has the shiniest hair, fairest and clearest complexion, and the nicest pair of blue eyes. Her outfit is marvelous and she wears just the right amount of make-up to highlight her best features. You think she's simply amazing and the night can't get any better. Apparently, the moment she flashes her smile, you are instantly turned off. You are all the more frustrated when she started talking. The seemingly perfect date turns out to be a nightmare. Why? The woman, though undeniably gorgeous, has a poor oral hygiene. Some people underestimate the importance of oral hygiene, like proper brushing and flossing, and only realize its significance after a bad case of tooth decay materializes.



As a child, we were already taught the basics of caring for one's teeth: brush after every meal (or three times a day), floss everyday, and set appointment with the family dentist at least twice a year. But I bet only a few would admit that they religiously stick to these simple guidelines. According to a noted dental hygienist Sylvia Bresciano, who has an article published in the internet, having a great set of teeth is easy to achieve without breaking the bank. The decay of tooth enamel starts when plaque teams up with the sugar sticking in our teeth. It is extremely important to brush one's teeth after eating to prevent the reinforcement of tartar (the stubborn yellowish deposit coating our teeth). Aside from tartar build-up, poor oral hygiene causes tooth enamel to weaken which results to the dreaded toothache. If one is particularly careless when it comes to tooth care, it wouldn't take long before he realizes his teeth are slowly loosening and eventually falling. Since the enamel has already been attacked, the tooth is much more vulnerable to bacterial infection and decay.

Needless to say, one should not wait until he losses all his teeth before he does something about it. It is important to note the proper way of brushing teeth. Dentists advise that we should allot at least three minutes for brushing to make sure we thoroughly clean every quadrant of our mouth. Flossing is also vital in maintaining good oral hygiene. Through this process, hard-to-reach morsels stucked in between teeth are removed to prevent wreaking havoc to our teeth. One can also have coffee-stained teeth professionally bleached for that extra clean finish. If the budget is tight, he can opt for teeth whitening products available in groceries. It is wise to invest in oral hygiene paraphernalia that can effectively aid in achieving and maintaining healthy teeth worthy to be featured in toothpaste commercials.