High Maintenance

The title isn't referring to the plumbing fixtures in my photo -- I'm talking about my teeth and gums!

When I was growing up in the post-war UK, preventive dental care consisted of tooth brushing only -- there were no regular checks. A visit to the dentist was only prompted by toothache. In spite of this, I've managed to retain most of my teeth, although I have multiple fillings and a few crowns. I am retroactively grateful for sugar rationing, which lasted many years after WWII, for this.

The dentist I've had since coming to Bellingham 13 years ago has always promised me that if I continued to floss regularly, my teeth would last for my lifetime, even after I told him my Dad almost made it to his 92nd birthday, and I fully intend to match that.

Now we're getting into some of the small print. Research has shown that healthy gums are a major factor in overall health. Flossing apparently doesn't get deep enough into the tooth sockets. After repeated recommendations from my dentist and hygienist, I bought a ShowerFloss. It's the white thing attached to the shower head. I tried it tonight, and liked it.

Cynthia grumbles enough about flossing and using an electric toothbrush -- she won't be thrilled to add this to her regimen. As my dentist says, "only floss the ones you want to keep".