Be true to your teeth

CEBU, Philippines - February is observed as the Dental Health Month. The observance comes with an advice for kids to be "true to their teeth today, so these may not become false to them someday."

Kids are supposed to learn from the literally painful story of a girl, about 12 years old. Once upon a time, this girl was constantly scolded by her mother for her to brush her teeth every after meal, as well as to attend to fluoride sessions in school religiously.

Her mother would often get mad because sheís not obeying. "You have gone off to sleep again with chewing gum in your mouth"; "You have not brushed your teeth again even after eating those chocolates"; "You have been very hard-headed, someday your teeth will be running away from you." Her mother would often repeat these lines day and night, like a broken disc, but to no avail. The stubborn girl was too lazy to care for her teeth ó even after drinking cola, even after munching on junk foods, even after feasting on too many sweets.

So, day and night you can just imagine the bacteria that thrived in her mouth. The bacteria must have adored the girl so much for her being too lazy to brush because they found a ìhomeî in her mouth and in between her teeth, on her gums, even penetrating her teeth when some started to crack.

The girl grew up experiencing gum inflammation and the pain brought about by the buildup of tartar and plaque. She got very bad teeth and an unhealthy smile too! Still, she refused to follow the routine to visit the dentist at least twice a year. She changed toothbrush from time to time though, but the damage had already reached the pulp or the innermost portion of the tooth. Some of her teeth have begun to rot and so these were pulled out one by one --- sometimes three at a time!

Kids, would you care to know who that stubborn girl was? It's me --- your Lola Elyang. Now I wear dentures. These are false teeth to hide the absence of my two incisors in the upper front portion and another two in the lower front part of my mouth. These are also called bridgeworks which allow me to at least become confident in my smile and forget about the missing teeth (hehe!).

Dr. Rolex Omega, a dentist at Coco Mall along OsmeÒa Boulevard, is now helping me recover from the constant pain I experienced from each decaying tooth; my very sensitive gums that often give me head-splitting ouch every time I eat extra-cold products like ice cream.

Dr. Omega, a community partner in oral health and hygiene for 17 years now, helps remove the buildup of plaque and tartar through prophylaxis which is the dentist's term for oral cleanup; as well as other necessary ìrepairsî to recover that winning smile and to correct deformities.

So kids, if you don't want to wear false teeth, visit your dentist regularly. Seek advice and proper treatment most especially to bleeding gums. That is already a sign that some bacteria are on the attack to snatch away from you your pearly whites.