I am not going to tell you when I visited the dentist the last time. Every time I have to go to the dentist, I have panic attacks. I developed my phobia thanks to the "kind" dentists many years ago when I was six or seven years old. My Mum, who was very trusting anyone in the medical profession, left me at the mercy of the dentist who decided to do the casts of my teeth for their cabinet display for the dental students. My Mum thought they were working on my teeth and didn't question why it took them so long to fix the problem. There was no problem, in fact my teeth were in good condition. As the dentist later explained to my mother with a smile, they picked me for that ordeal because I was such a well-behaved little girl. I was quite terrified to sit with my mouth open, as they told me I couldn't close it or my "teeth will get stuck together" (that was apparently a joke). Mum was upset later and apologised to me. For me it resulted in many years of panic at the mere smell of the dental practice.
I had better dentists ever since, but still I try to avoid them as much as possible.
It didn't help either that when we lived in Woodstock, the receptionist at the local dental clinic made me feel inadequate. On seeing my foreign name, she used to spurt all kinds of patronising rubbish like "Your English is much better than my Russian". Erm, yes, I do have a degree from a British University, while your knowledge of Russian is probably limited to two words "vodka" and "sputnik".
As you can see, I am not overly fond of the dental clinics.
And for that good reason, I have to take an extra special care of my teeth.
I brush my teeth religiously several times a day, I floss, I rinse. And of course I lie through my teeth that it is fun to go to the dentist when I talk to my kids.
 |
| Little man likes brushing his teeth |
During my first pregnancy I had problems with the bleeding gums. That's why when I got pregnant with our second child, I was prepared better. I used to make my own sage rinse from the fresh sage leaves, which helped to keep the bleeding at bay. I was taking the multi-vitamins, my diet was very healthy. Thankfully, I never smoked.
The importance of looking after your teeth, especially in pregnancy, is well known. But still, according to the stats, more than 1 in 2 women will develop gum problems during pregnancy. There are helpful products developed to keep your teeth and gums healthy, and
Oral-B Pro-Expert fluoride toothpaste is one of them. It is clinically proven to help and reduce gum problems in just four weeks.
It is suitable for the sensitive teeth and helps to slow bacterial growth to protect against gum problems.
And while none of us have gum problems at the moment, I have been using the new toothpaste in the last couple of weeks. It has a pleasant minty flavour and makes my mouth feel fresh and clean.
And despite me having issues with the dentists as a generic term, I do try to instill in my children the importance of looking after their teeth. We regularly change the toothbrushes. And my little man is so enthusiastic about brushing his teeth, he even chews his toothbrush, a bit like a puppy, so his looks worn out quite quickly.
P.S. My little man wasn't using the new toothpaste as he is too young for it. But as he looks a zillion times cuter than his parents, you get to see him brushing his teeth rather than old me. ;)
Disclosure: I received Oral-B Pro-Expert to take part in BritMums linky about the dental health (see below).
This post is an entry for BritMums’ #ORALBLoveYourGums Challenge sponsored by Oral-B, promoting healthy gums – something especially important for pregnant women. Get tips and advice on www.oralb-loveyourgums.com.
Brush your teeth, brush your teeth,
Give them all a treat.
Brush up and down and all around,
To keep them clean and neat.
.jpg)
