Learning English needs commitment because there is a lot to pick up (study), including 170,000 words. Don't worry, there are an additional 47,000 obsolete words. So, today’s short blog discusses basic dental hygiene. It might not seem important, but there are new words and English comprehension can be improved by studying. Practice makes perfect!
Some choices are easy because there is an expected (predictable) reaction. A simple example would be cleaning your teeth for hygiene. I’ve stuck to the principle of brushing my teeth twice a day: when I get up, and when I go to bed. It is done to maintain buccal (oral) cleanliness. Even though it’s a good choice it doesn’t stop you from getting cavities from bacteria, snacking, sipping sugary drinks, or cracked tooth, or needing root canal treatment.
Like everything you have got to decide how you should treat your teeth. Over the years of teaching English, I have seen many lunchtime students with their brushes and toothpaste, so good for those who make the effort to clean them. Sticking to morning and evening before going to bed works for me, as it is the minimum for everyone.
Listerine mouthwash has been used by me for years until learning buccal bacteria are important and worth keeping. Listerine even says in its website that some of these oral bacteria can cause cavities, gingivitis and bad breath. But they're not all bad. Much of the bacteria in your mouth are actually good for you and are on your side, defending your teeth and gums, freshening your breath, and aiding in the digestive process.
It goes on to say, scientists have identified more than 700 different species of oral bacteria that live in the mouth and make up your oral microbiome. Believe it or not, your unique combination of microbes might even be as identifying as a fingerprint. When it comes to oral health, promoting the growth of good bacteria may be even more important than eliminating bad bacteria.
They go on to say, Listerine kills 99.9% of bad bacteria. They also say it’s a balancing act of how to get healthy microbiome. The thing is if mouthwash kills bad bacteria, then it is likely it kills good bacteria too. Of course, there is the bad breath element, however, reducing alcohol consumption and sugary foods might help this to some degree.
Eating healthy foods in your diet, getting to the gym to workout, sleeping right, and taking care of yourself from a host of beneficial activities is probably your best bet to keep your dental hygiene under control, or at least slow down the aging process.
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Pick up (phrasal verb) = has a few different meanings such as to pick up information as you study. Pick up good habits. Then you can pick up people by giving them a lift i.e., to collecting them from somewhere, giving them a ride from the shopping center to there home. “John picked up his son from school.”
Cavity (ies) (n) = Once bacteria and decay get through enamel, enough damage has already been done. A cavity is not going to stop once it’s started. It will require a filling or some other form of treatment.
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