February is the month of Valentines Day. Flowers, Candy, and Cards are freely given and received in love or admiration of others. Many times a “Thank You” is followed by a kiss. Makes you feel good, doesn’t it?
I’m very much in favor of appropriate kissing. You can define “appropriate.” Some prefer a peck on the check, while others play tonsil hockey, and then there’s everything in between. The question is “Are you receiving yet another gift with your kiss?” Bacteria?
You already understand how bacteria (plaque) gets on your teeth and deposits their toxins and acids that cause cavities and gum disease. You know these bacteria travel all around the mouth, including the tongue. When we recommend tongue scrapers it’s for a reason. If you use a tongue scraper, you can see the bacteria you remove every time you use it. The person you kiss may or may not have the same bacteria as you. Depending on your kissing, you could be spreading around or receiving new bacteria to your system. That could be bad for your health.
How do you prevent it? Simple: Brush, Floss, Water Irrigate, Tongue Scraper...Good Dental Health! If your mouth is clean, and your partner’s mouth is clean, great. If not, one of you (or both) should make a dental appointment and get dentally healthy! :)
Enjoy Valentines Day with 2 simple rules:
♥ Brush/water irrigate/tongue scrape Before you kiss. If your gums bleed, there are open areas for bacteria to enter your system. Kiss with caution. If your gums are healthy with no bleeding, you are much safer. Go for it!
♥ Brush/water irrigate/tongue scrape After you eat. It is better to properly clean your teeth ONE time a day RIGHT, than 5 times a day wrong!
And don’t get them mixed up! ;-) Enjoy your Flowers, Chocolate, and Kissing!
In the Interest of Better Dental Health,
Dr. Chuck
