Fuzzy Yellow Sweaters

Growing up, dental hygiene was not a priority in my family. I don't remember being told to brush my teeth, although I'm sure I must have gotten some instruction on the topic. Living in Chicago, there was fluoride in the drinking water and I'm sure that contributed to my parents general lack of dental worry.  Visiting the dentist was a hit or miss proposition with enough hitting to make a nasty impression on me.

When I was 10 I started spending my summers with my grandparents in Wisconsin. My grandmother is the only person that I remember cussing at me to brush my teeth. Fortunately, they had Crest toothpaste (which is my favorite) and I learned that tooth brushing could be a good thing. But then I would go back home and have to use nasty Colgate toothpaste. The brushing of the teeth would then be sporadic at best.

I remember having a conversation with one of my cousins about teeth. I don't remember much about that conversation except that she said that when she didn't brush her teeth for a long time they developed fuzzy yellow sweaters. Then she smiled and, sure enough, her teeth did have fuzzy yellow sweaters. Hahaha! But really, ICK!

When I went away to college peer pressure helped me become a more diligent brusher of teeth. I would say that I probably brushed my teeth about 90% of the time, a vast improvement from living at home. Years went by and then I found myself married. And then I found myself pregnant.

Ah pregnancy! The joy of growing a new life. And the misery of having a parasite sucking the life out of me. Morning sickness was my constant companion for 8 months. (Why is it called morning sickness when it lasts all day?) I could smell everything more acutely and most of the smells were bad. Some things grossed me by their mere presence (namely, hair). And brushing my teeth sent me into paroxysms of retching. Once again I stopped brushing my teeth on a regular basis.

And then the baby came, and with her came sleep-deprivation. And with sleep-deprivation came forgetfulness. I choose to blame the forgetfulness for why it didn't occur to me to resume brushing my teeth until my dear little one got her own teeth.

Well, by now over a year had passed and all my good dental habits were gone. And since I had three more babies, that pattern was followed three more times. Random tooth brushing was to be my lot for the next decade. Sigh.

Recently, while watching some random Super Junior show on YouTube, I heard Leeteuk talk about brushing teeth. He steps out of a mini van somewhere in South Korea and starts talking about the fact that he brought his toothbrush along. You would think he was doing a PSA for dental hygiene: "See! Look! I brought my toothbrush along. (Turns to camera and points at toothbrush.) You should brush your teeth every day! Three minutes each time! Three times a day!"  No wonder he has such beautiful teeth.

Ever since that day I feel compelled to brush my teeth. Every day! Three minutes each time! But only twice a day. No fuzzy yellow sweaters for me!