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My Point Of View On...
Oral Hygiene
My Point Of View No. 1: For those, like me, who don't necessarily remember whether—or not—we have already dry brushed (to remove food particles), flossed, brushed with toothpaste, and orally rinsed with a fluoride mouthwash each day, you can note what oral hygiene that you have completed, if any, in order to keep track of your oral hygiene: for example, on a paper wall calendar, or a digital calendar...
My Point Of View No. 2: ...Now, I formerly utilized a modified-educational grading system (that is, "A, B, C, D, E, F," etc.) in order to represent the many levels of oral hygiene that I had completed each day, which I would write down on a paper wall calendar, or on 100% recycled note paper, but that turned out to be too complicated...
My Point Of View No. 3: ...Then, later on, I switched to utilizing Post-it Notes on a paper wall calendar that I 're-stuck' onto each day that I completed all of the oral hygiene steps; but, then, I got a new smartphone, because I got a second line through my cell phone company...
My Point Of View No. 4: ...And so, I now track when I complete oral hygiene on my smartphone digital calendar which, for me, is at least every other day, depending upon how I am feeling! Sometimes I will complete oral hygiene several days in a row, but other times I 'skip' several days, depending upon how much energy I have. Thus, I also track when I have not complete oral hygiene. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) Besides that, I track the total number of days each month that I have completed oral hygiene—and I also track the total number of days each month that I 'skipped' oral hygiene. So, that is how I track what oral hygiene I have performed each day, if any.
-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Math Magician)
"I can explain everything!"
My Mathematical Notes:
The reason that I wrote this prose can be summed up with the following statement: I have struggled my entire life with performing oral hygiene on a consistent basis, which is why I think that I have a difficult time remembering what, if any, oral hygiene I have performed each day; and so, that is why I came up with this system of tracking what, if any, oral hygiene that I perform on a regular basis, so that I can "keep myself in check" with regard to performing good oral hygiene.
By the way, I want to clarify that I use a battery operated electric toothbrush to both dry brush (without toothpaste) and regular brush (with toothpaste), which I feel cleans my teeth better than using a manual toothbrush!
Now, I realize that these disposable electric toothbrushes have environmental concerns, because, according to Friends of the Earth, "Disposable electric toothbrushes are one example of a terrible product...it's virtually impossible to separate out the tech [technology] from the batteries and plastic casing which means valuable and often toxic materials are dumped in landfill or burnt in incinerators."*
However, I feel that my teeth don't get as clean with a manual toothbrush! And I cannot really afford to purchase a rechargeable toothbrush (which I assume are more environmentally responsible—since they aren't disposable—but I haven't researched that yet), because they "run $80.00 to $150.00, plus!"**
In addition to that, I want to clarify that I use a vegan and environmentally-friendly dental floss, but I still use conventional toothpaste, since I have sensitive teeth! And I try to use natural formula mouthwashes—whenever that is possible—otherwise, I use conventional formula mouthwashes.
And this prose was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this prose applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."
This prose was written in Portland, Oregon.
-Paulee
https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com
*"Electric toothbrush" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable monthly donation):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_toothbrush
**"Mouth Health: Are Sonic Toothbrushes Really Better?" from The Huffington Post:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/678698
November 5th, 2018 Update: I was updating my analog calendar (in order to track what oral hygiene that I complete each day) and I realized that I needed to update how I keep track on this post, since I had added a new "grade" for tracking, as well as some new "notations." Also, I changed the way that I floss. When I floss, I am certain to floss in both directions (on each set of teeth, both upper and lower). And I am certain that I floss all the way to the top, and bottom, between both sides of each tooth (until the floss stops). Also, I try to "dry brush" (which is, brushing without any toothpaste) before I floss, in order to remove any large particles of food from my teeth before flossing. And I "dry brush" before flossing so that I can concentrate on removing plaque between my teeth, all the way to the top, and bottom, of each tooth; therefore, I am not concentrating on removing just the food particles. And that is why I floss in opposite directions and also why I dry brush before flossing, which I follow-up with brushing with toothpaste and orally rinsing with a fluoride rinse. –Paul Whiting (written November 5th, 2018 and revised July 12th, 2022)
June 28th, 2019 Update: I have modified my oral hygiene legend—yet again! And I decided to add more "grade levels" to the "oral hygiene legend" in order to account for more possible types of oral hygiene that I may complete each day. Plus, I added an "initial system," which indicates exactly what type of oral hygiene that I completed, the combination of which creates the "grading system." –Paul Whiting (written June 28th, 2019 and revised July 12th, 2022)
August 5th, 2021 Update: I have modified my oral hygiene legend—yet again, again! And I decided to simply use Post-it Notes on a paper wall calendar that I "re-stick" onto each day that I perform oral hygiene which, for me, is about every other day, because that is all of the energy that I have. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) So, that is how I "simply" track what oral hygiene I have performed each day, if any. Also, I have changed the order in which I perform oral hygiene: I dry brush first to remove food particles, then I orally rinse next, so that I kill germs before I floss and brush with toothpaste, in order to remove the germs — I assume! — along with the plaque, then I floss to remove plaque and, finally, I brush with fluoride toothpaste. –Paul Whiting (written August 15, 2021, revised October 23rd, 2021, revised February 6th, 2022, revised February 8th, 2022, revised July 12th, 2022, revised April 17th, 2023 and revised April 30th, 2023)
August 18th, 2021 Update: I am realizing that performing oral hygiene every other day is NOT necessarily enough since, when I get stressed out, I have a tendency to "skip" oral hygiene. Thus, I am working on performing oral hygiene every day! However, I am trying to do it intuitively, so that I can train myself to feel like completing oral hygiene, rather than trying to make myself perform it. And I am still using Post-it Notes on a paper wall calendar to track when I have completed oral hygiene. –Paul Whiting (written August 18th, 2021 revised February 6th, 2022, revised February 8th, 2022, revised July 12, 2022 and revised April 30th, 2023)
September 16th, 2021 Update: I recently made a YouTube video titled, "A Philosopher Talks About His Oral Hygiene Techniques And The Products That He Uses" (please see the hyperlink below for the video).
Here is the description from the video:
A Philosopher Talks About His Oral Hygiene Techniques And The Products That He Uses
Paul Whiting: "Poet, Artist and Philosopher"
Published: July 27, 2021
This is a video of me, as a "philosopher," talking about the way that I perform oral hygiene and the products that I use!
You see, I am HIV-positive — with full blown AIDS — and so I don't have a lot of energy on any given day. And it took me a long time (years, in fact) to figure out how to take care of my teeth so that my gums don't bleed when I perform oral hygiene.
And it also took me a long time (years, in fact) to figure out how to track when I performed oral hygiene, so that I could remember when I did it. Thus, I utilize a paper wall calendar with Post-it Notes that I repost on the days that I perform oral hygiene, which is about every other day.
So basically, these are the points that I made:
1. I start out by dry brushing with a sonic, vibrating toothbrush in order to remove food particles first. And I use an "Oral-B Pulsar Expert Clean: Battery Toothbrush," which I have bought before at drug stores.
2. I orally rinse next, so that I kill germs before I floss and brush with toothpaste, in order to remove the germs — I assume! — along with the plaque. And I use "Listerine Naturals Antiseptic: 99% Natural Formula," which I have bought before at drug stores; although, I have noticed that after COVID-19, the drug store that I used to buy it at before no longer had it on the shelf, so I don't know if it's still available.
3. I floss next, moving from one side to the other and then back to the other side again, such as from left to right and then back from right to left. And I feel like flossing this way gets my teeth a lot cleaner, since I am flossing both upper and lower sets of teeth in both directions. Plus, I sort of 'scrape' up and down on each side of the tooth, making sure that I go all the way to the top, or bottom, of each side of the tooth, until the floss stops. And I use "EcoDent Gentle Floss: Vegan Waxed," which I have bought before natural food stores, such as natural food cooperatives.
4. I brush with toothpaste last (using the same vibrating toothbrush again that I dry brushed with) making sure I brush both sets of teeth thoroughly. Now, I formerly used "Rite Aid Maximum Strength Sensitive Toothpaste: Extra Whitening," which is THE GREATEST TOOTHPASTE I HAVE EVER USED; however, ***I no longer shop at Rite Aid.***
And I was inspired to make this video by a previous video that I made, which I have since deleted, where I sang the song "Smile" first and then discussed how I performed oral hygiene. (Also, I made another edition of this same type of video — where I didn't sing first, and then talked about how I perform oral hygiene — but I decided to replace that video with this new version.)
Plus, I am also inspired by having a new smart phone, because I got a second line through my cell phone company CREDO Mobile!
08/18/2021 Update: "I am realizing that performing oral hygiene every other day is NOT necessarily enough since, when I get stressed out, I have a tendency to 'skip' oral hygiene. Therefore, I am working on performing oral hygiene every day! However, I am trying to do it intuitively, so that I can train myself to feel like performing oral hygiene, rather than trying to make myself perform it! And I am still using Post-it Notes on a paper wall calendar track when I have completed oral hygiene."
02/06/2022 Update: "I now track when I complete oral hygiene on my smartphone digital calendar which, for me, is at least every other day, depending upon how I am feeling! Sometimes I will complete oral hygiene several days in a row, but other times I 'skip' several days, depending upon how much energy I have. Thus, I also track when I have not complete oral hygiene. Besides that, I track the total number of days each month that I have completed oral hygiene—and I also track the total number of days each month that I 'skipped' oral hygiene."
This video of "A Philosopher Talks About His Oral Hygiene Techniques And The Products That He Uses" was recorded on Monday, July 27th, 2021 at 12:03 AM.
Watch "A Philosopher Talks About His Oral Hygiene Techniques And The Products That He Uses" on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/NBgy4s_Xprc
–Paul Whiting (written September 16th, 2021 and revised July 12th, 2022)
February 6th, 2022 Update: I have modified my oral hygiene tracking system—yet again, again, again! You see, I got a new smartphone, because I got a second line through my cell phone company... And so, I now track when I complete oral hygiene on my smartphone digital calendar which, for me, is at least every other day, depending upon how I am feeling! Sometimes I will complete oral hygiene several days in a row, but other times I "skip" several days, depending upon how much energy I have. Thus, I also track when I have not complete oral hygiene. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) Besides that, I track the total number of days each month that I have completed oral hygiene—and I also track the total number of days each month that I "skipped" oral hygiene. So, that is how I track what oral hygiene I have performed each day, if any. –Paul Whiting (written February 6th, 2022, revised February 8th, 2022 and revised July 12th, 2022)
This "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" Post No. 008 was edited on December 6th, 2023.
"Prose is using all of the words that are necessary in order to describe all that is necessary to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]
