A Sparkling Smile

7:10a.m. to 9a.m.--In the dentist's chair. A bunch of x-rays and a cleaning. There are a couple of spots of decay that will need looking after eventually, plus a number of fault lines from old fillings and other reasons. By fault lines I mean cracks in the enamel. Over time, the stresses on teeth around fillings can cause the teeth to crack. So they need to be watched. If you've ever had a tooth break off, this is probably the reason.

My lady dentist in Minneapolis is one of the best. I had a friend who worked in the dentistry business making fillings and false teeth, and he swore by her, saying privately the majority of other dentists he did business with were "butchers".

In fact, she is on the board to check other professionals in her field. She was also listed near the top in a recent magazine article poll by patients. So she must be good.

Plus, the Bell's Palsy makes things a little more difficult, as the cheek on my left side sags. It's harder to brush well, and I'll admit I'm not good at flossing. So, they gave me an implement that looks like a Y: I have to wrap the floss around it and work it around my teeth. I have one of those Butterfly flossing gadgets, but it doesn't seem to do as good a job, and the little plastic heads are expensive.

My electric toothbrush was OKed; I just need to use it longer.

I've also been referred to Act mouthwash. The dental technician said I should begin using it to kill the bacteria that cause plaque.

I guess from now on I'll have to Act on all the good advice.