Oh! I wish I’d looked after me teeth

BY AKANKSHA KUMARI AND SWATI

About The Poet Very popular performer and a comic verse writer Pam Ayres has a natural flow for writing amusing verses having a remarkable spontaneity about them. Having a large fan-following this contemporary poet has appeared in many popular major TV shows. An author of six books of poem she also has seven record albums to her credit. Comical themes and linguistic Variations make her poems more enjoyable.

About The PoemIntroduction“Oh, I Wish I’d Looked After Me Teeth” expresses the poet’s regret in adulthood regarding the damage caused to her teeth due to her carelessness. In her youth, she made fun of mother’s false teeth but now she helplessly awaits her turn when she would have to satisfy herself with a set of false teeth as a result of negligence.

Summary

The poet regrets having neglected her teeth during her childhood and youth. As a youngster she chewed toffees, took sweet sticky food and enjoyed gobstoppers (large, hard sweets) without showing concern for her teeth. Now she is full of remorse for having confused so much lollies and toffees.She did brush her teeth at night but the way she did it hurriedly and carelessly it was more of a ritual to brush the teeth than an effort to maintain a good oral hygiene.

Message

The poem conveys the message that time once lost cannot be regained. Hence, it is important to make hay while the sun shines. Good food habits and a sense of dental hygiene needs to be inculcated amongst the children by the adults and timely measures should be taken to preserve one’s teeth.

Prevention is better than cure

oDental hygiene is very crucial to all of us.oA good smile is only caused by a good set of teeth.oIt is necessary to keep them healthyoWe should visit to our dentist regularly for the timely treatment.

Introduction of teeth

Different Types Of Teeth There are four types of teeth

Parts of teeth

About Teeth The pointy teeth beside them are canine teeth or cupids. There are four of them, two on top and two on bottom. They help tear and grind food. Teeth with two points are called bicuspids; you have eight of themin all, four on the top and four on the bottom. You need to open your mouth a bit wider to see them. They are bigger and stronger and have ridges that make them perfect for crushing and grinding food. We have eight back teeth, called molars. They are even wider and stronger than bicuspids and have more ridges. The tongue brings the food to your molars where it is crunched and then swallowed. Wisdom teeth are the last teeth way back in the corner of the mouth. They aren’t used for anything and are often removed because they can cause problems in a person’s mouth. They are called wisdom teeth because they come later on in life when a young person is older and “ wiser”.

Long ago as people got older, teeth would rot away and be very painful. To get rid of a toothache, they had their teeth pulled out. Finally, people learned that cleaning their teeth was important, but they didn’t have toothpaste right away. while you’re swishing that minty- fresh paste around your mouth, think about what people used long ago to clean teeth:Ground- up chalk or charcoal.Lemon juice.ashes.Tobacco and honey mixed together.

It was only about 100 years ago that someone finally created a minty cream to clean teeth. Tooth brushing became popular during second world war . The U.S army gave brushes and toothpaste to all soldiers, and they learned to brush twice a day. Today there are plenty of toothbrush choices: lots of colours and flavours to choose from some are made just for kids. People with great looking teeth advertise toothpaste on commercials and in magazines. When you’re choosing a toothpaste, make sure it contains fluoride. Fluoride makes your teeth strong and protects them from cavities.

It’s not just brushing and flossing that keep your teeth healthy – you also need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Remember, the plaque on your teeth is just waiting for sugar to arrive. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of soda.

Oral Hygiene do's

•Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleaning.• Visit an orthodontist for an evaluation if you see any of the early warning signs of orthodontic problems.• Have your children evaluated by an orthodontist by age seven. Many orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected before tooth and facial growth is complete.

Oral Hygiene don‘ts•Don’t forget to clean behind your back teeth.• Don’t give mouthwash or fluoride toothpaste to young children, as they can swallow it.• Don’t clean your tongue so hard that it hurts.

Thank You!!!