一直以來都很想問牙醫：到底牙齒可否用上一生一世？有沒有人終其一生都不需要鑲假牙？祇是早晚刷牙是否足以保護牙齒一生都不會蛀掉？
抱著這些疑問過生活的這些年來，我祇是靠牙線剔除幾顆大牙縫隙之間的食物殘渣、早晚刷牙來維持牙齒衛生。說穿了，我對保持牙齒衛生祇是一知半解，心底比較多的想法可能是期盼自己運氣夠好，希望這些工夫加減做了一些就可以換來一生不需要換假牙。
但是現實總是非常殘酷：這個世界從來沒有白吃的午餐，也沒有什麼東西從天而降而不需要付出代價。哪怕使用牙線從表面上看起來似乎是多麼微不足道，實際上還真的有些學問，看過Dr. Grace這支影片就知道了。
擇日不如撞日，反正牙線都有了，昨晚就直接開始認真學習使用牙線的正確方法了。
願意多努力一些當然是有原因的。一來是希望盡可能不要換牙，二來是因為幼時一直對看牙醫很抗拒，總是覺得坐在牙科診室的手術椅上讓牙醫治療是一件蠻恐怖的事。好在隨著年歲增長，以前的陰影早已散去，數年前給一位說粵語的美女醫師拔智慧牙竟然是無痛又少血的經驗，這才知道除掉一個長年問題是可以這麼痛快。
當然，每天用牙線的工夫說不上有多麼痛快，但是漱口的時候感受到每顆牙齒之間的縫隙都有清理到的感覺，那也可以是睡前刷牙的放鬆感。
做人要有儀式感，這個亦算是其中一個吧。
Throughout the years I have always wanted to ask a dentist these questions:
1. Can we actually use our teeth throughout our whole life?
2. Do some individuals care for their teeth so much that they don’t need an artificial tooth at all?
3. Does burshing teeth every morning and night keep bad tooth at bay?
With these questions in my mind throughout these years, I brush my teeth every morning and night and count on floss to clear food residue between some molars. Needless to say, I don’t know much about teeth care. Deep in heart I was actually hoping that I was fortunate enough to avoid getting artificial tooth my entire life by only taking some simple steps.
Reality, however, is always cruel: the world offers no free lunch, and nothing would ever fall from the sky and we have a price to pay for everything. Using a floss might seem trivial from the surface, but the usage of floss requires some knowledge. Thanks to Dr. Grace’s video clip, I get to learn the correct way to use a floss.
Do it today instead of choosing another date, as the Cantonese saying goes. I started learning how to use floss the correct way since last night, since I always have floss with me at home.
There surely is a reason behind my effort. Firstly, it is my wish to never get artificial tooth. Secondly, the reluctance to visit a dentist was my childhood phobia, for I used to think that it was terrifying to sit on a dentist chair for a treatment.
Thankfully though, the shadow fades away when I am older. This is even more of the case when back in 2016 or 2017, a Cantonese-speaking pretty dentist removed my wisdom tooth and I experienced no pain and the bleeding was light. I then learned that it could be painless and joyful to solve a years-long problem.
The effort to use floss the correct way on a daily basis is not a very joyful process. But when I rinse my mouth I could feel I have pretty much cleaned up the gap between my teeth. This could be a sort of relaxation before I brush my teeth and go to bed.
Life requires some rituals, and I guess this is one of those.