I am so not a competitive person. I'm really not. I won't argue unless I'm 99.9 percent I'm right. I know I'm never going to win a road race and I'm ok with that. I don't need to be first, although some people who walk with me may argue with that.
The one place I do strive for excellence at the dentist. All I ever want is for them to say "no plaque. You win!" And it never happens.
I floss. I brush. I go to the dentist and the dental hygienist teaches me how to do it again. Every time. And I go in with high hopes that they will be so impressed with my glistening, plaque-less teeth, and every time I go in and lay down and I get the scrape, scrape, scrape, euw, disgusting. Why oh why can't I figure out how to be the best flosser?
So, yesterday after almost falling asleep while she was brushing my teeth because she had me rinse and I laid back down on the chair and shut my eyes and got so comfortable and forgot to open my mouth, because I was so relaxed, which is sad, but I think it has to do with being a mom and I kind of zoned out until she said "are you ready?" which could have been 5 minutes, could have been an hour. And after my FMX (that's dental talk for full mouth x-ray), I'm getting my bi-annual mouth cleaning lesson from the dental hygienist, who incidentally, I love because she remembers where I work and who my husband is and my kid's names and I only see her every six months. That's hard core, right there.
She gave me a new toothbrush that she thinks is going to be good for me. Colgate. The Wave. It's skinnier than most toothbrushes.
And she had me show her my technique. I think once I read that you are supposed to brush in circles so that's been my thing for years. She put the kibosh on that and taught me a new brushing technique. No circles, straight back and forth lines, and higher up on the tooth.
Then she asks me if I need any floss. "No, I'm good. I only like Glide." She literally gasps and tells me not to use that anymore. "There's a reason it's called Glide, it glides right over the plaque."
She also told me I need to wear the nightguard they made especially for me a few years ago. Which would mean I need to find the nightguard first. No real incentive there. I think it's going to hurt.
Anyway, I can't wait until my next appointment, because I'm pretty sure between the new brushing technique and the new floss she gave me, the next time is going to be THE time.