Let’s Clean Up Those Pearly Whites
This morning, after days of battling a sinus infection, I was searching for a little extra pep in my step.
I needed a little self-love.
After years of struggling with illness, I’ve learned a few simple things that help me feel better — and allow me to smile a little brighter.
At the beginning of my Myositis journey, my oral health suffered. My gums took a beating, and it required a lot of dental work to get me where I am today.
Not perfect.
But better.
When you’re sick, feeling poorly, or living without dental insurance, it’s hard to take pride in your own body.
Sometimes you let yourself go.
And we know that’s not good.
When you feel bad, that’s when it matters most.
Getting up every day, showering, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, shaving — it matters.
It can make you feel so much better.
I can go from miserable and hopeless to positive as hell after just a few minutes of self-care.
I cut my hair and shave even when I’m not going anywhere.
It’s amazing.
I’m amazing.
So, back to these pearly whites.
I don’t have dental insurance. I haven’t been to the dentist in almost three years. I simply can’t afford it right now.
And that’s okay.
Because this is something I’ve done, on and off, for many years.
It’s nothing fancy.
Just five minutes of brushing with a 50/50 mix of baking soda and salt, followed by a gentle rinse of diluted hydrogen peroxide and water.
Simple.
I also floss daily with picks and sticks, and I like wide brushes that scrub between the teeth. It helps more than you might imagine.
I’ve always done this between regular cleanings.
Don’t wait.
Get up.
Clean up.
Because it matters.
And so do you.
