Teeth　 　(2016.12.31)　

When I was young, my father told me, "Take good care of your teeth so you won't end up like me."

My father used dentures (false teeth), specifically a partial denture. He passed away young, 20 years ago, at the age of 54. However, I heard he had started using dentures even earlier, in his forties. I vividly remember that he loved sweet foods, which was likely the main reason for his dental issues.

Our family members knew of my father's dentures, but he tried to keep it a secret from others. One day, while he was eating at a café, one of his friends exclaimed, "Oh! Mr. Kuribayashi, your teeth seem to have moved! Are you okay?" My father must have been very embarrassed, but he somehow managed to cover it up.

As my father advised, I take great care of my teeth. I want to enjoy delicious food with my natural teeth for as long as possible. Recent studies have shown that periodontal disease is linked to more severe conditions such as diabetes, dementia, hardening of the arteries, and heart disease. Therefore, we should maintain good oral hygiene to protect our overall health.

As a rule, I visit the dentist twice a year to have my dental plaque removed and my teeth thoroughly cleaned. My appointments are always in June and December—easy to remember, right? I went to the dentist just a few days ago because I want to start the new year with clean teeth.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is not so difficult. Be sure to brush your teeth carefully after each meal. Even if you can't brush immediately, rinsing your mouth with water is helpful. I’ve noticed that most of my coworkers don’t brush their teeth after lunch. I often wonder, why don’t they?

I currently use a "soft" toothbrush as recommended by my dentist. The toothpaste I use is called "ConCool." This brand was a gift from a female friend who is a dental hygienist. She gave it to me in 2010, and I’ve been using the same brand ever since to keep my teeth healthy.

By the way, have you heard of the "8020 movement"? This initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare and the Japanese Dental Association, encourages people to maintain at least 20 teeth by the age of 80. I currently have 32 teeth, including my wisdom teeth (oyashirazu). Of course, I aim for 8020, but I’m also striving for 8028 instead of 8020.

If I manage to achieve 8028, I’d love to share it on this website. When that happens, please praise me a lot, okay? By my calculations, it will be the year 2053 when I turn 80. I hope this website will still be around by then. More importantly, I hope the world will be peaceful enough to talk about something as simple as the number of teeth we have when I’m 80.