* a bit of an update on this week

...
Prior to Monday's little ray of sunshine news, I was at the dentist.

Was dreading it a wee bit as it turns out I hadn't been since June last year [I would have put money on me being there in November...] plus there had been a bit of too-ing and fro-ing trying to get the appointment and I'm grinding my teeth and biting my cheeks in my sleep just now...

So anyway, as usual I turn up about 5 minutes before the appointment time, and as usual the dentist is running late, so I'm sitting about watching some middle class property nonsense on BBC daytime...
["Tarquil and Jacinta bought this place for £100,000 and after spending £25,000 doing it up to their taste they're going to rent it out thus depriving first time buyers of the chance to buy it and imposing their awful bourgeois taste on someone forced to pay over the odds for the privilege just so they'll have a place to live..."]

Eventually I get called in and it's all looking a bit bare. They're renovating and innovating too - instead of where there were store cupboards, there's now a bare wall with a TV screen... so that they can show you your teeth during procedures! [or you can be watching something else to take your mind off it]

Check-up goes fine, root canal treatment has been a real success, no problems with my teeth or gums except for a little tartar and staining.

But to me, this IS a change - I never have problems with those!

So I book in to see the hygienist the next morning [oh, not knowing what fateful letter awaited me back home!]

Walking down the next day for the hygienist appointment the next day, it occurs to me that its OK that there's tartar and staining: over the past year, my coffee intake has increased from maybe 2 cups a week to 2-4 cups a day...!

That's a whooooooole lot more delicious mocha coloured and flavoured liquid slooshing around the old pearly whites...!

Add to that the fact that I'm trying one of those new sonic 'on board computer' toothbrushes and not being convinced by it, and I'm not surprised my teeth aren't like they normally are...

However...

The hygienist tells me that there is actually very little work needing done Very little tartar, minimal staining - and thanks me as it means she can have a wee break!

Apparently, my teeth are very difficult to brush but I'm doing a good job, such a good job in fact that I don't have to worry about my coffee intake as a little tartar and staining is normal and I'm covered for scales and polishes on my dental plan anyway.

And the reason I'm not convinced about the sonicky computery toothbrush doohickey?

The hygienist tells me that all the evidence suggests that these toothbrushes are really good - but I've been doing such a good job with my normal brush and floss that I'm not seeing or feeling as much of a difference as other people might...

So in summary, I'm really really good at dental hygiene i.e. brushing and flossing my teeth and keeping my mouthal area super-duper clean and healthy.

It was nice to get such an unexpected compliment.

And if we can work out how I can get a rewarding and well-paid career out of brushing my own teeth, man I have got it maaaaade!

Open wide!
:-@