Life is getting back to normal. But when it comes to dental health, normal may not be enough.

According to a report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even BEFORE the pandemic, a third of American adults under the age of 65 had not had a dental exam or cleaning for more than a year.

This is a worrying statistic. If Annie was right to sing: “We are never fully dressed without a smile”, many of us embark on a commando.

I’m not a fan of dental floss, but I dutifully kept my six-month check-up appointment earlier in July, and I hope I can convince a few of you to return to the dentist’s chair. .

For the sake of full disclosure, many newspapers in which this column appears derive part of their income from advertising for dental offices. It does not influence my message. So, head to the nearest dental clinic, allowing plenty of time to stop at a local restaurant, buy the dentist receptionist for an arrangement at a local florist and at the houses in the shopping area pictured. by a local real estate agent. And if some jerk bumps into your car in the dentist’s parking lot, there’s always the personal injury lawyer on page 7. * Ahem * But I digress.

Race, income, and urban / rural divisions play a role in the likelihood of neglecting regular dental care, according to the report. And I certainly think cities, charities, and dental schools should be thinking about ways to make affordable dental care more widely available. Patients need to get rid of defeatism and be more proactive in finding solutions to logistical / financial obstacles.

But even some affluent white city dwellers with five clinics within cycling distance are forgoing regular dental care, due to various infuriating attitudes.

Some cowards have adopted the “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” philosophy. Wallowing in blissful ignorance, they whistle past the cemetery. These people are not popular with cemetery wardens as they continue to spray loose molars and premolars while hissing.

Some are just too rebellious for their own good. (“Rinse AND spit? Oh, yeah, man would really like me to be another brick in the wall like that.”)

Others procrastinate because they have given dental care a low priority. (“After I become the first person to win a Fortnite tournament on Mars, then I’ll see that constant throbbing in my jaw that makes me want to blow my brains out. Unless they’re scheduling a Fortnite tournament on Jupiter.” … ”)

Go! Gingivitis and malocclusions are not everything. Poor oral health can also worsen conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes!

We need to master dental hygiene before job interviews turn into a disaster. It’s mortifying to be told, “I’m afraid you are not a good fit for our company. Let the door knock on you on your way out; it could dislodge whatever has crept into your mouth and die!

Get on the routine dental routine before you get swept up in the inevitable future voter identification laws. Voters will need to bring the glass containing their teeth so that they can be identified at the ballot box. (“I protest! It’s unfair! What? It’s a casino, not the local compound – and I used a slot machine instead of a voting machine? I guess that’s what I get to avoid the OPTOMETRIST for five years too. ”)

Danny Tyree accepts email responses to [email protected] and visits to his “Tyree’s Tyrades” Facebook fan page.