Walking Down Memory Lane- The Colgate Clock

Hello, beautiful people!

At this time of the year, with so many high school kids stepping into the 'real world', or what we call college,  one cannot help but think about all the various career choices we had in mind when we were younger. As a little kid, I once thought I'd like to be a dentist- and that had nothing to do with staring into people's mouths.

I was a typical chocoholic (I still am  ) , and cavities never really came as a surprise. So, I was used to visiting the dentist and enjoyed watching him work. I often found myself observing things like the little aquarium in the lobby where I had to wait for my turn, or the way the receptionist smiled at kids who were scared of getting their teeth ripped out. And of course there were those magic fairy tales about tooth fairies and I was always eager to get my tooth extracted only hoping to see one (no, not Dwayne "Rock" Johnson, the prettier ones in tutus ). While I never got to see one, I always found the little gift she dropped under my pillow to spend on something nice 

The thing that fascinated me most, however, was a particular clock on the wall - I have to admit that it was that which made me wish I would grow up to be a dentist. Because I was under the impression that only dentists are allowed to own such a beautiful clock. Whenever I would get terrified of the creepy instruments that were shoved into my mouth, I'd fix my gaze on the Colgate Clock, as I called it, since it had the Colgate toothpaste logo on it. This one had a strange appeal to it ; the second hand was in the shape of a toothbrush and I would follow its progress with a mesmerized expression, from what I'm told. 

I did not mind the pain that came with every visit to the dentist, because I would get the chance to eat a huge ice cream sundae whenever my tooth was removed. But one day, I sorely regretted taking this lightly. I was old enough to have developed permanent teeth- and when one of THOSE got a cavity, I was horrified at the thought of having to go without one. Nightmares began to haunt my sleep, of looking like a toothless granny whenever I would smile. And worst of all, I realized I'd no longer be allowed to eat as many chocolates as I would like to! I felt like I'd been taken to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and thrown out as a result of bad behaviour (Oh the horror!!). 

Thankfully, my friendly neighbourhood dentist told me I can get away with a 'filling'.  What he meant to fill, I hadn't known- but as long as I could retain my poor little tooth, I was willing to go along with any other plan.  Afterwards, I was advised to brush my teeth twice a day, even if it kills me. Initially, I was so relieved to have my tooth 'rescued', I would slather a generous amount of Colgate toothpaste onto my  toothbrush and brush my teeth fanatically each time I had something to eat. I gradually lost the over enthusiasm but I still make sure I brush at least twice a day. The terrifying process of having the dentist drilling into my teeth  and stuffing it with the silver-ish filler is something I sure don't want to go through again!!

Now I only happen to go to the dentist for a regular check up, but mercifully it isn't because of awful tooth problems. 

I remember Colgate starting a wonderful initiative towards creating a better awareness in people, especially kids regarding oral healthcare. Regular wooden ice-cream sticks were replaced by a wooden brush shaped stick which was revealed after the bar of ice cream was consumed, a very clever way to remind people to rinse and brush their teeth after consuming anything sweet.

Did You Know?

• Two out of every three Indians suffer from gum problems, and are unaware of it. 
• The statistics of people with a tooth/gum related problem is way higher than any other disease. 
• Teeth and gums being integral parts of our body without which we can't enjoy all those yummy saliva-inducing delicacies, it becomes a necessity that we take proper care of them.
• Apart from those flashing white teeth, we also need to pay attention to our gums which hold them. Loose and receding gums can lead to tooth loss.
• Bleeding and swollen gums can be a sign of deeper underlying problems like gingivitis or periodontitis  that need to be addressed immediately.
• Bleeding gums can cause bad breath due to increased bacterial activity in your mouth.
• We must not ignore signs that our body gives us- what would happen to our winning smiles, and by extension our pretty pictures, if we lost our teeth? Go get yourself a dental check up this week, and do take care of you dental health.

This is my entry for the IndiBlogger contest The Moral of the Story Is...... in association with Colgate Total ProGum Health. For cool tips regarding dental care, visit My Health Speak :)

Hope y'all have a great time today!

The first three images are not mine. Thank you, Google!!