Well, let me tell you, I’ve seen a thing or two about teeth in my time. My old man, bless his soul, didn’t have many teeth left by the time he was 50. Said it was from all that chewing tobacco. So, when folks ask how many cavities is too much, I just gotta shake my head. It ain’t rocket science, is it? Too many cavities means you ain’t taking care of your teeth like you should!
Now, I ain’t no fancy dentist, but I know this much: If you got more holes in your teeth than a screen door, you got a problem. The other day, young Billy, he’s just a boy still wet behind the ears, was complaining about a toothache. His mama, she brought him over, and I took one look in his mouth. Lordy, that boy had more cavities than I’ve seen in a whole mouthful of corn. I told his ma, “You gotta get that boy to stop eating so much candy!”
They say kids get some cavities. A few cavities here and there. But if they start looking like a colony of ants is moving in, you got a problem on your hand. Not even a child should have too much cavities. I remember when my little girl, when she was small, I found a black spot in her mouth. I don’t think much of it at first. Then she started crying every time she eats ice cream. Lord, did I try to stop giving her sweets and make her brush her teeth.
You see, it ain’t just about how many cavities you got, but what you’re doing about them. Some cavities are easy to get, like when you get old, your teeth are not what it used to be. But you should still take care of them! Are you brushing? Are you flossing? Are you eating right? Cavities ain’t just gonna magically disappear, you know. You gotta fight them like you fight the weeds in your garden. Pull ’em out before they take over.
- Brush your teeth, twice a day, I always say. And make it a good brushing, not just a quick once-over.
- And that floss stuff? It ain’t just for show. Get in there and clean between those teeth.
- And for goodness sake, lay off the sweets! Too much sugar is like an invitation for cavities. It is no joke, I tell ya.
They got this fancy new toothpaste these days, with all sorts of stuff in it. Said to fight cavities better than ever. When I was a girl, we just used baking soda and a piece of cloth. But hey, if the new stuff works, use it. Just don’t go thinking it’s a miracle cure. You still gotta put in the work.
Some folks, they’re just unlucky. They get cavities no matter what they do. Like old Mrs. Gable down the street. She brushes, she flosses, she eats nothing but carrots and celery, and she still gets cavities. Poor thing. But for most of us, cavities are a sign we need to do better. It is like the signal you see on the road. You see a bump sign, you know you need to slow down. You got lots of cavities, you need to take care of your teeth better!
Now, I hear some folks say they got three, four, five cavities, and they think it’s normal. Normal? Well, maybe if you’re a gopher! For us humans, that ain’t normal. That’s a warning sign. I think more than 3 cavities is too many. Like I said, if you are old like me, you get some cavities easily, but still, you don’t want too many of them. It ain’t good for you. It ain’t pretty. And it sure ain’t comfortable. A toothache is the worst. Like having a tiny little devil in your mouth with a hammer. You don’t want it.
So, how many cavities is too much? I say, if you can count them on more than one hand, you’re in trouble. And even if you only got one or two, you better start taking better care of those pearly whites. Unless you want to end up like my old man, chewing your food with your gums. And trust me, that ain’t a pretty sight.
Some dentists, they’ll tell you that you can have some fillings and be just fine. I heard one say that up to three fillings per tooth is okay. Well, maybe. But who wants to have that many holes drilled in their head? Not me! I’d rather keep my teeth strong and healthy, thank you very much. I do not like the idea of people putting things in my teeth. It just feels wrong.
I heard some people don’t get many cavities in their whole life. Maybe only 3 in the whole life. I think that is normal, and it can happen if you care about your teeth. If you don’t want to lose your teeth, you better think about what you are doing.
So, don’t wait until your teeth are falling out. Take care of them now. Brush, floss, eat right, and see your dentist regular. And if you do get a cavity, get it filled! Don’t let it fester and get worse. A little stitch in time saves nine, as they say. And that goes for teeth, too.
So the next time you are thinking about dental cavities, just remember, there is no good thing about having too much of it. You don’t want it. You gotta keep your teeth clean and healthy. That’s all there is to it.
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