{"id":636,"date":"2022-09-04T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-04T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/?p=636"},"modified":"2022-09-13T21:04:02","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T21:04:02","slug":"talk-like-a-pirate-do-not-treat-your-teeth-like-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/talk-like-a-pirate-do-not-treat-your-teeth-like-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Talk Like a Pirate; Don\u2019t Treat Your Teeth Like One!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Cartoon image of a tooth dressed like a pirate.\" class=\"wp-image-637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/pirate-tooth.jpg 1125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">September 19<sup>th<\/sup> is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and in honor of this unique day, we want to take a closer look at why pirates historically have such bad teeth! Here\u2019s a little insight into why your favorite swashbucklers were notorious for having such disastrous smiles, along with some tips from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/about-us.html\">your dentist<\/a> for keeping your own pearly whites healthy and bright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Did Pirates Have Such Bad Teeth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pirate life wasn\u2019t always smooth sailing; throughout their adventures on the high seas, pirates often suffered from poor oral health due to a few reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Scurvy<\/strong> \u2013 Scurvy is a disease caused by lack of vitamin C, which is usually found in fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the many unpleasant symptoms of scurvy is bleeding and swollen gums. As you might imagine, pirates didn\u2019t have regular access to vitamin C while sailing, meaning that they were susceptible to scurvy.<\/li><li><strong>Poor oral hygiene<\/strong> \u2013 The toothbrush as we know it wasn\u2019t quite so common when pirates frequented the seas; they relied on rags or twigs with frayed ends to clean their teeth. Not to mention, they probably didn\u2019t clean their teeth twice a day!<\/li><li><strong>Alcohol &amp; tobacco use<\/strong> \u2013 Pirates commonly drank alcohol like rum, smoked tobacco, and lived a rather unhealthy lifestyle that can take a toll on one\u2019s oral health. Rum is high in sugar which can easily cause cavities, and tobacco has long been associated with several problems including gum disease, tooth discoloration, oral cancer and more.<\/li><li><strong>Lack of available treatment<\/strong> \u2013 Pirate ships didn\u2019t exactly have a doctor or dentist on board; if a pirate had a bad cavity or tooth problem, the best option was often to ask a fellow pirate to pull out the tooth. Luckily, times have since changed!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for Keeping Your Smile Healthy &amp; Bright<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This International Talk Like a Pirate Day, it\u2019s okay to talk, sing, and laugh like a pirate\u2014but don\u2019t treat your teeth like one! Here are some tips for keeping your smile afloat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li>Practice good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Don\u2019t skip flossing, either; it\u2019s just as important as brushing!<\/li><li>Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water; it encourages the natural flow of saliva inside of your mouth, which is crucial in the fight against cavity-causing bacteria.<\/li><li>Eat a well-balanced diet and opt for vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid excessively sugary or starchy items when possible.<\/li><li>Visit your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings; this will allow your dentist to inspect your mouth and ensure that there aren\u2019t any underlying problems.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s fine to pretend to be a pirate; just don\u2019t adapt their oral hygiene habits! With a little knowledge and preventive care, you\u2019ll ensure that your smile remains a treasure you can cherish forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team at Dental Expressions is proud to serve patients and families in Oklahoma City under the leadership of Dr. Colin Holman and Dr. Jon Holman. They work tirelessly to provide an exceptional level of dental care so that you can feel confident about your smile. Their practice is pleased to offer many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/our-services.html\">available services<\/a> including preventive, cosmetic, and restorative options. If you\u2019d like to schedule a visit, feel free to contact the practice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/contact.html\">online<\/a> or over the phone: (405) 735-6600.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and in honor of this unique day, we want to take a closer look at why pirates historically have such bad teeth! Here\u2019s a little insight into why your favorite swashbucklers were notorious for having such disastrous smiles, along with some tips from your dentist for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=636"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":638,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636\/revisions\/638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okdentalexpressions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}