Dental News - Awesome thing No. 129: 'Clean teeth at all costs'

Robert Selleck, DTA

Tue. 14 February 2012

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NEW YORK, N.Y., USA: A daily blog attracting 40,000 visitors a week, “1000 Awesome Things,” has been steadily counting down since June 20, 2008, to the posting of its final awesome thing on April 20. Along the way, more than a few of the awesome things have had a dental connection. The most recent was No. 129: “Clean teeth at all costs.”

Since launching the blog, Canadian writer Neil Pasricha has unfailingly posted a new, often-under-appreciated simple joy in life every weekday. His insightful, funny and sometimes wandering descriptions, as much as the awesome things themselves, have attracted a global following.

No. 129 is no exception in its style. The posting opens with Pasricha’s observations about his parent’s bedtime preparation habits, then segues into his own late-night web-surfing habits and his “zombie walk” into the bathroom to brush his teeth. The narrative takes a sharp turn in the bathroom when Pasricha notices a spider and contemplates the possibility that it’s been crawling around on his toothbrush.

Pasricha writes: “I stared quickly into the mirror with steely, bloodshot eyes and asked myself what sort of man I was. Was I a frantically freaking-out over spider germs sort of guy? No, I decided right then and there, that I was not. I was a clean teeth at all costs kind of guy. I was too far in to go back and I needed to hit the pillow with a fresh mouth. As the spider quickly scampered into the floor vent, my brain flashed back to late college days stumbling home from the bar at three in the morning. No matter what, no matter when, my roommate Dee would always break out his bulk-size dental floss and give his teeth a good plucking before bed. ‘I can’t go to sleep with furry teeth and stinkbreath,’ I remember him saying back then. ‘Clean teeth at all costs, no matter what.’ … There’s just something about going to bed with clean teeth that feels right. It’s the end of a long day and the start of a good night. It’s part of the crisp crinkly sheets, fresh pillow dream scene. And it helps complete your Pajama Metamorphosis. Forget about the tired legs, drained kegs, and spider eggs. Just remember to obey clean teeth at all costs and sleep tight. AWESOME!”

Other dental-related awesome things on the list: 961: Yellow teeth; 952: When someone tells you that you have something in your teeth; 930: Finally getting a piece of popcorn that’s been stuck in your teeth all day out; 900: Multitasking while brushing your teeth; 818: When the dentist says you have no cavities; 744: That smooth feeling on your teeth after you get your braces off; and 618: The feeling of brushing your teeth with a new toothbrush.

The blog, at 1000awesomethings.com, has spawned three bestselling books, "The Book of Awesome," "The Book of (Even More) Awesome" and "The Book of (Holiday) Awesome." Is "The Book of (Dental) Awesome" far behind?

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