CHEW ON SILENCE

A recent conversation with my dentist:

“Sir Jase, your work doesn’t involve much talking, does it?”

“Well sometimes it does. But mostly when I’m alone at the office, I’m just quietly working. HECK, SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN I’M NOT ALONE, I DON’T TALK AT ALL WHEN I AM NOT ADDRESSED. HAHAHA!!! Why do you ask, Doc?”

“Frequent movement of the jaw (NOT NECESSARILY EATING A LOT) helps in the production of more saliva which then contributes to your overall oral health. Conversing regularly or chewing bubble gum replicates this. In chewing bubble gum, some minute leftovers will stick to it, hence lesser bacteria inside your mouth when you spit it out. As long as you rinse with your prescription mouthwash before and after, your teeth will be fine.”

(I thought, “SERIOUSLY? It’s my first time to hear something like that from someone of his profession. It's as if he's encouraging me to chew gum. Oh well, he must know what he’s saying. He’s a dentist, anyway. And he’s always been right for several years now.”)

“OK doc.”

--This has nothing to do with my dental appointment, but I realized that for the past four and a half years, I learned to shut my mouth and just observe more. Partly thanks to ‘failure’ and humiliation, three times over. I choose to be silent in certain company because my mere presence makes them uncomfortable, even if I’m very happy to see them. Less or no talk from me means less suffering for them. Chapped lips are a positive thing for me, after all.

But I really have to say, after months of use, I still find the mouthwash quite expensive Doc. And it still stings. L