Clean Teeth!!

Wednesday November 10, 2010

After many complements on my teeth since I have arrived, I was given the privileged of teaching dental hygiene day. Many of my peers have asked jokingly if all Americans are granted a dentist or orthodontist when they are born. I can honestly reply, “No, we just sought out a family member to marry one”.  It is mind blowing to me that dental care isn’t more important through out the world. It is also very interesting the amount of debate there is on how to take care of your teeth. (Sister-in-law, you would have a hay day!!)

My lesson included the best demonstration ever, of how to brush your teeth, displaying good teeth verse bad teeth, a song I made up with another volunteer, and the best dental games ever! When we split them up into groups. Group 1, was sorting out foods that were good for your teeth and foods that were bad for them. Group 2, played Simon Says with cut outs of Tooth Paste, Toothbrushes and Teeth. Group 3, had laminated mouths and had to match good teeth to one mouth and bad teeth to the other. Group 4, sang our song with actions. “Brush your teeth brush your teeth (chorus), up and down up and down. Chorus, round and round, round and round. Chorus, front and back front and back. Chorus, morning and night!” And, last but not least, group 5, got toothbrushes and tooth paste and had a lesson on how to brush your teeth. Hopefully they will make good use of their dental knowledge and toothbrushes, but regardless we all had a fun day!

Wednesday afternoon is regularly free so we scheduled a sunset dhow trip. This afternoon was particularly windy but since it is my last Wednesday we decided not to cancel. Some of our mates enjoyed a white-knuckle ride. I thought it added a bit more adventure to our day than just pretty scenery. It was a bit cloudy so we didn’t get the spectacular sunset that was anticipated. It all worked out for the best, we wouldn’t have been able to capture the moment with a camera anyway with the size of the waves and the amount of water sloshing into the boat. Not everyone on the boat was completely comfortable with the water and had some panicky moments when watching the skipper bail water out of the boat with a small tin can. Others shrieked at the shock of being splashed. I just reveled in the moment and giggled inside as I thought, “you did know the Sunset dhow tour was on the water… didn’t you???”