Could those of you who are really conscientious share the dental-care habits you practice every day?

Let’s get started right away! It all comes down to building good habits every day. Start with the basics: use a proper toothbrush and toothpaste, brush correctly, and take your time. Many dentists offer cleaning covered by insurance every three to six months under the pretext of tartar removal. With a conscientious dentist, they may even send you a reminder postcard. For ordinary buildup, it usually costs around ¥3,000–¥4,000 to have it removed. At your first tartar-removal appointment, ask about brushing instruction—they can teach you the proper technique. By continuing to have your tartar removed, the dental hygienist can point out areas where buildup tends to collect or that you’re not brushing well. Pay special attention to those spots when brushing. Use dental floss, too. And don’t forget to clean your tongue.

I used to be self-conscious about my teeth too. It’s good that you noticed it in your 20s. Find a dentist you can trust. In terms of technical skill, I’d recommend someone younger. I’d avoid dentists who are overly sales-oriented and keep pushing expensive services. Once you’ve had all the problem areas treated, just get checkups at the maintenance intervals your dentist recommends. The basics of dental care start with brushing. A basic toothbrush is fine—just brush using the technique you learned from your dentist. It’s important to focus on each individual tooth. I don’t use toothpaste because I brush for a long time and it gets too foamy. After brushing, I use an interdental brush, but only where it fits. Then I finish with floss. I don’t use mouthwash. I think the most important thing is understanding your own body. When I was self-conscious about my teeth, I couldn’t let other people see inside my mouth, and I didn’t look myself. I didn’t even know how many teeth I had. Now I know everything. I take care of each tooth individually, and I know which areas are prone to buildup. The same goes for bad breath: sometimes the cause is inside your mouth, and sometimes it’s your stomach or digestive system. Because I understand my current condition in detail, I can deal with the areas that need attention. Really understanding your own body—that’s the strongest thing, in my opinion. If your teeth are bothering you, start by properly taking care of them. After that, it would be even better to consider that there are many other parts of your body to look after as well. Once you understand your own body, you can choose the right approach. Jumping from one method to another without understanding what’s going on is like closing your eyes and firing a machine gun wildly. You might hit the target, but you’ll also make plenty of unnecessary holes, so the overall result may not be great. Taro

> That’s what I believe. You got beaten down again, didn’t you… Honestly, it’s exasperating. Why do you always just sit there and take it without ever fighting back…? I…I’ll do it tomorrow… I swear! Tomorrow? Which tomorrow do you mean? T-Tomorrow… … And that’s why, whenever someone says, “That’s what I believe,” I can’t help thinking they’ll never actually do it. You’ve got to be able to say: “Hey! Tomorrow is now!”

At the very least, get a professional dental cleaning about every six weeks. Brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue after meals are essential. You should also try using a mouthwash such as Listerine. If you have any cavities, go to the dentist and get them treated—they can cause bad breath. By the time you notice the smell yourself, it’s already noticeable to the people around you.

If you’re in your 20s, interdental brushes may still not fit between your teeth. In that case, floss is recommended. If that seems difficult, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s string floss picks work fine too. Also, use a tongue scraper.

Even women in their early 20s can develop bad breath by the afternoon after working since morning. Even women at ordinary reception desks may have noticeable breath if they aren’t wearing masks. To eliminate my own bad breath to the point where I can detect that kind of odor, I buy care products from a dental clinic specializing in bad breath and use them every day. Since you’re still young, I think regular dental treatment and periodic cleanings at an ordinary dentist should be enough. For men, taking care of their breath also has the benefit of making kisses more welcome—and possibly avoiding comments about certain conditions. Another major benefit is being able to appreciate the subtle flavors of ingredients, which helps when choosing restaurants and makes conversation flow better.