Make Bonds Stronger this Raksha Bandhan


It was Suvrats’ last day at his parents’ house. tomorrow , he would be leaving Ahmedabad for Canada for his studies. As Swara, his sister scurried around the house trying to make his last day memorable, he smiled and knew in his heart that she would be the one he would miss the most. “How unfortunate it is. That bhaiya is leaving the very next day after raksha bandhan,” said swara to herself. She ran into the kitchen where it was her first time making her dadis’ famous laddoos. She had been perfecting the recipe for months as she knew it was suvrats favourite. She had memorised her dadis old cookbook, taken notes, found just the right ingredients and had been practising vigorously, all the while keeping the train of preparations under wraps so that bhaiya would have no clue as to what was going on.

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At last, the time had come for the puja to begin. Swara gently chanted a prayer to keep her bhaiya safe. She then took the thali, showered him with marigold petals. As she dipped her finger in the vermillion and put a tika on his forehead she was giddy with excitement. She knew suvrat would love the ladoos. She picked up the biggest one. But as Suvrat bit into it, his expression changed, and horror washed over his face. He spit it out and started wincing with pain. Tears welled up in swaras eyes as she saw suvrats blood on the laddoos that she had worked so hard to make,” Suvrat jumped up and rushed to the bathroom where he saw his gums. Blood red and swollen.

The dentist told them that suvrat had a case of gingivitis. It was a mild form of gum disease that resulted in inflammation of the gingiva – which is the part of the gum surrounding the tooth. After we eat, if plaque stays lodged between the teeth for more than 40 hours, it is called tartar which is difficult to remove. If gingivitis is left untreated for several weeks, it results in gum receding around the crown which is the beginning of the advanced form of the disease. Poor oral hygiene and not flossing regularly results in the progression. Although it is a fairly mild condition, if not treated in time could result in it advancing into severe periodontitis which leads to loosening of teeth and bone damage as well. Gingivitis can also contribute to halitosis – or bad breath. Sub gingival dental plaque – bacteria growing below the gums- contribute to the foul odour. Tender gums and bleeding on probing are common signs of the disease.

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Accumulation of plaque causes inflammation. A way to check for the progression of the disease at home is to floss deeply around a back tooth. The amount of pain and bleeding will give you a fair indication as to how the disease is progressing or whether you have it at all. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should visit your dentist and get it analysed. It is extremely easy to reverse the disease via a thorough professional teeth cleaning every 6 months. A stitch in time saves nine.

Swara made suvrat promise to always take care of his oral health and vowed to accompany him to the dentists each time he came back home to visit. “This is so you can always enjoy the laddoos I make for you,” “besides, who wants to go toothless by the time they are 30! I, for one, want to avoid that.” as they all laughed. It was an eye opening raksha bandhan indeed.

So, during this festival, make sure that the bond between your teeth and gums is as strong as the bond between a sister and her brother. So that you can eat tons of sweets of course!

At US Dental clinic in Ahmedabad, we specialise in early diagnosis and treatment of all kinds of gum diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, gum recession. We have a US trained and licensed Periodontist – gum specialist in Ahmedabad to render US standard quality dental treatment. Schedule your appointment today and achieve a healthy smile!

This post is written by Naaz Memon.

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