#avoid gum disease

[healthiswealthuniverse]

The Sweet Dilemma: Unraveling the Connection Between Sweets and Gum Disease

In this blog post, we'll delve into the intricate relationship between sweets and gum disease, exploring how the sweet indulgences we love may be contributing to the deterioration of our gums.

In the pursuit of pleasure for our taste buds, we often indulge in the delightful world of sweets. From decadent chocolates to sugary candies, our cravings for these treats are almost irresistible. While the immediate joy of consuming sweets is undeniable, it’s crucial to understand the potential consequences of excessive sugar intake on our oral health. One of the most significant threats is the…

[blueberryarchive]

—the sketch and the smaller eye; kth

Lonely man Kim Taehyung leads a fairly stable routine in his life away from civilization affected by an infection without a cure. Stability ends the day you arrive, no one knows how you got there, but one thing is for sure: Taehyung won't let you go.

🌿pairing; Artist!Taehyung x Fem!Reader

🌿word count; 8.1k

🌿tw; widower!tae, post-apocalitic scenario, mentions of disease, weight loss and death, very brief mention of arms, age gap (21 & 30-ish), smut (manhandling, whiNY Taehyung, edging, spanking, oral (f. receiving), creampie, dirty talk), gruesome details of the virus.

🌿themes; strangers to lovers, slow burning, cottage-core.

🌿inspired by; ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

ᵗʰⁱˢ ⁱˢ ᵐʸ ᶠⁱʳˢᵗ ˡᵒⁿᵍ ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜ ⁱⁿ ᵉⁿᵍˡⁱˢʰ ᵖˡˢ ᵇᵉ ᵘⁿᵈᵉʳˢᵗᵃⁿᵈⁱⁿᵍ

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The walk all the way home was always one of his favorite things to do when it was hunting day, the way the wind danced between the dying leaves and made music inside the hollow trees, the sun setting with the most beautiful tones of pink. It always reminded him of the times he spent just drawing all alone until you came into his land.

The day was August 8th, the heat was overbearing and like all of the other days around the same time, probably four or five (he wouldn't know because his only clock died a year ago), Taehyung sat down in the shadow of an old oak tree that has been his only friend, besides his dog, since he came to this lonely and God-forgotten place, were he was blessed and cursed with solitude and the cruel nature.

He had a small tin box with all of his drawing supplies, broken pencils, a piece of eraser gum the size of a nail, and a reddish tint drying up in a baby food crystal jar. Every day he told himself that he was making more yellow with the few sunflowers in his backyard, but today of all days he actually stood up to look for the petals.

The flowers were right outside the kitchen window, the sun was going down, and they were hunched over, withered, and full of little flying butterflies. His calloused hands took a pair of petals, the most vibrant and alive.

The sudden sound of cracking leaves and the barking of his dog disturbed him.

Taehyung perfectly remembers the moment he saw your frightened eyes, the color of the sunset over your weak body clinging to a log, an improvised cane. Torn clothes, dry mouth like a corpse, wet hair for some reason. Did you cross the river?

The first reaction of both was primal, like two animals that didn't plan to meet. Taehyung only turned on the fireplace at night, only for a couple of hours, so as not to attract attention. 

So what were you doing there? Were you lost? Impossible, he was too far from civilization. Were you infected? The wolves would've eaten you by now. Either way, he didn't like the idea of someone new.

The petals sweated their amber ink on Taehyung's hand, you tried to maintain your position, your gaze... almost afraid to blink. The man was not afraid to take action, hand already inside his overall pocket. Without much, his hand raised a pistol, sleek and silver. He was pointing straight at your face, your hair in a ponytail revealing your exposed forehead, like an invitation to explode it with a bullet.

"No, please." You muttered. So soft and yet, Taehyung got scared hearing someone else's voice. It wasn't a growl, nor the crash of stones from the river, nor the rain, nor the cawing of crows, nor his own grunts when chopping wood, nor the barking from his old dog. "I'll go." You begged again, letting go of the log. Taehyung tensed, even more, hearing you again.

So soft and sad. So delicate when the world around was burning.

"Are you coming with someone else?" he growled, getting closer and looking around. The forest seemed quiet, and his dog would have warned him.

"No, just me."

"If you lie it'll be worse for you."

"I know." You lowered your head to avoid the black eye of the gun.

"Are you sick?" the question was simple. Taehyung was trying to look for signs of infection. He hadn't felt this fear since the last time he lost his wife to that fucking disease.

You denied it, slowly.

"Show me," he said with a lowered tone, calm eyes as you undressed as quickly as possible. No marks. Elbows, hands, neck, eyes. All clean. With a sigh from both, the barking stopped.

"Walk to the tree over there, and if you try to do anything funny I'm going to put every fucking bullet in your head," he said giving a simple condition. He started moving with you in front.

Without saying anything else, you both walked slowly to the trunk. The afternoon was already turning blue, cicadas were playing a tense melody. Your bare back revealed your vertebrae, hard balls under your skin looking as if it was going to break. You hugged yourself, trying to keep the heat of your body, perhaps even your modesty.

With a whistle, Frank appeared: an old dog with red eyes and floppy ears. Seeing the naked stranger, he growled loudly. Your hands began to tremble, the weapon and the animal made a cry of pain come out of you, a plea with tears falling down your ashy cheeks. But you didn't see a drop of mercy in Taehyung's eyes, you knew that having this kind of loneliness was not achieved without having to kill several from time to time.

The eyes of the man in front of you were unbending and cold, lips pressed into a thin line, thick hands gripping Frank's chain and his gun. Stains of watercolors and charcoal on his fingers.

"C'mon, buddy," he whispered and the dog came closer little by little to sniff your body. "Bend down." You obeyed.

The animal took its time sticking its wet nose into your hair and skin until it snorted as it sat down. Taehyung lowered the gun.

That was the beginning of your recovery, long days lying between rough, thick sheets. Yellowed pillows that smelled of Taehyung's hair, hand-rolled cigarettes on the nightstand. Every morning he would get up before the sun came up and carry his hunting artifacts over his shoulder. Frank stayed with you while you tried to kill time in the cabin.

You learned how to garden and cook, roll the cigars, and dry the tobacco in the sun. The books were plenty, but reading was an activity you only did if Taehyung was the one reading to you, he did it every night. Even when the fever was so high you couldn't keep up with the story.

When you were at your worst, he held your head to put you in one of his sweaters, and even left the crackling fire all night to keep you warm in the cold.

Every night he started, with a rough and tired voice, around 8 o'clock, to read you a chapter from a book of poems or letters; or the list of lost people in the old newspaper.

"I do it to keep me sane," he said. "I went a long period without saying a word, and I started to forget how to say them, my tongue used to get jammed." He explained to you while drawing an empty cup of tea next to you.

You could only tell him a couple of questions each night, he used to get tired very easily. The first two weeks you couldn't even pronounce two words before he started to lose his patience.

"You don't have to know anything about me," his eyebrows locked in a frown. "When you get better, you can go and it will be like we never met."

But now it has been three months, you think. You recovered pretty well, and you can do the chores while he's out. You try your best every day so he notices that you won't be a bother if he lets you stay.

He doesn't ask questions about how you came to be on this side of the river, and you thank him for that. The memories blurred in your mind, like a sketch that's been erased again and again. 

Taehyung get's home at sunset, you are outside breaking some newspapers into pieces. The notebooks he used to draw in were already full, so you decided to make him a new one. 

You are wearing a dress he found in an abandoned house, it was a teen size but he loves it. He doesn't know your age yet, but he knows you're probably in your early twenties. He loves when the sun is scorching hot and your only choice is to let your thighs and shoulders out while you cook and clean. The hem flows with the wind letting him see your bare ass while you put the paper to dry.

You two haven't had sex, you never gave him signs, maybe because he looked a little bit older. He never felt like he had to hide an inexistent lust, until a few weeks ago. 

Two, to be exact. 

You were in the nearest river. A flimsy white t-shirt, wine-drunk, and talking so much. You were so irksome with your questions. The cold water sticking the fabric to your body like marble while you asked about Taehyung's boring routine. Your babble was such, you started asking about him jerking off and how sex works in solitude.

The way you laughed made him blush with anger. Sketches he was trying to make from the water lilies turned into ones from your eyes. 

That day he had to take a cold shower in the river after leaving you by the fire in the house. His face was boiling red, tired of your babbling and hard as a log.

The idea of you making him horny made him mad for some reason; it made him feel like a high school boy, but it was natural. He had years without seeing a woman. And you were pretty. So pretty for no fucking reason.

He knew that being in his early thirties probably made him less attractive to you, he was a grumpy man, almost a caveman how he reacted to your ways. That's why he didn't try, not even think about it... not always.

Now you have him going to abandoned houses on the other side of the river, looking for things for you: like a small bottle of perfume, a broken mirror, and old photos of people who are probably dead by now. A way to show he cared without using words. 

When he got to the rock path, the crackle made you turn around, you were smiling like always, and his heart felt warm.

"I told you to do that earlier. The paper won't dry today," He grunted, acting more tired than he was so you leave everything behind and get near him. You get a cigar from a basket near you and light it for him. You pass it to him after taking a puff.

"But you can draw on one piece of paper."

"That's not how it works."

"It'll have to work."

Taehyung pressed his lips together, he knew you enjoyed arguing with him, but more than those few words would not come out of him. You rolled you eyes going back to hang the wet paper.

"I'm making dinner tonight," he muttered like ten minutes later and then silence again. Another cigar, the old Frank by his side while he watched the sunset disappear.

The reading hours were around six to seven, right after dinner. It was the same routine when you first stayed, and it is the same now: After dinner, he gets comfortable in bed, takes a cigarette from the nightstand, and with the gas lamp he lights the tip. Book in hand. 

The words he didn't say all day would overflow as he read chapter by chapter. In an appropriate tone, pauses at the commas, giving life to each character. A treat for the ears.

After looking for a book on the first floor, he entered the room and stood up, his eyes went to the corner where there was a broken mirror, and in its reflection, you were, combing your hair in a ponytail, so poorly done that it was better to leave it loose. But the strands that were floating in the air, in front of your eyes, made Taehyung's fingers tingle, wanting to take every strand and pull it towards him.

There was a heaviness in the air that early autumn night. The silence was thick, and the yellowish lamplight cast heavier shadows on every piece of furniture. Abrupt and defined as in a baroque painting.

The curve in which his eyes concentrated more were the ones that defined your waist and your stomach, how it bulged slightly like a hill stamped with the flowers of your skimpy dress.

"Turn around," you muttered, like you didn't care if he did it or not, as you started to remove your dress; snapping Taehyung out of the sketches he was drawing in his head. He went to open the window to let some of the heat out of the room, letting the smoke creep through the curtains.

"I think I know what I'm going to read to you today," he cleared his throat, looking down at his bare feet pacing anxiously across the room. The shadow of your silhouette moving on the floor, the bone-white nightgown falling on your curves, exposing one of Taehyung's weaknesses: the connection of your neck and your shoulders, subtle but lethal.

He wanted to press his face between and close his eyes, inhaling the scent of your skin. Rich and peachy, like when the trees have so much fruit that they start to ripen on the same tree.

"You haven't finished showing me the stamp book yet." You dropped on the bed.

"I'm already bored of it."

"Odd." you noticed, watching him bend down and open a suitcase under the bed. "And those?" As you approached you saw a collection of books.

They were small, wrinkled, and minimalist in cover. Some were yellowed papers seized by the red wax on the spine.

Taehyung snorted at the question and looked up, daring you to keep acting innocent. He knew that you knew every corner of the house.

"I want you to say it," you smiled.

"Force me."

"I want you to say that Taehyung, the hard-faced man, has a collection of erotic books under his bed."

"You already said it. I don't have the need."

"Why do you have it under the bed?"

"What are you talking about?" Taehyung moved the books until he found a small book in Spanish. The pink cover with a painting of a mischievous Renaissance woman smiling.

"Kept under the bed, in a suitcase. Like a secret."

"I'm not ashamed of reading erotica if that's what you assume." he closed the suitcase and dropped his body next to you. His head near your legs, yours lying on the opposite side.

"And why do you have it like they're illegal." you held the cigarette he offered you.

"Habits of a human who lived in a society, I suppose."

You inhale the cigarette while he searched for the short between his long fingers, the book opened softly. His thumb pressed down the middle of the pages.

The glass of wine had you sparkling, you still hadn't gotten used to the alcohol. You had not drunk in so long that you did not remember its effects. There was something on the tip of your tongue, a confession that couldn't wait, an itch that needed to be scratched.

Before you could speak, Taehyung let out a soft "Ah" as he found the story for the night.

"A man who came about five years ago translated this story by Anaïs Nin for me. When he found out that I painted, he told me that he had a story for me."

"What's it called?" Without realizing it, your hand began to caress Taehyung's leg.

"La Maja," he pronounced. "Like Goya's painting"

Your head fell back on the stacked pillows, Taehyung's lips moved as he read a homemade translation of the story.

"He pulled back the sheets that covered her and slowly lifted the silk nightgown. He was able to lift it over her breasts without her giving the slightest sign of awakening. When it was uncovered all over the woman's body, he contemplated it for as long as he wanted. Her arms were detached from her body; her breasts stretched out before his eyes like an offering. He was aroused by his desire but he did not dare to touch her. Instead, he brought paper and pencils, sat by her bedside, and took notes. As he worked, he had the sensation of caressing each of the perfect lines of the woman's body."

Taehyung's eyes would lift to yours after reading the paragraph, turning back to the page with embarrassment flushing his cheeks. The human habit of blushing when you want things so badly, he thought.

The smoke from the dying cigar between your fingers snaked through your hair and the softness of your chin. Taehyung was never more jealous of something so ephemeral.

He couldn't find where he had stayed and the silence became so loud that you could only do what was right.

"I followed you today."

"What?" Taehyung didn't understand, you had spoken so low that he almost didn't notice it.

"To the woods, when you left this morning."

When he closed the book, you knew that what little sweetness Kim showed you turned sour. 

"I have told you that you must stay here, with Frank. Safe." You both got up at the same time, you followed Taehyung looking for his gaze which he averted.

"I'm not asking you to keep me safe, Kim" you replied.

There was a pause as he pricked at his bottom lip. Was that in his pupils the sign of an offense? Taehyung clucked at you, turning around.

"Kim," you tried to fix it by brushing against his shoulder. "It's not that I'm a helpless deer, I know how to protect myself." You laughed to lighten the mood. Bad idea.

A question, like a small forgotten flame, reappeared in Taehyung's brain. Out of courtesy when you got sick in the first few weeks, he didn't ask where you came from, why you were alone, or how you came to cross the wide river that divided a civilization almost thousands of kilometers to the left. When politeness turned to infatuation, the question was no longer so important. He felt that he could trust you and that he had a new purpose besides survival: to keep you safe.

Fallacies.

"How did you come to find me?"

"What?" the smile faded from your face.

"I'm not going to repeat myself."

Your eyes moved erratically in his gesture, a frown. Just like when you came in drenched that August. No trust.

"Don't know."

He just snorted denying, he didn't believe you, and that irritated you.

"Sure, of course."

"Do you think I'm lying to you?"

"I don't believe it, I know." His body moved from side to side, arranging books and picking things up off the ground.

Your flushed face and clenched fists. Boiling alcohol in your veins.

"Well, you can go to hell with your lonely man farce."

"OK." Taehyung sighed daring you to continue insulting him.

"You do know that things aren't as horrible as at the start of the pandemic anymore, right?"

"Oh yeah?" His eyes widened in theatrical surprise.

"The infected are controlled and-," Seeing how he continued to feign interest, you pushed him aside and grabbed your dress from the floor, beginning to change. Tears accumulated without permission in your eyes. "Whatever," you mumbled.

"Then you do know something about your past."

"Fuck you, Kim."

"No, because you lied to me and now you say things like how you know how to defend yourself in a forest full of wild wolves and that you traveled several kilometers by water and land to get here. And you want me not to ask questions about it." He moved closer to you so close that he could see the torment in your eyes.

"Exactly." You muttered putting on your garden boots.

"That request is absurd and you know it." his laugh was careless. He was drunk too.

"I know."

You both stared at each other, your hair was no longer tied up and its shadow hid both of your features under its shadow. Your lips parted at the sight of his.

"I don't remember how I got to this place," you whispered, a tear fell to your cheek and you cursed how sensitive alcohol made you. You saw how Taehyung's face softened in the presence of your pain. "I swear I would have told you if I knew."

Taehyung swallowed hard and looked out the window. He hated seeing others cry, he hated when his wife did it, and he hates seeing it now in your lost gaze. There was something in the way you were, in the quality of your emotions and your hope in everything that reminded him so much of her. His wife died at the same age you were.

Taehyung and her were both idiots and thought that living far away was all it took to escape the infection.

It was stupid of him to let her go hunting alone that day, he shouldn't have let a simple fever keep him in bed when she was out there.

He spent years waiting for her to come back. Waiting for some afternoon that he will hear her quick steps coming down the gravel road. Much later, he found a piece of her shirt floating on the bank of a river.

Taehyung closed his eyes and nodded. It was dangerous to let you stay, he still didn't fully trust you. But what was the use of being alone so much when he only waited for the next day and the day after until one day he could die naturally?

Your body tensed as his hand rose to sink into your hair and kiss your forehead. So delicate, without causing any noise.

"Sleep well," he whispered leaving the book on the table. His chest hurt with the immense amount of feelings you make him feel in one day.

It's overbearing and he loved it. But his poor soul needed time.

For the first time in all that time together, he decided to sleep on the first floor.

You didn't know what to say, you were already ready for him to just ask you to leave. So you were thankful he actually just…left.

When the door creaked shut, you let loneliness engulf you. You cried, glued to the pillow like a child. Of relief, of uncertainty, for that kiss.

The days are long when there is nothing to say. When you don't look at him, when you ignore him with your unsubtle ways: you leave your clothes poorly folded, you don't finish the dishes he makes for you, your cigarettes are badly rolled, and you punish him by wearing those shirts that reveal your cleavage.

If you knew what you did to him, would you take advantage of him? Would he hate it?

Taehyung can feel your eyes on his back as he tries to light the fireplace at night, the cold is cruel in the mountains, even crueler than the tension in the small living room. You find yourself sitting watching the flame grow and grow, Taehyung trying to appear as calm as possible as if he didn't have the gears of his brain fed up trying to figure out how to talk to you.

Apart from a 'what do you want for dinner?', a 'yes' or a 'no'.

He felt he talked more with poor Frank, who slept about eighteen hours a day.

He cleared his throat at the smoke and held up his hand for more newspaper. You gave it instantly. And suddenly, a miracle: for the first time in weeks, your voice.

"Tomorrow is my birthday," you said embarrassedly, arms crossed.

With a tight-lipped smile on Kim's mouth, he nodded and looked into your tired eyes.

Your voice was still just as sweet and calm, you wanted to try to sound weary. But he noticed every afternoon when he came home from hunting, the way you moved through the little orchard and sang while you bathed Frank. Your laughter was his antidote, it healed his tiredness and the ache of his soul.

"We should celebrate it." He proposed, but you instantly denied it.

"I want you to take me."

"What do you mean?" he blushed, looking deep into your eyes.

"Take me somewhere."

Taehyung dropped the newspaper on the fire. He sighed softly, (not in relief, but disappointed) and sat in the old chair in the corner, legs apart as he rolled a cigarette.

"Where do you want to go?"

"To the house on top." you pointed east.

"How do you know there's a house on top?"

"Because I saw it in your drawings." your pupils let you see its shine for the first time in weeks. The cold made you look so beautiful. The little contact he had with you, he missed it so much.

Your cheeks took on color with the coming of winter, your lips like two slices of ripe fruit, red and full of juice. "And I found your binoculars in the warehouse."

"Mm," he couldn't even get mad at you and your insatiable curiosity. He was glad to hear you. Besides, who was he to deny you going up to that abandoned mansion, even when fear consumed him that they would attack you?

"Sure, we'll go." you let the corner of your lips rise, Taehyung feigned seriousness. "But it can't be tomorrow. We need at least two days of walking to get there, and we have to prepare."

You licked your lips and got up, letting the cloth that wrapped you from head to toe fall to your shoulders. You raised your arms, and Taehyung frowned, not understanding the gesture.

"Come here, it's almost twelve, and I'm going to be twenty-one."

Although they both knew that no clock gave them a certain time, Kim didn't care and you less. Leaving the cigarette next to him, he stood up and awkwardly let his strong arms swallow you, your head on his chest.

The hug was a thank you from you, but with just a few more seconds, you realized that Taehyung didn't want to let go. You opened your eyes, he could feel your confusion.

"Just-" he stammered, tensing his arms a little more to bring you closer to the warmth of his body. Silence.

Rich and peachy.

"What?"

"No, nevermind."

"Kim." you wanted to look at his eyes but didn't let you.

"I haven't hugged anyone in years." he murmured, a sigh of relief.

The confession made your chest sink. The breathing of the man in your arms was soft and ragged. As if he was nervous.

"Can you play with my hair?" he hummed, timid and needy, warming your shoulder with his breath; chills covering your skin.

You let your fingers explore his fluffy hair, the little ripples covering your palm and fingertips. You heard another sigh from him and felt how his arms slid to hug the sides of your waist.

"Feels good?" you dared to ask, breathing the musk on his jacket. He just nodded longingly, closed eyes and brows knitted; the crackle of the fire in the fireplace melting his heart.

Your throat was dry, and your lips parted, God knows you wanted to enjoy that hug, how Taehyung bent his body slightly to hide his head in your neck. Perhaps it was the lack of contact or the fire in the fireplace, but your body bubbled over a slow fire with each exhale that collided with your neck.

"Tae-" you swallowed and grabbed his shoulders so he could see you.

The drunkenness in the eyes of the man in front of you was so short but so sweet. Discovering his attitude, he pricked the bridge of his nose and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, don't worry about the trip. We can start packing tomorrow."

"I think I remember some of what happened to me."

"Oh." His eyes widened, gesturing as he tried to ask you to explain. You loved the gestures that came out of Taehyung when he didn't know the protocol of conversations. It wasn't 'thank you', but a tightening of the lips into a brief smile; no 'Don't move' when he painted but a little grunt and a deny.

You both took a seat on the furniture and got as close as possible, there was no one around, but this was how both of you got used to talking to each other. Whispers, watching each other's lips and laughter, when it was intended, with the hand on the mouth.

"I remember a boat, I remember several women and two men," you murmured, your eyes tilted into the fire. "A group came on another boat and threw us on the shore, they beat the men so much that they died and left the women to suffer."

Kim bit the inside of his cheek, he knew the day you would remember your past would be difficult. The beginning of the lethal virus was so surreal for him.

"I don't remember their faces much, just their hair. I remember…one feverish night, the women covered me with a blue coat that they had taken from one of the men." your hand trembled, and Taehyung took it without hesitating. "When I woke up, they were all in stage two."

Stage two of the virus was when their bodies began to slow down, sleep being the main activity, even at times when they needed to urinate. Your body didn't feel like getting up.

Taehyung remembers how one of his college classmates slept fully for two days, he opened his eyes when called but closed them instantly.

"When I saw them I thought the same thing was going to happen to me, apparently they killed an infected animal and ate it among themselves without giving me a piece. I don't blame them. I also thought the fever was going to kill me that night," you shrugged. "When I woke up I found trash, fruit, and headless bugs on the floor. The virus searched for everything it could to feed before going into coma…, and then, um-"

Your gaze drifted away, as if you saw the women sprawled on their backs with their mouths open and sunken eyes on the cabin rug.

"Their bodies started to swell, their chests and stomachs and throats. The eggs-" you denied and Taehyung felt chills. "They began to grow and incubate, I cried for hours and hours in silence, sitting on a log." your voice quivered. "I crossed the river at low tide, and stayed on the rocks to wait."

"You were sent to explore the area. You were the same as I was years ago." Taehyung bit his lip, squeezing your hand.

"I don't understand."

"I thought they didn't send scouts to this area anymore. The infection is so old I thought they wouldn't need any more information."

"What do you mean when you say you were the same?" You frowned and stared at him.

"I was a soldier, my family needed money, and the doctors found a way to make us think they could save my dad from the virus." the memories made his tense neck move involuntarily. "They sent me to this side to find information about the virus, the source."

"You and how many others?"

Taehyung shook his head with a sad smile. Maybe he was even making up the story of his father getting sick, who knows at this point?

"I still don't remember. I just know that I kept walking and walking wit this girl by my side,until we found this hill, and even she disappeared."

They both fell silent. Taehyung had already told you about the disappearance of his wife, unlike other topics, this was the one that seemed like a fable. There were no traces, like smoke that vanished on a sunset.

You can see on his eyes that ache every time he mentions her; you wish you could lick his old wounds, not to cure them, but to soothe the pain.

The way he was holding your hand and the fire trembling on his tan skin made him look like an angel. An untamed one leaves instead of feathers, strong arms to carry the world around him.

You couldn't take it anymore.

"Taehyung," you called, and he didn't have to move because your hand took him by surprise. Guiding him to your hungry lips.

He moaned lowly, making his free hand into a fist to control the euphoria that was running through his body. The wet sound of your mouths devouring each other, he didn't know how much he needed that, the warmth of your tongue licking his lips, the little pant coming out of your strawberry lips.

Oh, how much he hated the fact that he was getting hard just from a kiss, but how couldn't he, good God? You were so delicious.

He snatched his hand from yours and took both of your hands to squeeze above your head. Your back arched, and you mewled as you felt his hand squeeze your wrists.

Taehyung's eyes flickered to your face. Was he doubting what he was doing? Did you do something wrong?

"If you want to stop-"

"No," he growled desperately. With ease, his free hand grabbed the hair at the nape of your neck and kissed you again, clashing teeth.

"Slow down, Kim." you gasped as he devoured your neck, covering in saliva the fabric of the coat that covered you, almost tearing it apart.

Your hand explored his corduroy pants until it reached the tight bulge against his thigh.

"No. I don't want to," he screeched as he watched what you were doing. "Please, I'm too sensitive right now." It was a plea for you to let him enjoy touching you for a few more minutes, his glassy eyes and red lips.

You were cruel, and God, how he hated you for that. You chuckled low and spread your legs to climb into his lap. The sudden movement knocked the air out of him, hands on either side of the couch.

In one sitting, you were pressing his cock against your clothed pussy.

"Oh no, please. Let me-," his hands went to his mouth, squeezing it hard, the words coming out muffled.

With so few moans he had you addicted to his susceptibility. To his droopy eyes and his angelic whimpers over every little thing you did.

"Please," he asked again but it was in vain when you started moving back and forth and licking his neck. "Fuck me, i can't. Baby-" he mumbled rolling his eyes, reaching heaven with so little. The 'baby' scaped again and again from his lips until it died out.

It was embarrassing, but so sublime.

You loved it. No. You became obsessed.

When he finished, you could feel the wetness on his thigh. You laughed again, taking his face in your fingers; he hung from your fingertips like a puppet. His chin resting on them.

"You look so cute when you're sweaty in the middle of a blizzard," you said. He closed his eyes, enjoying the compliment.

Without saying anything else, leaving a wet spot on top of his zipper and his mouth open; you got up and went up the rustic stairs.

You were going to be the death of him.

The morning arrives quietly and with the sun coming in gently through the windows, you are grateful that the snow has stopped as you get up to put on your socks. Frank was sleeping between woolen sheets in the closet. When he heard you calling him he opened his eyes and lazily moved his thick tail.

The bed was made on Taehyung's side. Last night you hardly slept thinking about what you two had done in the living room, you waited anxiously for him to go to the room to finish what you had started, but you fell asleep waiting for him.

Maybe he was upset because you rushed him or he was embarrassed. Either way, you could still feel the moisture your pussy had let out just thinking about his face coming. Like a broken record, just as his pelvis raised to make one last contact with your clit.

You sighed and let the cool water calm your arousal. The small mirror showed your reflection, you were pale. Since the sun doesn't rise so often, you feel like you're withering. The tinting of your cheeks was already disappearing.

Your eyes were guided to the small photo pasted on the mirror, it was an ID with your face. The ink on the image was fading, with your name and date of birth right next to it.

It was the only thing you had for sure, maybe your face wasn't even that one. You returned to your reflection and began to notice every little detail: the dark circles under your eyes and the dry lips from biting them so much, the slightly yellowish teeth, and the eye that was smaller than the other. 

That's new, you thought. Only if you looked hard enough could you see how your right eye involuntarily closed a little more than the other, the more you looked at it in the mirror, the more obvious it was.

The sound of a pot falling followed by a grunt made you snap out of your morning exam. You walked quickly to the stairs going down in a hurry.

You were surprised to see Taehyung in the kitchen, his hands covered in whipped cream and the sweet smell of freshly baked bread. A small tight smile apologizing for waking you up.

"Uh," he wiped his hands clean and leaned closer to you, placing an awkward kiss on your forehead. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you." You smiled softly, his hand found yours to guide you to the rustic table that he had made years ago, it was heavy and robust. It combined with everything that was seen in that kitchen, small details you had done here and there, but the smell of oak and the thick fabric of the curtains and the tablecloth were essentially Taehyung.

"I made you breakfast. You must eat it all or I'm really going to stop talking to you for a month."

As if he could.

"Because?"

"I spent all night trying to make whipped cream, found a book in the stack and it took me almost a dozen eggs to get it right."

"That's where you were last night." You smiled and he tensed, embarrassment painting his cheeks red. "Did you need a book to know how to follow our...?" You made an obscene gesture that made Taehyung turn to finish breakfast.

"You are so intense in the mornings."

"You've stopped smoking in the morning, have you noticed?"

Taehyung frowned. "It's true."

"I annoy you so much you don't need the nicotine to wake up."

"If that achievement makes you happy, go ahead." He crossed his legs as he sat down next to you. "Bon appétit."

You looked in front of you, on your plate was a piece of freshly baked bread toasted in the color of the sun. The whipped cream was smooth and slightly eggy, with peach slices decorated on top creating an attempt at a flower. The smell was intoxicating and your mouth watered from it.

Taehyung's chest swelled with joy as you took the first bite and inhaled. You looked at him tenderly. That human habit of food being the perfect language to show love without touching.

"It's good," you agreed taking another bite. "Did you try it?"

Taehyung denied raising his hand to ask you to continue tasting.

"I have something else for you," he said before you took another bite. You could see and hear in the silence of the kitchen how his foot bounced with eagerness to show you the other things.

Taehyung took a paper bag from his jacket hanging on the door and put it on your lap. His hands didn't let you open the material, kneeling on the floor in front of you.

"Slow down, Kim. For God's sake." you laughed looking at him. He imitated you.

"Sorry, it's just that I've been saving this for a long time."

You couldn't stop seeing him, it was impossible how much you loved him in such a short time. You looked down at your lap as he lowered your chin with his hand.

Inside the paper were many trinkets, colorful and very varied. Buttons, an old lighter with a rose carved on it, a ring in the shape of a butterfly, a deep red dried ink, and underneath it all the pale lace of a lingerie set.

You smiled as you put everything else aside and looked at the pieces in detail.

"Isn't there a more subtle way of saying you want to fuck me?" you joked

Taehyung didn't laugh, again he was looking at you with nervous eyes.

"I want to give you a portrait."

You put the lingerie on the table and looked at him. You knew that his painting materials were becoming more and more scarce. You denied it instantly.

"Don't worry, I'll use some oils that I have saved, they are in perfect condition and I want to use them with you." he rose clutching your face in his hands, like something ethereal. How could he see you in the morning and make you feel so lovely?

"I want to paint your lips," he ran his thumb over your bottom lip, "And your eyes."

"Even when one is smaller?"

He chuckled slightly at your sweet question.

"Especially the smaller one."

His hand grabbed the last bite of toast and opened your mouth with his thumb, delicately inserting it. "I told you to eat it all." his face was serious.

His thumb began to smear all the cream that remained in the corners of your mouth, pressing your lips while your tongue tried to lick his fingers.

"That is my girl." he hummed cocking his head at you.

Your toes tensed when you heard him say that.

"Open up," he commanded and you obeyed, opening your mouth to remove the sticky cream from his finger. He swallowedwhen he saw you lick every drop.

Your beautiful face, your messy hair, and your mouth covered in peach juices and whipped cream. So sweet and erotic that it made his stomach clench with the urge to eat you.

"I would like you to paint me in the summer, though."

"Because?"

"Because that way I could return the color to my cheeks, to see myself more..." you didn't know what the word was.

Taehyung could have cared less.

"Fine." he sighed and tossed the plate to the side with a crash. Suddenly, you were in his arms, he laid you down gently on the wood of the table.

"Tae?" a squeal came from you when you felt the cold in your pussy, Taehyung ripped your panties and began to rub his digits on your clit with such delicacy.

"Shh," he responded, grabbing the chair to walk over to the table and sit down. With one hand he brought your body closer to his face and began to run his tongue through your folds.

This is what he wanted to do last night and you didn't let him.

Your legs began to shake and he looked up through narrowed eyes. Your surprised face was so funny, it almost made him want to let you cum as fast as you let him.

"Spread your legs, let me see you." there was something so obscene about the way his voice deepened. He embarrassed you. "Aren't you going to let me eat you?"

You didn't know what to say.

"What happened that pretty girl who wouldn't shut the fuck up, huh?" His wet lips kissed your entrance with each word. "Where are your smart answers and the fucking questions about how I jerk off?" With one hand he hit your clit and you whimpered. "There it is." he smiled.

"God," you moaned so loud trying to get your nightgown down, it hurt so good. Taehyung squeezed your wrists with one hand and started devouring you again, your juices flowing on his nose and his tongue and you knew how much he liked it by the way he growled and bit the inside of your thigh.

It hurt but you couldn't stop moaning, your hands turning into claws from the tension wanting to grab his tangled hair, to see his face covered with it in a transparent and shiny layer.

"Atta, girl," he inhaled, snapping back. "Look at you," he smiled at you as he licked the edges of his lips. "The color is returning to your cheeks."

"What?" You stuttered before you felt how his hand collided with your ass. You screamed biting your lip.

"Come here."

His hand carried you to help your weak legs. With his hands under your armpits, he led you to the nearest wall.

"Get naked, pet."

"It's cold."

"Still?" Taehyung asked confused and piled the fabric of your dress in his hand until he found your wet pussy again. Without saying much, he inserted two fingers, curling the tips.

"More," you whispered, you were short of breath and you felt like you were in another cosmic plane with the long fingers of the man behind you.

His other hand began stroking your tummy until it reached your neck, squeezing gently. Hearing your sweet request, he laughed.

"You're a mess and I haven't even fucked you. Are you sure?"

You nodded awkwardly, your head pressed against the wall. A third finger was unexpected and burned.

"You're so wet, it's not fair." Kim sighed. "I want to do everything for you but you won't let me with that little body of yours."

"Mm," was all you could answer, your tongue was heavy and the knot under your stomach had you seeing stars.

"Those short dresses and the laughter and the erotic books and your perfect tits." he moaned turning you around to remove your dress.

Seeing your face again, Taehyung made up his mind; he couldn't take it anymore. Whipped cream decorated your cheek and your open mouth.

"Are you still cold?" His eyes saw you straight into your soul. You denied hugging his neck, hitting your lips with his.

If you didn't kiss him you felt like you were going to implode. His furrowed brows and his broad shoulders, the way he'd talk dirty to you but he'd kiss your shoulder calming your nerves.

There it was again, that tickle in your throat of saying things at the wrong time.

Shut me up with kisses, you thought, shut me up by sealing your lips with mine.

"More." Now it was Taehyung's turn to ask, moaning as he felt how your naked body hung from his waist.

He quickly lowered his pants until he took it off completely. Then his coat.

"Down," he murmured kissing you one last time crashing your body into the wall.

With one hand you grabbed his cock and started to move your hand. A cry came from him and you both nearly fell to the ground in a crash. Taehyung's legs failing from the sudden touch.

You laughed at Taehyung's irate gesture.

"In four. Now," he barked, after kissing you softly. "I want to fuck you, I don't want games anymore, 'kay?"

You nodded drunkenly at the way he spoke to you.

You stopped smiling when he repositioned you like a doll on your knees and hands.

You arched your back as you felt the tip stretch your entrance, you closed your eyes in pure pleasure. The sting was unbelievable, perfect.

"Mmhm," Taehyung ran his finger down your back, "Let me listen to you, love."

How can he call you that without melting?

You pushed yourself into him until your ass touched his pelvis. You both moaned each other's name.

"Fuck," he mumbled, grabbing both sides of your waist to guide your movements. The sounds that filled the kitchen were indecent, your cream accumulated at the base of his cock and your moans drove him crazy.

Yes, he was like a schoolboy when it came to you, he couldn't see your cleavage without wanting to touch himself or look at your lips without wanting to bite them so badly that they bled. You were in addition to his antidote, his new favorite morbidity.

"Atta girl, squeeze me more," he hissed at you slowing his pace down. His moans turned to whimpers as you began to feel the cum dripping down your thighs. You were about to cum and he could feel it. "Let me feel those walls, baby. Cum for me."

You lifted your upper body so you could move against him and with two brushes of his fingers on your puffy clit you began to scream his name letting your face fall into your hands.

You both panted hard, abruptly, Taehyung pulled his cock out, revealing how his cum came out of you. God, he prays that this is the one that knocks you up.

Getting up, he grabbed your delicate body and took you to the sofa, lit the fireplace, and left you alone for a few minutes. When he returned he brought with him a blank canvas the length of his forearm and a couple of charcoal pencils.

The afterglow had your cheeks with the most beautiful tint. Flushed and plump lips from biting it so much. You let your hair do what it wants, just how he likes it and you smiled at him when he sat down in front of you. You squinted your eyes when you smiled and his shoulders relaxed.

"Stay still, please," he whispered while he took a pencil in his hands.

[nenelonomh]

oral hygiene

perhaps since i am a bit younger than most of the people on this app, or since my nana had owned a kindergarten, i am so aware of the importance of hygiene and health practices. i feel that everyone has put simple things like this on the back burner, since covid, since the internet's takeover.

i remember, when i was younger (2015/16ish) (note: i clearly wasn't in kindergarden at the time, but this is when the memories are from), the halls of my nanas kindergarten were lined with posters that encouraged parents to look after their child's health. current kindergartens, and parents--perhaps due to technology and widespread knowledge-- prioritize other things. it's about time we took responsibility of our own health again.

oral hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth clean and disease-free. it involves brushing and flossing your teeth as well as visiting your dentist regularly for dental x-rays, exams and cleanings.

brushing your teeth: ✩ use fluoride toothpaste to protect your teeth from decay (cavities). fluoride strengthens the tooth's hard outer surface (enamel). ✩ angle the bristles toward the gumline to clean between the gums and teeth. ✩ brush gently using small, circular motions. avoid scrubbing back and forth too hard. ✩ brush all sides of each tooth, including your tongue. ✩ replace your toothbrush when the bristles become worn.

HOT TIP: if you get bored with, or struggle to remember brushing your teeth, consider swapping to a minter (or other pleasantly flavoured) toothpaste. this will encourage you to continue the habit, since it is more enjoyable.

flossing your teeth: ✩ plaque can build up between teeth, leading to gum irritation and gingivitis. ✩ floss daily to remove plaque from these areas. ✩ if plaque hardens into tartar, only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove it.

replacing your toothbrush: ✩ as you use your toothbrush, the bristles gradually wear down. bent or frayed bristles lose their stiffness and effectiveness in cleaning your teeth. ✩ over time, your toothbrush accumulates bacteria from your mouth. bacterial growth on an old toothbrush can contribute to oral infections and bad breath. ✩ you should replace your toothbrush when you notice that the bristles have become worn, or every 3-4 months to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria.

storing your toothbrush: ✩ before and after brushing, thoroughly rinse the bristles of your toothbrush under hot tap water. this helps remove toothpaste residue, debris, and any airborne bacteria or dust particles. ✩ after rinsing, tap the handle of your toothbrush against the edge of the sink to shake off excess water. this promotes faster air drying and prevents bacterial growth. ✩ store your toothbrush in a cup or holder. keep the bristles up and the handle down. this allows excess water to drain away from the bristles, preventing bacteria buildup. ✩ place the cup or holder in a well-ventilated area, such as a counter or shelf. avoid storing it in a dark, enclosed space like a drawer or cabinet. allowing your toothbrush to air dry completely helps prevent bacterial growth. ✩ avoid cross-contamination by keeping your toothbrush separate from your housemates, or family members.

electric toothbrushes: ✩ some may choose to use electric toothbrushes, where you only replace the head of the toothbrush. electric toothbrushes use oscillating, rotating, or sonic movements to clean teeth and gums more thoroughly. many models have built-in timers to ensure you brush for the recommended 2 minutes. most electric toothbrushes are rechargeable, reducing waste from disposable batteries. ✩ personally, i prefer to use a regular toothbrush, since i feel it does a better job cleaning my mouth. often electric toothbrushes require you to take longer to brush your teeth.

eating choices: eating choices play a significant role in maintaining good oral health. first and foremost, consuming sugary foods and drinks can lead to increased acid production in the mouth. this acid can erode tooth enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to decay. it's essential to limit your intake of sugary snacks and beverages to protect your oral health.

frequent snacking, especially on sugary and acidic drinks throughout the day can harm your teeth. aim for regular meals rather than constant snacking to give your teeth time to recover between eating episodes.

staying hydration is crucial for overall health, including oral health. dry mouth (which is called xerostomia) can increase the risk of cavities and gum disease. salvia helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles, so drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist.

remember to maintain a balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals. it is essential for healthy teeth and gums. nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and phosphorus contribute to strong teeth and support gum health. include dairy products, leafy greens, fruits, and lean proteins in your diet.

to conclude: remember that good oral health allows you to enjoy life by speaking clearly, tasting, chewing, and showing your feelings through facial expressions like smiling!

further reading: ✩ What’s the Most Sanitary Way to Store Your Toothbrush? • Brilliant Oral Care✩The Best Way to Store Your Toothbrush & the Mistakes You May be Making | Gentle Dental (interdent.com)✩Whatever You Do, Don't Store Your Toothbrush Here - CNET✩Why Should You Replace Your Toothbrush? And When? – Mouth Watchers✩How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush? Healthy Etiquette (healthline.com)✩When To Change Your Toothbrush | Colgate®✩Oral Hygiene | National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (nih.gov)✩Oral Hygiene: Best Practices & Instructions for Good Routine (clevelandclinic.org)

i hope this post was helpful!

❤️ nene

[pastel-charm-14]

oral health

it's something we often overlook, but taking care of our teeth and gums is super important for our overall well-being. here are some simple tips to keep your smile bright and healthy:

brush twice a day: make sure to brush your teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed. use a fluoride toothpaste and brush for at least two minutes each time to remove plaque and bacteria.

floss daily: don't forget to floss! flossing helps remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth and along the gumline, where your toothbrush can't reach.

rinse with mouthwash: using an antibacterial mouthwash can help kill germs and freshen your breath. swish it around in your mouth for 30 seconds after brushing and flossing.

eat a balanced diet: what you eat can impact your oral health. try to limit sugary and acidic foods and drinks, which can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. instead, opt for healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.

drink plenty of water: staying hydrated is important for your oral health too. water helps wash away food particles and bacteria, and it also helps stimulate saliva production, which neutralizes acids and protects your teeth.

visit your dentist regularly: don't skip your dental check-ups! seeing your dentist for regular cleanings and exams can help catch any issues early and prevent more serious problems down the road.

avoid tobacco: smoking and using other tobacco products can wreak havoc on your oral health, increasing your risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. if you smoke, consider quitting for the sake of your smile and your overall health.

remember, taking care of your teeth and gums is an investment in your long-term health and happiness. so make oral health a priority and keep smiling bright!

[scotianostra]

On May 20th 1747 James Lind began a controlled experiment which demonstrated that citrus fruits could prevent scurvy

Lind was born in Edinburgh in 1716, in 1731 he registered as an apprentice at the College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and in 1739 became a surgeon’s mate, seeing service in the Mediterranean, Guinea and the West Indies, as well as the English Channel.

While serving as surgeon on HMS Salisbury, on this day in 1747 Lind carried out experiments to discover the cause of scurvy, the symptoms of which included loose teeth, bleeding gums and hemorrhages.

Lind selected 12 men from the ship, all suffering from scurvy, and divided them into six pairs, giving each group different additions to their basic diet. Some were given cider, others seawater, others a mixture of garlic, mustard and horseradish. Another group of two were given spoonful's of vinegar, and the last two oranges and lemons. Those fed citrus fruits experienced a remarkable recovery. While there was nothing new about his discovery - the benefits of lime juice had been known for centuries - Lind had definitively established the superiority of citrus fruits above all other ‘remedies’.

In 1748, Lind retired from the navy and went to Edinburgh University to take professional qualifications. In 1753, he published 'A Treatise of the Scurvy’ and in 1757 'An Essay on the Most Effectual Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen in the Royal Navy’, which threw much light on the appalling living conditions and diet of seamen. In 1758, he was appointed physician to the Naval Hospital at Haslar in Gosport where he investigated the distillation of fresh water from salt water for supply to ships.

In 1763, Lind published work on typhus fever in ships and in the 1768 publication 'An Essay on Diseases Incidental to Europeans in Hot Climates’ he summarised the prevalent diseases in each colony and gave advice on avoiding tropical infections.

Lind died in 1794 in Gosport.

Although the importance of Lind’s findings on scurvy were recognised at the time, it was not until more than 40 years later that an official Admiralty order was issued on the supply of lemon juice to ships. With this, scurvy disappeared almost completely from the Royal Navy. To me this showed the indifference that the navy placed on the wellbeing of their charges.

[iambutmortal]

Chapter 6

Summary: When Elain signs the divorce papers she’s sure she’s done with Lucien Vanserra. Until they’re offered the chance to recreate their honeymoon as a part of her job. For free. But reliving all those memories with Lucien proves leaving may be more difficult than she thought.

Word Count: 4.4k

Authors Note: It's done! Finally!

Read on Ao3

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Elain had spent the night in Nesta’s room, curled up in bed with her. She’d pretended not to hear the ‘I’m worried about her’ conversation Nesta had with Feyre over face time in the bathroom, although she did give Feyre an ‘I’m fine’ thumbs up from under the covers. She did, however, listen in to the calls Nesta made to the airline company, moving their flight up to leave the next morning instead of four days later.

Which was why she was sitting on a plane at seven in the morning, sipping coffee and wiping the sleep from her eyes, Nesta looking similarly bleary next to her. Elain leaned her head against the back of the seat in front of her, desperate for even a minutes more sleep when she heard Nesta’s muttered, “oh fuck.”

“What?” Elain asked, not lifting her head.

“Apparently we’re not the only ones eager to leave,” Nesta snarled.

That got Elain to lift her head, peeking open her eyes just enough to see a tall redhead entering the plane. Lucien, followed closely behind by Cassian. And they were both headed down the aisle towards her.

“They better not be sitting here,” Nesta said.

Elain glanced wearily at the row of empty seats opposite them, and then back at the two men advancing towards them, row by row. She waited with bated breath, craning her head to look for any other unoccupied space they could be in, but they just kept coming closer and closer.

Until Cassian stopped in front of them.

“Apparently when you move a group booking you move all the flights,” Cassian said, talking to neither of them in particular as he threw his suitcase into the overhead. “Getting the ‘your flight is now scheduled for tomorrow’ text at two in the morning was really the highlight of the trip.”

Nesta raised her chin in defiance. “Talk to the airline if you have a problem.”

“I did,” Cassian said. “They said we’d have to go through the booking company to separate them, and I thought that might be a tough conversation to have with Cosmopolitan. ‘Oh by the way, the two people you picked for their relationship have actually been separated for months, hope that doesn’t cause any problems.’  Although I did inform them a family emergency came up and we needed to leave early, since neither of you bothered to come up with an excuse for why you were playing hooky.”

Nesta’s cheeks flushed at the embarrassment of knowing Cassian had needed to do something she should have handled.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, turning away from Cassian, who just sighed and slid into the window seat so Lucien could take the aisle one.

Elain quickly turned away from him, wishing she could sink into her seat. The idea of seeing him turned her stomach, guilt and anger roiling there.

She pulled her purse out from the seat in front of her, rooting around for the eye mask she was sure she’d shoved in there at some point. Seeing nothing would be better than seeing Lucien, even for a brief moment. Tampons, pads, her wallet, some old gum wrappers, but nothing.

“You don’t have an eye mask, do you?” she asked Nesta weakly.

Her sister shook her head. Across the aisle, Lucien reached into his bag and pulled out a crumbled package. “I think you gave one to me before we went to DC,” he said, holding it away from him with the tips of his fingers like it was diseased.

Elain took it, avoiding his eyes. The DC trip had only been a month before she’d left his stuff on the porch, when he’d been flown in to celebrate the candidate he’d been working for’s electoral success. Elain had worn a white dress that was so far out of her price range she’d been too scared to eat, lest she stain it, on loan from the designer. She’d spent hours on her makeup, preening, and had watched as Lucien shook hands with the top men in politics.

This is his future, she’d thought. And hers would be standing at his side looking pretty while the modeling jobs slowly dried up as she got older. She’d nearly sobbed at the thought.

Elain slid on the eye mask, desperate for anything to block out the flight, and slid in a pair of headphones. She was desperate for sleep, anything to make the flight pass quicker, but every time she came close to nodding off she became hyper aware that Lucien was probably watching her, was sitting right there, and would jolt awake.

She was so on edge she’d nearly jumped out of her seat when Nesta tapped her on the shoulder to tell her the flight attendant wanted her drink order, and had pulled off the mask only to see Lucien smirking at her.

Her face felt like it was on fire as she asked for a Diet Coke, even though she really wanted a shot of whiskey.

She’d only gotten more frustrated when Lucien ordered a scotch on the rocks. And had nursed it. Elain couldn’t help but look at his hands, and the stripe of lighter skin on his fourth finger from where he’d taken off his wedding ring.

She rubbed her own band self consciously. Maybe she should take it off, now that things were official. Her sisters knew, which meant Rhys knew, and so did the rest of their family dinners. No use pretending anymore.

Elain was pretty sure she’d get to keep the invitation over Lucien, but doubt nibbled at her. What if they like Lucien more than you? He and Feyre like to hang out sometimes, she could decide to pick her friend first. What if they decide to keep inviting both of you and you have to see him every week?

She took a sip of her soda to silence the thoughts. Which only alerted her to the fact that she needed to use the bathroom, and the only way to get to it was to pass by Lucien.

Elain nearly screamed in frustration.

Next to her, Nesta seemed to be going through a similar struggle, staring straight ahead at the bank tv screen in front of her while white knuckling her water.

She seemed to notice Elain watching her and signed. “Some sad sops we are,” she whispered and Elain cracked a smile.

“We can be crazy old cat ladies together,” Elain hissed back.

That got a small huff of laughter from Nesta. “I already know Mr. Mittens will love you more.”

“I’d always give him extra treats at dinner.”

“You’d make that cat fat,” Nesta giggled.

Cassian’s head whipped around to stare at them and she quickly sobered. “I didn’t know it was possible for Nesta Archeron to laugh,” he said dryly.

Nesta ignored him pointedly, while Lucien looked like he wanted to sink into his seat between them.

Elain closed her eyes again.

The rest of the flight was similarly miserable, and Elain cracked and got two little bottles of shitty airplane wine when the flight attendants came around with dinner. Lucien, thankfully, seemed perfectly content to pretend she didn’t exist. At least until the plane landed.

He stood, pulling his bag out of the overhead, and Elain tried very, very hard not to look at the way his biceps bulged at the weight.

“Goodbye Elain,” he said softly, once the suitcase wheels were on the ground. And then Lucien walked off the plane and out of her life without looking back.

Which Elain was perfectly fine with.

Her and Nesta gathered their bags, heading straight towards the ride share section of the parking lot. No more limos for them, vacation was well and truly over.

Nesta ordered the Uber to go to Elain’s place first, asking several times if Elain was sure she wanted to be alone before letting her go and taking off to her own apartment.

Elain swung open the door to the dark  house and dropped her luggage in the foyer before plodding into the living room. And almost tripped over the massive piece of furniture in the middle of the room.

Oh right, the stupid couch she’d ordered. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, a bit of suburban rebellion, and now here she was. With a giant pink sofa she couldn’t move herself and no one to help her.

Elain plopped down onto it heavily, the exhaustion of the last week hitting her, and sighed. If nothing else, at least it was a comfortable piece of furniture she couldn’t move. 

She knew she should go up to the bedroom, spend the night in a pathetic puddle there, but she couldn’t stand the idea of getting in the same bed she and Lucien had once shared now that she knew it was well and truly over. She bit down a sob at the idea.

“I know you’re not moping in there,” said a voice from the entry. Elain looked up to see Vassa standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

“Glad you feel comfortable letting yourself in.”

Vassa gave her a disapproving look.

“Maybe a little mopping,” Elain admitted.

Vassa sighed, joining her on the couch. “Lucien told us what happened.”

Elain pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. “You probably think I’m an idiot.”

“I think you’re bad at communicating,” Vassa corrected. “But I would never say you’re an idiot.”

“Thank god for small mercies.”

“And,” Vassa continued, “I think you should talk to Lucien before tomorrow.”

Elain sighed. “Why would I do that?”

“Because he stormed up to his room and grabbed the divorce papers before talking to us, and is certain that he’s turning them in tomorrow morning.”

“Vassa—” Elain started.

“Which is something you’re both going to regret once you get your heads out of your respective asses.”

“According to you.”

“According to anyone with eyes,” Vase corrected. “Everyone but you can see how in love you both are with each other.”

“And what if love isn’t enough,” Elain demanded, standing up. “What then?” Because of course Vassa only saw the facade her and Lucien put up, that image of perfection she allowed the world to see. 

“Then maybe you are an idiot,” Vassa snapped.

“I thought girl code said you were supposed to be on my side,” Elain snarled, stopping into the kitchen. 

“Where are you going?” Vassa demanded.

“I want takeout,” Elain said, pulling the menu off the fridge from its place of glory. “Are you getting pad Thai or are you going home?”

“From the good place down the road?”

“Where else would I go?”

Vassa grinned. “I want wings too.”

Elain brandished her phone threateningly. “Are you going to keep your thoughts on Lucien to yourself?”

Vassa screwed up her face in a mockery of contemplation. “I can give you until tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Elain punched in the phone number of her favorite takeout place, having long since memorized it, knowing that was the best she was going to get out of Vassa.

-

She woke up on the couch, her head resting on Vassa’s hip. “You’re so bony,” she complained, sitting up and trying to stretch out the crick in her neck.

“You’re the one who insisted we watch both Mama Mias,” Vassa yawned.

“And you brought out the wine,” Elain countered, pulling out her phone to check her email. Just in case she missed anything important from Nesta.

Right at the top was one from Cassian. UNCORRECTED PROOF stared at her in big letters from the subject line.

“Did he work all night on this?” Elain asked, opening it before she could second guess herself.

Vassa peered over her shoulder. “Maybe he’s just as much a workaholic as Nesta. They should compare notes on the best caffeine to use,” she thought for a minute, “if they ever agree to be in the same room again.” Elain had filled Vassa in on the full details of their trip once their food had arrived, and she was deep enough in fried rice to drown her sorrows.

The title page was standard, one of the photos her and Lucien had taken on the beach with the title blazed over it. ‘Different Lives, Same Love? Two Honeymoons Three Years Apart.’ Elain felt her face heat at the implication of the title

“Your ass looks great,” Vassa said, and Elain scoffed, before scrolling down to the next page. Another picture of her and Lucien, the one they’d taken in the hammock, with her looking up at him while he peered down at her. Even through a phone screen, the longing in Lucien’s eyes took her breath away.

Vassa reached over to zoom in on the small white box of text, Mor’s name at the top indicating she wrote the article. Elain scanned it quickly, a brief overview of who she and Lucien were, and what had happened to get them back on the same honeymoon.

“When I met up with Elain and Lucien for the first time, I could tell things weren’t all perfect in paradise,” Vassa read out loud. “That’s an understatement.”

Elain sighed and sent to put the phone down—she trusted Nesta to deal with anything overly vital, and to call the landline Lucien had insisted on having if she was really needed—but Vassa snatched it out of her hand.

 Hoping to get a more complete picture, I reached out to Lucien after I returned back to the states,” Vassa continued.

“Oh good,” Elain sighed, “he can control the narrative. The poor, successful man left by his evil wife without reason.”

Vassa continued, undeterred, taking a step back to keep the phone out of Elain’s reach. “Elain and I have experienced up and downs in our two year marriage, as I’m sure all couples have. It’s obviously impossible to stay in a honeymoon period forever, despite how much I think we all wish we could. Nothing’s going to stay perfect forever.”

Elain buried her head in the couch. Here it was, Lucien telling Mor how badly it had all gone, even a little dig at her being perfect. 

“But I think what’s important when it comes to marriage is recognizing someone else’s flaws and finding beauty in them. Even after all these years, I tell Elain she’s perfect, not because I think she’s flawless but because, to me, those flaws only add to who she is, and I find that whole to be perfect.”

“Fuck.”

Vassa hopped over the back of the couch to sit next to Elain. “Have I told you you’re an idiot.”

“I’m an,” Elain half sobbed, half laughed, her eyes watering. “I’m so stupid.”

Vassa pulled Elain into an embrace.

“He hates me now,” Elain said, a single tear dripping down her nose.

Vassa sighed. “He doesn’t hate you. He could never hate you.”

“You didn’t see his face in the hotel,” Elain sniffed.

“I saw his face at home. And when he was writing that email to Mor.”

Elain bolted upright. “He wrote that now? As in after the trip now?”

Vassa nodded, confused. “When else would he have done it?”

Elain scrambled off the couch, searching wildly for her shoes. She’d assumed he’d done it some time after the interview, in the few hours things were still good in the Dominican Republic, but if he wrote it after they got back— New hope was filling her, and she quickly found her purse. “He wrote it now,” she repeated.

Vassa was standing in the foyer now, watching her with raised eyebrows. “And you’re running around now because—”

“I have to stop him from turning in the divorce papers,” Elain said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. Partially to deal with her  now greasy roots, partially because it felt fitting for the moment.

Vassa’s eyes widened, and she darted back to the kitchen to grab the keys she’d left on the counter. “I’m driving.”

Elain nodded, throwing the door open and racing out to Vassa’s parked car. “He wrote it now,” she said again, giddy. She could barely believe it.

-

Elain had never hated living in LA more. They’d been stuck in traffic for the past twenty minutes, stalled completely on the freeway with no hope of moving any time soon.

“Fuck,” Elain muttered, banging her head down on the dashboard.

“Did you text Nesta?” Vassa asked, inching the car up slightly.

“She’s on her way,” Elain said. Because if she couldn’t get there in time, maybe Nesta, with her downtown apartment, could. Nesta had answered almost immediately, promising to stall Lucien until she could be there. 

“Good,” Vassa said, turning on her blinker to merge over one lane. She cut off a red Dodge Charger with abandon, flipping off the driver when he honked at her.

“If me and Lucien get back together, I’m divorcing him again for making us move so far out,” Elain swore. “Who needs a single family home in the suburbs for two people?”

“Someone hoping for more than two people eventually.”

Elain glared at her. “It is way too early for that conversation.”

Vassa shrugged. “Might want to actually have a conversation about it though.”

Elain debated punching Vassa, but opted to take out her phone and check google maps for the fifteenth time. They were still well over thirty minutes away, with the red line indicating traffic all the way there.

“The only good news is that it’s backed up all the way down the freeway,” Vassa said, “so Lucien’s probably stuck too.”

“Knowing his luck he probably ended up in the one lane that’s actually moving,” Elain grumbled. She checked the map again.

“Check Lucien’s location,” Vassa suggested. “See how far out he is.”

“I can’t, he turned it off when he moved in with you.”

Vassa let out a truly impressive groan. “You said Helion liked you?”

“I think so, why?” Elain asked, only to shriek as Vassa pulled out onto the shoulder of the road and gunned it.

“Because I’m banking on him to pay for our lawyers,” Vassa said, ignoring the line of cars honking at them as they pulled off onto a ramp.

Elain held onto her seat for dear life as Vassa drove with reckless abandon, daring through too-narrow gaps between cars and onto the shoulder at will. “Ten minutes away,” she announced, checking her phone.

“Let’s make it five,” Vassa muttered, picking up speed. Elain screamed as they came dangerously close to clipping a motorcycle.

Several hair raising turns later, and the car came to a screeching halt in front of the sleek office building LA used as a courthouse. 

“Run,” Vassa shouted, unlocking the car door.

“Thank you,” Elain said, throwing off her seatbelt and hopping onto the sidewalk.

Nesta had indeed made it there before her, and was currently facing down both Cassian and Lucien with a look that could best be described as terrifying. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyes murderous as she blocked the doorway. A line was forming behind her, waiting to get out, which she was completely ignoring.

“For the last time,” Lucien said, looking equally dangerous himself, “let me in so I can drop off the paperwork your sister signed.”

Nesta lifted her chin in defiance. “Not until she gets here.”

“Nesta,” Cassian said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “This is ridiculous. Sometimes things just don’t work out.”

Nesta shook her head. “I’m not letting Elain and Lucien fuck things up because they want to pretend something that was amazing was nothing.”

“Nesta,” repeated said, softer this time.

“I’m here,” Elain panted, sliding between Lucien and Cassian to take Nesta’s spot. All three of them blinked at her in surprise, as if they hadn’t actually expected her to show up.

Nesta slowly unfurled from her position, stepping aside. Elain smiled at her in thanks before turning to Lucien. “I’m sorry,” she said, “that I was stupid and I didn’t communicate with you. But I’m asking to talk now, before we finalize things.”

Lucien checked his watch. “You have two minutes,” he said. “And then I’m turning the paperwork in so I can at least pretend I’m getting to the office today.”

Elain nodded, grateful he gave her anything. “I should have talked to you. I shouldn’t have acted like everything was fine when it wasn’t. And I should have realized that before I read some stupid article in a stupid magazine.”

“Hey,” Cassian protested, but both Elain and Lucien ignored him.

“I’m sorry too,” Lucien said, avoiding her eye contact. I should have realized how you felt.”

“I should have told you,” Elain said. “Instead of expecting you to read my mind.”

Lucien met her gaze now, face softening. “No I should—” he started but Elain cut him off with a shake of her head.

“Let me be wrong for once,” she practically snarled and Lucien cracked a half smile. “Or more than once. Let me be wrong all the time.”

Lucien laughed at that. “Noted. Elain Archeron wants to be wrong as much as possible.”

Elain gave him a tentative smile. Laughing was a good sign, right? “And,” she added, “do you think you could let me be wrong in the same house as you?”

Lucien just stared at her, eyebrows raised.

“Fuck,” Elain sighed. “I had this whole thing planned out in the car and none of it’s coming out right and—”

Lucien interrupted her by wrapping a hand around her waist and pulling her in close. “What you’re saying is that you want me to come home?”

“Yes,” Elain said. “And that I’m sorry.”

“I am too,” Lucien said, tracing her jaw with his hand and lifting her face up to meet his.

The kiss he gave her was a light one, just the barest brush of lips before he pulled back a hair.

“I think we should get out of here before your sister and Cassian get arrested for public indecency.”

Elain looked over her shoulder to see that Cassian had Nesta pressed firmly against the glass wall, her hairs buried in his hair.

“I guess her apology worked too,” Elain said lightly, stepping out of Lucien’s loose embrace. “We should take your car, since I think Vassa’s trying to evade the LAPD right now.”

Lucien didn’t even look surprised as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to her. “I’ll ask for Helion’s lawyer,” he sighed.

Elain grinned, taking a step past him towards the parking garage. In the glass wall she could just make out the reflection of Lucien mouthing a silent yes while pumping his fist.

“I can see you,” Elain said.

Lucien straightened quickly, righting his shirt. “Coming”

Elain laughed, reaching behind her to take his hand in hers and pulling him behind her.

-#elucien#elucien fanfiction#elucien fanfic#acotar#acotar fanfiction#acotar fanfic#elain archeron#lucien vanserra

It was a small miracle they made it home in one piece, with how distracted Lucien was the entire ride, his hand on his thighs. Elain, of course, was no help, peppering kisses up his arm and shoulder.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Elain said, once they made it to the door after an extended makeup session across the center console.

“You have no idea,” Lucien said, opening the door Elain had apparently forgotten to lock in her rush out of the house. He backed her into the living room, until they ran into the couch. Lucien raised an eyebrow at the pink monstrosity currently sitting in the middle of their house.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Elain confessed.

“I like it,” Lucien said, scoping Elain up to deposit her on the armrest.

“It’s not very senatorial,” Elain said. “If you ever have to do any press in the house.”

“Who cares,” Lucien pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I think it’s better for the hypothetical electoral body to see a different side of me than something perfect. If I even get nominated since I’m definitely not making it back to the office today. Or tomorrow.” He gave Elain a suggestive look.

Heat filled her core and she twisted her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. “Kiss me, please.”

Lucien obliged eagerly, dipping her back, one hand resting on her back to keep her from falling off the couch arm. Elain worked her hand under his shirt, tugging up so she could run her hands down the planes of his chest, but he rested his other hand on hers.

“Wait,” Lucien said. “I want to talk for a second.” 

Crushing disappointment filled Elain, but she pulled back anyway.

“If we’re going to do this, upend our lives for me run for an office I still don’t fully know I want, I have to know how you feel.” The look Lucien was giving her was pure earnestness. “If you’re not in one hundred percent, I don’t run.”

Elain pulled him into a hug. “I think you should go for it. You would be such a good politician, actually caring about people.”

“But what do you want?” Lucien insisted.

Elain blinked at him. She couldn’t actually remember the last time someone had asked her that. Nesta told her what she should do, and frequently, and Lucien always seemed content to follow along with that, but he’d never fully come out and asked.

“I don’t want to quit my job, not yet, but I might want to go back to school, at least part time, work on my degree. Just to say I have one. California has really good community colleges and I could probably transfer to a school near DC if I need to. I know it would be hard but—”

“Yes,” Lucien said. “If that’s what you want to do then you should. Find the best program for biology you can and I’ll follow you there.”

“But your job—”

“I’ll make the campaign fly me in every week,” Lucien promised. “Won’t be close to the most egregious finance violation.”

Elain smiled up at him tentatively. “I think that would be perfect.”

“I love you,” Lucien said, releasing her hands and letting them return to their roaming of his chest.

Elain let herself fall back on the couch, pulling Lucien with her. “I love you too.”

And then she kissed him, glad that he could be with her in their house, on the new piece of furniture. The same and different love.

[thoughtportal]

A 4-year-old from Detroit has a confirmed case of the measles, and potentially exposed others while seeking treatment for the highly infectious virus at DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan, an urgent care center and a pharmacy in the city, the Detroit Health Department announced Wednesday.

It is Michigan's fifth documented measles case this year.

The child was unvaccinated, said Dr. Claudia Richardson, the city health department's medical director, and had no history of international travel. Measles is so contagious, 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus will become infected.

City health officials said they are working with the state health department to investigate where the child might have been exposed to the virus. So far, however, the case appears to be isolated, Richardson said.

"This is definitely an ongoing investigation," she said, "so we're in the middle of that. At this time, we do not have a source of the infection."

The child was not hospitalized, Richardson said, but was treated in the emergency department at Children's Hospital and is now following isolation protocol.

Anyone who was at the following places at these times and dates may have been exposed to the virus:

From noon to 3 p.m. April 1 at Acadian Urgent Care, 2117 Springwells, Detroit.

From 1:45-4 p.m. April 1 at the Rite Health Pharmacy, 5851 W. Vernor, Detroit.

From 5-10 a.m. April 3 in the emergency department at DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan, 3901 Beaubien Blvd., Detroit.

Children’s Hospital of Michigan did not respond to questions from the Free Press about how many people may have been exposed to the measles in the emergency department on April 3 or about how the hospital is notifying them.

Health leaders urge anyone who might have been exposed to the virus April 1-3 to monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days. If symptoms develop, call ahead before visiting a doctor, urgent care center or hospital emergency room so precautions may be taken to avoid exposing others.

"We're ... doing our routine communicable disease investigation, which requires us to reach out to anyone that may have had direct contact. So far, all we know are family members," Richardson said, adding: "We are trying to get the word out the best we can."

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles symptoms typically begin seven to 14 days after exposure, but can first appear as long as 21 days after exposure and can include:

High fever that could reach 104 degrees or higher.

Cough.

Runny nose.

Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).

Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth called Koplik Spots, which usually appear two to three days after symptoms begin.

A rash that starts on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs, typically three to five days after symptoms begin. The rash is red, raised and blotchy.

"Infected people can spread measles before noticing any symptoms, including four days before and four days after the rash appears," Denise Fair Razo, chief public health officer for the Detroit health department, said in a statement. "Our best advice is to get vaccinated against measles if you have not already done so. It is part of the two-dose measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) series of childhood vaccines."

2 doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles

Measles infections are preventable with widespread vaccination. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), offer 97% protection from infection. A single dose is about 93% effective.

However, in Michigan, immunization rates have fallen to 66% among Michigan toddlers — the lowest point in more than a decade for recommended childhood immunizations, according to MDHHS.

More:Measles cases send Michigan health authorities scrambling to avoid bigger outbreak

What is the recommendation for measles vaccinations?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:

A first dose of the MMR vaccine for children ages 12-15 months old, with a booster dose administered between ages 4 and 6.

Anyone born in or after 1957 without evidence of immunity against measles or documentation of having been vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine should get vaccinated.

Two doses are recommended for adults at high risk, such as international travelers, college students and health care personnel born during or after 1957.

People exposed to measles who cannot document immunity against the virus should get post-exposure prophylaxis — a dose of the vaccine to potentially provide protection within 72 hours of initial exposure, or immunoglobulin within six days of exposure.

How serious is a measles infection?

Measles can cause serious illness, long-term disability and death in people of all ages.

About 1 in 5 people who get the measles end up hospitalized, according to the CDC, and 1 in 20 kids with measles develops pneumonia. Roughly 1 out of every 1,000 children who have measles infections will also have encephalitis. Brain swelling from encephalitis can lead to convulsions, permanent hearing loss, intellectual disability and death.

Anywhere from 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 children with measles dies from respiratory or neurologic complications from the virus.

"We've had the vaccine since 1963, and before the vaccine was available, every year across the U.S., between 400 and 500 people died," Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical officer, told the Free Press for a previous article. "Four hundred to 500 people may not seem like ... huge numbers, but it is a lot, especially if you're talking about your loved one or your child."

Notification too late for post-exposure treatment

The Detroit child's measles case was confirmed Tuesday, Richardson said, but public notification was not made until Wednesday afternoon, when anyone who was potentially exposed to the virus would be outside the window for treatment with post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent infection.

A dose of the MMR vaccine can be administered 72 hours of initial measles exposure and immunoglobulin can be given intravenously within six days of exposure to potentially prevent illness, according to the CDC.

By Wednesday afternoon, that window had closed.

"We are out of both of those windows and ... we were going through the dates very rigorously," Richardson said.

What can be done now, she said, is to educate the public about the potential exposures, what to do if they develop symptoms, and to urge vaccination.

"That's where we're focusing," Richardson said. "When situations like this arise, it brings preventable diseases such as measles to the forefront. ... It's the perfect opportunity for us to stress the importance of vaccination."

More:State's top doctor: Measles outbreak likely in Michigan because of low vaccination rates

The Detroit Health Department offers vaccinations for measles and all childhood vaccination series, plus COVID-19, flu and Mpox at its Immunizations Clinic at 100 Mack Ave. Hours are: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays by appointment. Walk-ins are welcome from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Late hours are available on the first and third Thursdays of each month, when the clinic is open 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

To learn more or to schedule, go to: www.detroitmi.gov/health or call 313-876-4667.

Michigan is not at outbreak status

This is the fifth known measles case in Michigan in 2024.

Two cases were identified in March in Washtenaw County. The second person is believed to have been exposed to the virus at Trinity Health Ann Arbor's waiting and triage area, where another Washtenaw County resident contagious with measles had gone for care.

An adult from Wayne County who had traveled internationally and had no record of measles immunization had the virus in February.

An Oakland County child who was unvaccinated and had traveled internationally was the first known case of measles in Michigan this year, state health officials announced Feb. 23.

Although Michigan health leaders have reported five measles cases since February, the situation doesn't yet rise to the level of an outbreak, according to the definition set by the CDC, which identifies an outbreak as a chain of transmission including three or more cases linked in time and space.

As of April 4, there have been 113 cases of measles in the U.S. this year, according to the CDC, and 58% of the people infected with the virus nationally in 2024 have been hospitalized for isolation or for management of measles complications.

Among those 113 cases, the CDC has recognized seven measles outbreaks, which include 73% of cases identified in 2024.

Comparatively, there were 58 total U.S. measles cases in 2023 and four outbreaks.

[forgetfulminks]

Oral Health

Keeping your teeth healthy is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health! If there is an infection or anything like that present in your mouth, it can carry the bacteria to the rest of your body. Also, keeping your teeth and gums healthy is an important part of long-lasting overall health. So, how do we keep our teeth and mouth healthy?

Your daily oral health routine should look like this:

Brush your teeth twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Use a toothbrush that is suitable for your needs. If you have sensitive teeth, you should use a soft or extra soft toothbrush. If you can, an electric toothbrush is always recommended by dentists, as it can brush your teeth very efficiently without you needing to move it too much (you just kind of glide it over your teeth and let it do the brushing motion for you). But, a normal toothbrush is also fine, as long as you brush correctly.

Brushing correctly means using small circles around your teeth, making sure to brush the front and back (and don't forget your back teeth). Also, try to angle your brush towards your gums when you're brushing so they can get clean too.

Make sure to brush your tongue as well. Your tongue holds a lot of bacteria, so it's good to brush it at least once a day. Make sure you don't over brush it though, as it can break the skin and cut your tongue.

After brushing, make sure to floss once a day. It's better to floss twice a day after brushing, but once a day is the minimum for healthy teeth.

If you can, you should be getting your teeth checked by a dentist every six months, as they can advise you on what you should and shouldn't be doing. They also clean your teeth very thoroughly, so it's a good thing to do for your oral health. But, I understand that those appointments are expensive, especially if you are not covered by health insurance. So, once you have some money saved, it's a good idea to go get them checked when you can.

Now that you've got your routine, here's some tips to keep your teeth healthy throughout the day:

Drink a lot of water throughout the day

Avoid sugary drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juice (or any drink with a lot of fruit in it).

Limit your sugar intake overall and try to eat a balanced diet.

Never use your teeth as tools to open packets or anything like that. This can cause your teeth to chip or crack.

Limit your coffee and/or tea intake and make sure to drink some water afterwards to avoid staining your teeth.

Make sure to replace your toothbrush at least every 3 months.

Note: some people like to use mouthwash, but it should be noted that people who have healthy teeth and gums do not need it. There are also risks in using mouthwash to mask bad breath, as bad breath can be an early sign of gum disease or some other serious oral health issues. If you are concerned about your bad breath, then it's better to go see a dentist about it. They can prescribe you a specific mouthwash that targets gum disease or, if everything is actually ok, they can give you some tips to fix the smell.

HealthDirect (Australian government health info site) - Dental care and teeth cleaning

Post inspired by elonomhblog

[notalwayscommonsense]

Tips For When Dental Hygiene Is Hard

On this account we cover how to do things that are "common sense" or otherwise untaught for the people who dont know. Shame-free. Today, we'll be covering some tips and tricks for keeping up with dental health when times get rough.

Often when we begin to struggle, we spend so much time and energy trying to keep ourselves going that hygiene is the first things to slip away. Unlike other hygiene, Dental hygiene is very important and if things start to go awry it can be extremely expensive to fix. Here are some tips to help keep your teeth clean when you feel like its the last thing on your mind.

────────────

1) Simplify it - Brushing your teeth can come with so many rules and critiques from dentists that it starts to feel like you shouldnt even do it at all. You're technically supposed to brush twice a day, or even after every meal according to some, and for two minutes at the least.

This isnt realistic for a lot of people who are struggling. To get the energy to get up at least twice a day and perform a boring, often unenjoyable task for two straight minutes can be the last thing you want to do.

The key to this is to simplify it. If you cant brush for 2 minutes, twice a day, then brush for as long as you can whenever you feel like you can. Whether its 3am or 3pm, if the motivation strikes, then do it. A quick once over with a toothbrush will help in the long run, more than you think. You dont even need to use toothpaste. The greatest threat to your teeth is simply the plaque that builds up after eating - and removing plaque only requires some scrubbing with a regular, soft toothbrush.

2) Avoiding deterrents - Some people may hate brushing their teeth because certain parts of it can be unenjoyable. For most, this can be the taste of the toothpaste, especially for neurodivergent people. If its too minty or generally just tastes bad, theres absolutely nothing stopping you from getting a children's toothpaste with a fruity, gentle flavor. Same goes for mouthwash. If you hate the mint, try out bubblegum or berry splash for kids.

Is it the action of getting up and going to do it? Leave a toothbrush by your bed and scrub whenever you have the motivation, or better yet, pick up a bag of some disposable mini toothbrushes. These come with a dollop of toothpaste in the center, requires no water, and is ready to go whenever you need it. Flossers are another easy addition to your nightstand to use whenever the motivation strikes.

Theres two other products that are great for convenient brushing. Disposable finger brushes and tooth tissues. Disposable finger brushes are a unique type of wipes you slip onto your finger and scrub your teeth with. They're great for people with sensitive teeth or sensory issues from toothbrush bristles. Tooth tissues are very similar and are exactly what they sound like. A type of moist towelette often used for children, but theres nothing stopping you from picking up a pack to keep beside your bed, couch, or in your bag.

Miswak is a traditional oral hygiene aid popular in some parts of South Asia and Africa made from the Salvadora persica tree. Its been used for thousands of years and doesnt require toothpaste to clean your teeth. The World Health Organization (WHO) has encouraged people to use Miswaks for their natural health benefits. They contain natural minerals such as chloride, sodium bicarbonate and potassium to help strengthen your enamel and fight plaque and gum disease. They are fully biodegradable and vegan if single use plastics are something you worry about.

One last product you can keep on you is Xylitol gum. Xylitol is a sugar that actually reduces plaque buildup and prevents tooth decay by killing the bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities. You can get the gum in a variety of flavors and pop a tablet in your mouth whenever you see fit.

3) Scheduling - Scheduling can be some peoples worst nightmare. Many people feel like theres only a certain timeslot they can perform an action and if they miss that timeslot, they have to wait for the next. To put it simply, thats not true. As said above, theres nothing stopping you from brushing your teeth whenever you feel like you can.

Another tip is to keep your toothbrush in the shower. When you're in the shower and you see your toothbrush laying there, some find it easier to pick it up and do it then. Its a great tip that can help people who often forget to brush as well.

4) Lastly, make it fun - Brushing your teeth can be a chore, but there are some ways you can make it a little more fun.

Chewable toothpaste tablets might not sound very fun, but Lushs oral hygiene line spices things up with unconventional flavors like cherry-citrus or spicy cola to make brushing fun. They also offer toothpaste in jelly form! While these options may seem redundant, a lot of people find motivation in trying and using up new products they haven't seen before.

Fun apps can give you reminders and motivation to get up and brush your teeth. Pokemon Smile is an app where youre encouraged to brush your teeth to help fight cavities, and at the end you're rewarded with a Pokemon to add to your collection. The app can be a little childish, but the visuals are adorable and the gameplay is rewarding.

────────────

Some of these recommendations may seem silly but we encourage you to try some out and see if you notice any difference in your oral habits. Its never too late to start trying to develop a routine and just trying can go a long way.

Products, Apps & Articles:

Download Pokemon Smile

Lush Oral Care

Tooth Tissues and Finger Brushes

96 Pack Colgate Mini Disposable Toothbrushes

Xylitol Gum

[turtledoodle]

Rottmnt Infection; Death's Fungi

TRIGGER WARNING: BLOOD, GORE, MENTIONS OF DEATH, TRYPOPHOBIA

Please let me know if I missed anything.

Disease: Death's Fungi

Deaths Fungi is an ingested disease that seems to only affect humans and animals. Yokai seem to not be affected by the infection, though there have been cases of infected yokai. Mutants never seem to be affected by it, making them fully immune. Deaths Fungi can come in the form of fungi, but is most commonly found in: Mushrooms, Molds, Truffles, and Morels. Hostility levels are based off the specific type of fungi and the species of said specific type of fungi their infected with. (ie: Type of fungi: Mushroom, species of Mushrooms: Death Cap.)

Death's Fungi comes in five stages:

Stage one:

Victim either inhales spores from the infected fungi or eats said infected fungi. Nothing abnormal compared to later stages happens.

Symptoms are:

Fever (Quite common in stage one cases, often carries to later stages.)

Rash (A rash will form somewhere on the body and will quickly spread, no itch cream or creams in general seem to calm the rash.)

Dry mouth (A seeming Unquenchable thirst will form, leading the victim to drink more fluids for seeming no end.)

Chills (The victim will find that their body temperature drops more and more, leading them to become colder and colder, it leads to them thirsting after the warmth and doing anything to warm themselves.)

Stage two:

Tiny, hard to see holes start to form on the body where the rashes are.

Symptoms:

Tiny holes (As stated above, tiny holes begin to form where the rashes are, which carries into later stage)

Obsessive itching (The victim begins to itch the rashes constantly to the point of drawing blood.)

Intense paranoia (The victim begins to have an intense paranoia, which leads to the victim self-isolating or sticking to a specific person or group)

Mouth pains (The victim mouth begins to ache with bleeding gums as well)

Stage three:

One species of a specific type of fungi begins to emerge from the tiny holes, of which grow bigger. (ie: Type of fungi: Truffle, species of Mushrooms: Summer Black Truffles.). Avoid the victim in this stage and the stages after it at all costs.

Symptoms:

Fungi (As stated above, one species of a specific type of fungi begins to emerge from the tiny holes, but the species of also sprouts out of the mouth)

Joint/Muscle pain (Joints and muscles begin to ache as the fungi buries itself in the joints and muscles and sprout from there)

Excessive coughing (The victim stars excessively coughing, the cough itself holds spores that spreads the infection and shouldn't be inhaled.)

Nausea (Victim will often be seen nauseous and throwing up constantly in this stage.)

Mood swing (This symptom depends on what species of a specific type of fungi they have, as victims with. Studies have found that victims infected with a poisonous species of a specific type of fungi will be more violent and attack on sight while victims infected with a relatively safe species of a specific type of fungi will be more passive and avoid people. Though there have been cases where victims infected with a poisonous species of a specific type of fungi being more passive and a victim infected with a relatively safe species of a specific type of fungi being more violent.)

Infected bites (Victims infected with the infection by stage three will have a bite capable of infecting others similar to a zombie. Victims that were infected via bite have been known to have a faster infection process.)

Stage four: This is the second to last stage of the infection, and the second stage is one of the most dangerous stages next to the fifth stage, though little to none is known about the fifth stage. The body of the victim begins to decay as the species of a specific type of fungi begins to take over the body as it's host. Avoid the victim in this stage at all costs. 99% of victims die in this stage.

Symptoms:

Trembling body's (Victims body's tremble in this stage as the body, as stated above, begins to decay as the species of a specific type of fungi begins to take over.)

Rotting smell (As the body decays a rotting odor emits from the body)

Fungi (The species of a specific type of fungi now sprouts from new places as more hole's form on the body.)

Exposed flesh and organs (As the body rots, it exposes both flesh and organs, with the organs being dragged on the ground)

Loss of eyesight and hearing (As the fungi takes over the eyes roll back into the skull, the fungi sprout out from the empty eye sockets and ears*

Wandering (Victim in this state often wanders around as they have no idea where they're going.)

Extreme blood loss (As the victim rots, the blood is often either thrown up or somewhat pouring out of the body.)

Death (As stated above, 99% of victims die in this stage, their bodies being absorbed into the ground)

Stage five: Uknown. Nothing is known about thi stage yet. Symptoms: Uknown. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aka me after watching and reading to many Mlp infection au's. Expect the character profiles of the boys and others soon, I also might throw in some oc's of mine just to be background characters as well! See you soon!

[magnetothemagnificent]

There's starting to be some momentum to depict diverse body types in art and media, and that's great, continue the great work.

But can we also start depicting diverse mouth types?

Not everyone has perfectly straight, aligned, pearly white teeth. In fact, that kind of mouth doesn't really occur naturally.

We need to start depicting people with crooked teeth.

With yellow teeth.

With missing teeth.

With gaps in their mouth.

With mandibular hypoplasia.

With Bell's palsy.

With chipped teeth.

With small teeth.

With braces.

With dentures.

With silver fillings.

With receding gums.

With cleft lips.

With ulcers.

With scars.

There is so much stigma already in regards to dental and oral health, leading to worsening health conditions and people avoiding vital medical care. There are also many illnesses and conditions that may impact the condition of the mouth, such as bone diseases, pregnancy, and substance addition. The majority of people don't have straight white teeth, and the fact that straight, white teeth are the only things shoved at us is actively hurting people.

Show more diverse mouths.

[eddie-rifff]

idk why i feel like sharing this its probably tmi but im doing it anyway. maybe take it as a cautionary tale.

so yeah kind of randomly (so it seems) my oral health has like taken a bad turn? i have changed absolutely nothing about my brushing routine btw and im not eating more sugary things than usual, but like a week or so ago i noticed a LOT more blood when i spit out my toothpaste in the sink. ive had gingivitis for years like i dont remember NOT having it because my oral hygiene has always been subpar so i usually see like a little streak of red but now its like. more than that. so i started flossing bc i was like um im not letting this continue. and yes you heard me, "started flossing" as in i wasnt flossing whatsoever before lol. i never felt i needed to bc although i had gingivitis they always said it wasnt a bad case and i havent had a cavity in like 17 years so i just. didnt floss. but im pretty spooked by this. ive also been tasting blood randomly throughout the day which tells you how bad its gotten

again i have no idea why its started to worsen just now.... maybe its finally catching up with me idk. but yeah im gonna try to fix this. gingivitis is reversible but from my understanding the worse stages of gum disease arent so imma try to avoid that.

ive always had a very very very hard time forming good habits which i recently learned could be in part due to my autism but i dont wanna pin it entirely on that bc theres plenty of autistic people who are way neater and more hygienic than me. but yeah this is not like surprising more just curious that it hasnt happened until now

[immxrtalbi]

Vampire AU + mates

He should’ve listened to Tom. Harry covered his mouth with both his hands, muffling the pain. Blood dripped down his chin.

Tom growled. “I told you not to bite the dragon! Our fangs aren’t meant to bite such creatures. Their scales are almost impenetrable.” He grasped Harry’s chin and demanded, “Let me see.”

Harry shakily moved his hand and opened his mouth slowly. Tom narrowed his eyes as he saw two bloody holes where his fangs should be.

“’Ow ‘ad is it?” Harry said in a gibberish tone.

Tom released him. “You’re fangless.”

Harry’s eyes went wide. “What should I do? They grow back, right?”  

“Luckily for you, yes. But it takes a few days—“

“A few days?” he exclaimed. “How will I feed? We haven’t had blood since yesterday!” They were in the middle of a forest. They had been hunting pretty far than what they’d normally do. It’s easier to avoid villages this way. No one would catch them killing.

“And whose fault is that?” Tom snapped. He would get like that when he’s cranky or hungry.

“Haven’t you ever wondered how a dragon would taste?” Harry crossed his arms, snarling.

“No. Never. Because I know I wouldn’t be able to.” He gazed at the light orange sky, then sniffed the air. There’s no sign of life around them. “I was hoping to eat before sunset.”

Harry let out a sigh. “You can go search. I’ll head back home. I won’t be able to feed anyway.”

Tom paused. He could do that but it seemed unfair to leave Harry alone, especially while he’s hurting. He closed his eyes, internally groaning. Harry made him soft.

“I’ll join you. I need to make sure your gums don’t get infected.”

Both knew it was a lie since vampire couldn’t get diseases. But Harry didn’t correct him, fully aware that Tom wanted to be by his side.

Harry gave him a wide smile. “Thanks, Tom.”

[daviddentalcare]

Top Reasons to Visit an Emergency Dentist in Guildford

The Unsung Heroes of Oral Health

Hello, Guildford community! Have you ever thought about what happens when you face a sudden dental issue that just can't wait? That's where Emergency Dental in Guildford comes in. Emergency dentists are the unsung heroes ready to assist you in times of urgent dental need. Let’s explore the top reasons why you might need to visit one.

What is Emergency Dental Care?

Emergency Dental Guildford refers to the immediate care and treatment provided for unexpected dental problems that require prompt attention. This can range from severe toothaches to accidents involving your teeth.

Reasons to Seek an Emergency Dentist in Guildford

Severe Toothache: If you're experiencing a toothache that’s too intense to ignore, it's time to see an emergency dentist. It could be a sign of something more serious like an infection.

Broken or Chipped Tooth: Accidents happen, and if you've chipped or broken a tooth, an Emergency Dental Guildford service can help. They can provide immediate care to prevent further damage or infection.

Lost Filling or Crown: If a filling or crown comes out, it can expose sensitive parts of your tooth. An emergency dentist can provide a quick fix to avoid pain and further damage.

Bleeding Gums: While some gum bleeding is normal, if it's excessive or doesn't stop, it's important to seek emergency dental care. It could be a sign of gum disease.

Swollen Jaw or Mouth: Swelling in the jaw or mouth can indicate an infection, such as an abscess, which needs immediate attention.

Knocked-Out Tooth: If you’ve had a tooth knocked out, time is of the essence. An emergency dentist in Guildford might be able to save the tooth if you act quickly.

The Benefits of Visiting an Emergency Dentist

Prompt Pain Relief: One of the primary benefits of visiting an emergency dentist is the immediate relief from pain. Preventing Further Damage: Quick action can often save a tooth and prevent the need for more extensive dental work in the future. Peace of Mind: Knowing that there’s a Dentist in Guildford ready to provide emergency care can give you peace of mind.

What to Expect During an Emergency Dental Visit

When you visit an Emergency Dental Guildford clinic, you can expect:

Immediate Attention: Emergency dentists prioritize urgent cases, so you’ll be attended to quickly. Thorough Examination: They will conduct a thorough examination to determine the cause of your problem. Treatment Options: The dentist will explain your treatment options and take immediate steps to address pain and discomfort. Follow-Up Care Advice: You will receive advice on how to care for your dental issue post-visit and information on any necessary follow-up appointments.

How to Prepare for an Emergency Dental Visit

Describe Your Symptoms Clearly: Be ready to explain what happened and describe your symptoms in detail. Bring Your Dental Records: If possible, bring along your dental records. This will help the emergency dentist provide the best care. Stay Calm: Try to stay as calm as possible. Stress can exacerbate pain and discomfort.

Preventing Dental Emergencies

While not all dental emergencies can be prevented, regular check-ups with a Dentist in Guildford and good oral hygiene can significantly reduce the risk.

Regular Dental Check-Ups: Regular visits to your dentist can catch potential issues before they become emergencies. Good Oral Hygiene: Brushing twice a day, flossing, and using mouthwash can keep your teeth and gums healthy. Wearing Protective Gear: If you play sports, wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from injury.

Your Trusted Ally in Dental Emergencies

In conclusion, Emergency Dental in Guildford is an essential service that provides care when you need it the most. Whether it’s a sudden toothache, a broken tooth, or any other urgent dental issue, the emergency dentists in Guildford are there to offer immediate relief, expert care, and peace of mind. Remember, in times of dental distress, your emergency dentist is just a call away.

[scotianostra]

On May 20th 1747 James Lind began a controlled experiment which demonstrated that citrus fruits could prevent scurvy

Lind was born in Edinburgh in 1716 and registered as an apprentice at the College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in 1731 8 years later he became a surgeon's mate, seeing service in the Mediterranean, Guinea and the West Indies, as well as the English Channel. In 1747, while serving as surgeon on HMS Salisbury, he carried out experiments to discover the cause of scurvy, the symptoms of which included loose teeth, bleeding gums and haemorrhages.

Lind selected 12 men from the ship, all suffering from scurvy, and divided them into six pairs, giving each group different additions to their basic diet. Some were given cider, others seawater, others a mixture of garlic, mustard and horseradish. Another group of two were given spoonfuls of vinegar, and the last two oranges and lemons. Those fed citrus fruits experienced a remarkable recovery. While there was nothing new about his discovery - the benefits of lime juice had been known for centuries - Lind had definitively established the superiority of citrus fruits above all other 'remedies'.

In 1748, Lind retired from the navy and went to Edinburgh University to take professional qualifications. In 1753, he published 'A Treatise of the Scurvy' and in 1757 'An Essay on the Most Effectual Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen in the Royal Navy', which threw much light on the appalling living conditions and diet of seamen. In 1758, he was appointed physician to the Naval Hospital in Gosport where he investigated the distillation of fresh water from salt water for supply to ships.

He published work on typhus fever in ships and in the publication 'An Essay on Diseases Incidental to Europeans in Hot Climates' he summarised the prevalent diseases in each colony and gave advice on avoiding tropical infections.

James Lind died in 1794 in Gosport and is buried in the church within the walls of Portchester's Roman Fort

Although the importance of Lind's findings on scurvy were recognised at the time, it was not until more than 40 years later that an official Admiralty order was issued on the supply of lemon juice to ships. With this, scurvy disappeared almost completely from the Royal Navy. It would be the 20th Century before a more fully understanding of vitamin deficiency in causing diseases would be recognised.

[dentalcaremodesto]

How to Get a Stunning and Luminous Smile 24/7

Getting a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7 can be a significant task. The process can become easier with the help of dentists at Modesto and Paragon Dental. However, it would help if you also took care of your oral hygiene to get a beautiful and radiant smile.

Oral hygiene is one of the most critical aspects of our overall well-being. By maintaining your oral hygiene, you position yourself to have a beautiful and radiant smile. In terms of maintaining oral hygiene, regular brushing is paramount. It would help if you brushed your teeth twice daily using fluoride toothpaste. However, the brushing technique must be gentle and in circular motions rather than a challenging brushing technique. Hard brushing can result in enamel removal, so you must be gentle with your teeth and gums and clean them diligently.

This blog will highlight confident choices you must make to achieve and maintain a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7.

Maintaining oral hygiene: What You Should Know

Another aspect of oral hygiene includes glossing. You must floss daily to remove plaque between the teeth and the gum line. This will allow you to maintain oral hygiene and ensure that your teeth and gums remain clean at all times. It would help if you also relied on mouthwash. An antimicrobial or fluoride mouthwash will help reduce bacteria and strengthen your teeth’ enamel.

However, to choose a good mouthwash, you should seek advice from dentists. Finally, your oral hygiene should also include tongue cleaning, which will help clean your tongue of bacteria and maintain your gum health. This can help clear your mouth of bacteria and ensure your smile is fresh, beautiful, and radiant.

Diligent dental check-ups

Despite maintaining oral hygiene, a professional can only take care of certain aspects of oral well-being. This is why you must go to your dentist diligently and get regular professional cleanings. This will help you remove any stubborn plaque or tartar and ensure that any remaining debris that was hard to pull through flossing is taken care of. In addition, through regular dental check-ups, you let your dentist identify any cavities or severe gum issues you might be developing. Regular dental check-ups can help dismiss and prevent these issues and ensure your smile remains beautiful and radiant.

Maintaining discipline through a clean diet and healthy lifestyle choices

One of the primary aspects of a beautiful and radiant smile is having a clean diet and a healthy lifestyle. In terms of diet, you must limit your consumption of staining foods. By avoiding staining food items such as red wine, coffee, tea, etc., you protect your teeth from darkening in color and ensure that your smile remains radiant. In addition to this, you must also drink plenty of water, which helps you maintain your salivary production. This is important as it allows you to keep your oral health and rinses away any acids or food particles that are in your teeth and can cause tooth decay. In regards to healthy lifestyle choices, you must avoid smoking any tobacco products.

This can not only cause gum disease but can also affect your teeth’s health through discoloration. By quitting these habits, you will be able to maintain a beautiful smile that is healthy and radiant. Finally, you must also reduce your intake of excessive sugar. Exceeding sugar levels can lead to tooth decay and poor oral health. By choosing to maintain these healthy lifestyle choices, you elevate your chances of having a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7.

Whitening techniques

One of the most common ways to get a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7 is to seek teeth whitening Modesto. Whitening toothpaste is an at-home method that allows you to remove surface stains on your teeth. However, it is unreliable, as excessive tooth whitening can lead to tooth sensitivity. Another way to whiten your teeth is to do it professionally.

Furthermore, by relying on the dentists at Modesto and Paragon Dental, you not only receive the best possible experience, but they also provide you with safe and effective treatment options to enhance the white radiance of your teeth. This allows you to maintain your healthy smile and ensure it is always radiant.

Teeth protection

Another aspect of maintaining a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7 is always protecting your teeth. You can rely on your dentists to tell you how to use a mouth guard, which will help you limit the grinding of your teeth at night while sleeping. In addition, the doctors will also teach you how to maintain your tooth health by avoiding chewing complex objects that might lead to chipping your teeth.

Conclusion

By adhering to all of these facts and ensuring that you seek professional help from the best dentists in Modesto, you can seek professional teeth whitening treatment, allowing you to have a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7. However, this professional help goes hand in hand with healthy lifestyle choices, so you must maintain discipline and avoid consuming things that can harm your oral well-being. This will help you achieve and maintain a beautiful and radiant smile 24/7.