Madhuri: It's my pleasure to meet you, Manjo. Congratulation for winning this dinner date.
Manjo: My pleasure too, Madhuriji. Oh.(giggles).I can't believe my luck. I actually won!
Madhuri: Oh, stop calling me ji. And wait till you get the bill!
Manjo: Oh.(giggles), sorry for calling you ji. And btw, you've a lovely sense of humour(giggles)
Madhuri:(yawn) so what's new? Anyway, now that you love me so much, let me share my secrets of success.
Manjo is all ears although he keeps his eyes down due to the intense dazzle of Mads's toothy smile.
Madhuri: Brush your teeth twice a day - morning, after you wake up and night, before you sleep.
Manjo: Aww Mads, even my mum preaches this often.
Madhuri: Shutup and hear more. Brushing at night is more important. You know why?
Manjo: Because there's less queue to use the water?!
Madhuri(staring tiredly at Manjo for a while): Sigh, no sweetheart. Germs play havoc during sleep'cause there is less saliva produced to clean the mouth, than during day. And what kind of brush would you use?
Manjo: Obviously, the one with hairs on end!
Madhuri(adjusting to Manjo's 1/2 empty cerebrum): That's called bristles, not hair. And buy one every 3 months, preferably that's mentioned soft on the cover. Or else, your sensitive gums can get hurt. Besides, better buy a brush that comes with a cap too. This helps avoid trips by cockroaches or germs. They love the paste flavor that remains on the bristles.
Manjo: yuck! thanks for that tip.
Madhuri: And tell me, what kind of paste would you buy?
Manjo: which you can squeeze at the bottom?!
Madhuri(startled & blushing furiously): Ahem, wrong again silly. I meant the color. Get a white-colored paste than those that flaunt red, blue, green or what-have-you. Colgate is good.
Manjo: Thanks. And how do I brush?
Madhuri: Interesting response finally. If you haven't started yet, I suggest you place the brush next to the teeth so that it rests on the gums forming a 45-degree angle against the gums. Move the brush from the gums towards the edge of teeth to move the dental plaque away from the gum line. Move the brush back and forth gently. And brush the chewing surfaces of the teeth with horizontal moves.
Manjo: Umm. Great! And how long do I brush?
Madhuri: 2-3 minutes, maximum. Don't keep scrubbing. Your enamel is not like the hide of an elephant! Be gentle, cover every area & wrap up soon. I also recommend using a tongue scraper/cleaner after brushing. It removes bacteria that builds up on the tongue due to food coating the tongue's surface
Manjo: Cool tips. And look, our desserts are here. Man, I'm hungry after all that intellectual jazz.
Madhuri: Me too. But don't go overboard on the sweets or chocolate stuff.
Manjo: Oh please, you're ranting like my mum now.
Madhuri: Ok, alright. Anyway, never ever forget the night-brushing. Oh my god! I almost forgot!
Manjo: What? Also never forget to flush after the trip to the loo, right?
Madhuri: Agreed. But I meant the Floss. Honestly, how many Indians are aware of flossing?
Manjo: except you?
Madhuri(beaming): Thanks. Many in our country are blissfully unaware of it's importance. It's essential in preventing gum disease. Toothbrush can't reach difficult areas as the interdental spaces. Using dental floss atleast once a day provides effective removal of dental plaque and cleaning between teeth.
Manjo: Great! And how do we floss?
Madhuri: Ask the dentist. Or better still, read the detailed instructions at back of the pack. Get Oral B, that's the best. It's available in any pharmacy and one pack will last for many months.
Manjo(nodding wisely): But Mads, don't you think toothpicks or safety pins will serve the purpose?
Madhuri: Eeek! Rubbish! Never use pins. You wanna bleed your gums? Toothpiks are useless too. And besides, spare a minute to massage your gums daily. Place your index finger over the outside of the gums, another finger over the inside portion, and rub back and forth gently.
Manjo: Wow, tooth fairy! thanks to you, I don't need to warm a dentist's chair anymore.
Madhuri: Sorry dear. Visit them atleast once in a year for check-up.
Manjo: I'm scared yaar. It's been ages since I met the devil in white coat. I'm a regular smoker too.
Madhuri(shaking head): Bad news, dear. Nicotine spells C-O-F-F-I-N for your teeth. But it's not too late. Quit smoking immediately and visit the doc soon.
Manjo: But I'm scared!
Madhuri: Show me your teeth and I'll give my opinion.
Manjo: Are you sure?
Madhuri: C'mon, be a sport. Anyway, they will not be as pathetic as my producers' or directors'!
In dramatic slow motion, Manjo opens his mouth wide and displays his 32-set for all to see.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk!
Madhuri screams in horror, jerks back and falls unconscious on the floor. People nearby follow suit, shrieking widly and running for cover. Stampede ensues, glass windows break, bulbs burst and everyone is hurt while fleeing from the restaurant. Shocked Manjo is unable to move as the earth tremors, and a wide crack quickly splits the ground into two. His body gets lashed by heavy rain. Thunder and lightning pierce the grey clouds with their loud fury. Terrified, Manjo looks up to see an electric pole falling towards him, the 1, 000, 000 volts ready to kiss his life away.
Thrashing his bed like a madman, Manjo jumps up howling.
His mother nearby: Sigh, another one of your bad dreamz? Who is it, this time? Ash or Madhuri?
Manjo(ashamed): Madhuri
Mother: Tch, tch beta. How many times should I tell you to never forget brushing your teeth before sleep.
