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Use These 4 Tips to Protect Your Dental Health in 2022

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Putting your oral health first is important. In fact, good oral health can actually play a significant role when it comes to preventing gum disease, tooth loss, cavities, or endodontic treatments. Furthermore, good dental hygiene can greatly improve your self-esteem.

Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to maintain good oral health. Continue reading to learn more.

Brush your teeth after meals

The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth at least twice a day with toothpaste containing fluoride. Make sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to keep your mouth plaque-free and fresh.

While you should take your time when brushing your teeth, it’s also very important to avoid overbrushing them. Keep in mind that doing so can wear down the enamel, which plays a significant role in preventing cavities. 

This then exposes your teeth to bacterial infection. Apart from wearing your enamel away, over-brushing can make you prone to pain by exposing the layer of dentin in your teeth. Therefore, be careful when brushing to lower the risk of getting an infection.

Visit the dentist regularly

To maintain good oral hygiene, it’s vital to schedule appointments with your dentist. This is usually recommended every six months and might include the removal of tartar and plaque. The dentist will examine your teeth and look for signs of gum disease, cavities, or any other dental health problems.

When visiting your dentist, make sure to mention any health issues you might be experiencing, since some of them might negatively impact your oral health. You can also visit your dentist in case you notice some changes in your dental health; for instance, tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums, or discoloration. Your dentist will examine your teeth and in case of discoloration, they can offer teeth whitening services.

Reduce your sugar intake

Reducing your sugar intake and switching to a healthier diet might be your goal. But have you considered it part of your oral hygiene routine? Note that the high amount of sugar found in processed foods, desserts, candies, and soft drinks can cause tooth decay. 

Therefore, try to reduce your sugar intake, switch to natural sweeteners, or substitute them with low or zero sugar alternatives. Also, be cautious when eating starchy food like bread and chips as they can lead to tooth decay when they sit on your teeth for too long.

Floss your teeth

Flossing your teeth is as vital as brushing them. By flossing, you are able to get rid of bacteria and plaque that are in areas that you cannot reach with your toothbrush. Besides, flossing allows you to remove food particles stuck between your teeth and help you prevent bad breath.

Therefore, take your floss and slowly push it between your teeth and to your gum line, and gently hug each side of your tooth by moving up and down several times. Also, be very careful while flossing, avoid flossing quickly between your teeth as it can result in pain and you won’t get rid of plaque completely.

Final Words

Your smile is a tool that will help you create a fantastic first impression, and it all starts with good oral hygiene. What’s more, your oral health can affect your physical appearance as well as your self-esteem. Therefore, it’s crucial to set aside some time for your dental hygiene regimen. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride and a soft-bristled brush, reduce your sugar intake, floss, and more essentially, visit your dentist regularly.

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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Health

The Scientist as Storyteller: How Steven Quay Makes Complex Medicine Relatable

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Scientific discovery often struggles to reach the people it is meant to serve. The distance between research and public understanding can be vast. For most scientists, publishing in peer-reviewed journals is the endpoint. For Dr. Steven Quay, it is only the beginning. His career has been defined not just by what he has discovered, but by how he communicates it. 

Scientific trust today faces growing skepticism and misinformation spreads faster than facts, Quay has embraced a rare role. He is both a scientist and a storyteller. His ability to bridge the technical and the human is what makes his voice resonate across disciplines, institutions, and communities.

Writing as a Lens into the Human Side of Science

One of the clearest examples of Quay’s narrative instinct lies in his writing. He has authored three major books, each rooted in a different part of his life and expertise. Together, they show how a medical researcher can also be an accessible public thinker.

In Stay Safe: A Physician’s Guide to Survive Coronavirus, published June 5, 2020, during the first days of the pandemic, Quay offered plainspoken, evidence-based guidance on protecting oneself and one’s family. It was not framed as a political statement or a policy directive. It was personal and grounded in the daily realities people faced. He wrote it not just as a scientist, but as someone who wanted to help others navigate a frightening time with clarity and calm.

His second book, The Origin of the Virus, tackled a more complex and controversial subject: the question of how SARS-CoV-2 emerged. Rather than speculate, Quay walked readers through the scientific evidence with the kind of transparency that is often lacking in public discourse. The tone was methodical, never alarmist. What set the book apart was its balance, engaging to a lay reader, yet rigorous enough to be taken seriously by professionals.

Then there is A Ride Through Northville, a deeply personal departure from the world of virology and oncology. Here, Quay revisits his childhood in Michigan, capturing the streets, friendships, and quiet moments that shaped him long before he entered a lab. The structure of the book mimics the experience of riding a bike through town, evoking memory not as a chronology, but as a sensory journey. For a scientist whose career has involved high-stakes research and global debates, this book offers a rare window into the reflective, grounded person behind the work.

Speaking Clearly Without Speaking Down

Quay’s communication skill is not limited to the written word. He has also become a frequent guest on health-focused podcasts and a speaker at public science forums. His TEDx talk on breast cancer prevention is one of the most viewed videos on the subject, and for good reason. He does not rely on drama or abstract theory. Instead, he explains mammographic density, hormonal risk, and clinical trial design in a way that makes the science both comprehensible and actionable.

In interviews, Quay has a habit of slowing things down. He avoids jargon unless he defines it. He is comfortable saying, “We don’t know yet,” which, in the realm of public science, is a kind of honesty that builds trust. He often discusses Atossa Therapeutics’ trials in plain terms, describing how experimental drugs like (Z)-endoxifen might help certain patients respond better to treatment. He emphasizes that these are ongoing studies, not marketing pitches, which sets him apart from many biotech executives.

Educating the Public Without Oversimplifying

One of the challenges of public-facing science is resisting the urge to oversimplify. Many well-intentioned scientists flatten complexity to fit the constraints of social media or mainstream news. Quay does not follow that path. He explains mechanisms and hypotheses with nuance, trusting that readers and listeners are capable of understanding more than they are often given credit for.

His social media presence reflects the same philosophy. He shares articles and research updates, but rarely with alarm or bravado. When he comments on current medical debates, he tends to lead with evidence rather than opinion. That steady tone has earned him a following that spans across ideological and professional divides.

During the pandemic, this approach stood out. While others chased headlines, Quay focused on distilling evolving guidance into practical advice. He acknowledged the limits of current knowledge, updated his views as new data emerged, and emphasized science as an iterative process. His voice became one that many people turned to not for certainty, but for clarity.

A Scientist’s Responsibility Beyond the Lab

Quay has often said that science does not exist in isolation. It is part of society. That belief informs why he writes, speaks, and engages in public discourse as actively as he does. He sees the scientist’s role not just as a producer of knowledge, but as a custodian of its meaning.

He has testified before the U.S. Congress and advised the State Department, not as a politician but as a physician-scientist committed to accuracy. In each case, his contribution has been grounded in data but shaped by a recognition of the human implications of policy and research.

This is especially evident in his work on breast cancer. By advocating for better screening tools and more personalized treatments, Quay speaks not only to clinicians and investors but to women facing real fears about their health. He explains the science behind mammographic density and hormonal modulation not just with charts, but with stories about what those risks mean in someone’s life.

Storytelling as a Form of Service

What makes Quay’s communication style compelling is that it never feels performative. He is not branding himself or building a media empire. He is doing what he believes scientists should do: make their work useful.

In every form of his storytelling, from the deeply personal to the technically specific, there is a throughline of responsibility. He understands that science touches people’s lives in ways that go far beyond the lab. For him, that means speaking clearly, writing honestly, and never underestimating the audience.

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