Smile...Give one Get one Free!

About one in every 2000 babies is born with natal teeth, so was I, like Napoleon and Julius Caesar. Dad and mom were very strict parents when it’s brushing or flossing the teeth. They always saw that I did it properly.

As a kid I brushed my teeth properly and they were always white and strong. I have only known Colgate, early days it used to be Colgate tooth powder and later the white Colgate tooth paste, now its max fresh or active salt at home. No other tooth pastes entered home, dad would refuse even free samples of the other brands.


I was one of those naughty kids, I used to pull, push, bite and open things with my tooth. If a bottle doesn’t open use teeth, if we have open a candy pack or box use teeth, as a result of which the front two teeth came out like a coconut scrapper. I was really happy with my coconut scrapper teeth for a long time, because I would eat coconut holding it with the shell!

My tooth came out even more, and I started to realize, I was looking ugly with tooth pushing out of my mouth! Overbite is this condition where the upper teeth protrude significantly over the lower teeth

Mom took me to a dentist to get me braces for my teeth. I had worn the temporary braces for three months and there was no effect. I had all strong white teeth with no gap between! The Dentist advised me to go for permanent braces! There came the big trouble. Four of my teeth had to be removed in-order to have those permanent braces. I don’t remember exactly, I think the doctor removed my premolars two from each side, one up and one down. I had to revive my wonderful smile so I had to bear all the pain!

In school and in college I was always called the Colgate smiling beauty! How can I let go the title! Every Time i pose for a picture I was asked if I was advertising for Colgate! Smile on my face is one thing that you cant miss! How can I let go that smile??


I wore those painful permanent braces for 10 months. I had to take special care of my mouth those days, whatever I eat used to go and stick to the braces. I had to avoid meat, pop corn, nuts anything hard and chewy was a no no! In 10 months my coconut scrappers had gone inside. The doctor cut the braces and gave me a temporary brace to be worn for 6 months. I wore it for 3 months.

I got back my face in proper shape. I got back my Colgate smile


There is a popular saying in Tamil “pallu pona sollu pochu” meaning we lose the ability to speak well if we lose our teeth

Scary teeth conditions

Tooth can develop cavities or caries. In this case the bacteria evade removal by brushing and saliva and damage the enamel and deeper structures of teeth. Most cavities occur on molars and premolars. Tooth decay is a general name for disease of the teeth, including cavities and periodontitis.

Gingivitis is inflammation of the surface portion of the gums, around and between the crowns of the teeth. Plaque and tartar buildup can lead to gingivitis. Plaque is a sticky, colorless film made of bacteria and the substances they secrete. Plaque develops quickly on teeth after eating sugary food, but can be easily brushed off. Tartar happens if plaque is not removed; it mixes with minerals to become tartar, a harder substance. Tartar requires professional cleaning for removal.

When gingivitis progresses, it develops into periodontitis, The bacteria on the teeth release toxic substances that harm your gums and cause them to become infected. The infection and the inflammation that result when your body attacks the bacteria can degrade your gums and the bone in your jaw even further. You may have exceptionally swollen, painful gums that are likely to bleed.



Thanks to my parents and to Colgate, I never had to face any such problems!


I reason behind my smile is
I practice proper dental hygiene
I don't let anybody get me down
I stay true to myself!
I think positive
I stay positive
I try to be a little nice to people
I have tons of fun!


You there, the one reading this now
I want you to do something
Smile
Smile because you are beautiful
Smile because you are amazing
because you're unique
because you can
because tomorrow is a new day
Smile because you deserve to

The moral of the story is listen to your parents when you are young, don't open cans with your teeth like I did, and keep smiling. Well, you know what to do to keep smiling :)

There is a beautiful old film song which starts with the beauty of pearl while teeth here

For details about oral health care please long on to "My Healthy Speak Blog"
This post is written for Indiblogger Contest for Colgate Pro-Gum Health

A Moonlight Sonata....

It was 3 AM

A heavy sigh, he looks over and there she is, his life, the woman who brings a lot to him in many, many ways. She had decided to spend the night, she doesn't stay very often, he always wanted her to stay, but she rarely does. It’s special for him when she stays. For reasons she knows; but she does not really understand why it is so special for him.

He sits up and putting his hand under his head, looking over at her, there she is, and the sheet barely covering her tanned and toned body. He looks at her as she lies there on her back, her head is turned towards him, her eyes are closed, and the sheet rises and falls as she breathes. Her breasts are just barely covered by the sheet. Her dark hair is all tussled.

He enjoys watching her sleep, to him she is beautiful and even more so when he watches her as she sleeps. Her face is without its normal loud smile, and her makeup all gone, not that she needs much. But when he watches her like this it makes him appreciate her beauty and tenderness, the soft and gentle touch she has.

Previous night they both cooked a casual dinner together. She had brought some red wine with her. They had the dinner in the balcony and sipped the red wine under the moonlight. Silence was their language. Neither he spoke a word nor she.

She now sleeps like a cherub, close to him, feeling safe n secure!! He keeps gazing at her angelic face, kiss curls rubbing on her face; her kohl smudged eyes, soft skin, her raspberry lips and didn't know when he fell into a trance.

He wakes up to see its morning. She is gone. His wait starts for another night

Her kohl smudged eyes

Once upon a time she lit up the dark night
she was the moon-god for the seamless sky
but now she draws herself into the hush of her mind,
distancing herself from the chaotic world outside
The world of masks, of the ga-ga romances
of those toxic faces, of poses
of feeble men, some stark-naked,
some strongly guarded, some terribly bored

Her benevolent appearance now consumes mysteries
she wants to rest until revival
for she's chocked by those absurdities
of the dog eat dog world outside
she draws herself, vague and slow
into a complex world of her own,
of perceptive melancholy

She gets strangled in her bewildered thoughts
un-traversed by wild: un-restrained,
as she enters her everyday sojourn,
she begins to rant and rave
about all those forgotten moments of joy and sorrow
ready to take on the world with an innocence
and slowly her kohl smudged eyes veils the night

I believe

I know how it feels to pinch your cheeks
I know how it feels to hold your hands
I know how your faces changes when you get angry
I know how your forehead shrinks when you are irritated
I know how it feels to see you sleep
I know how deeply you get involved in a book
I know how serious you become at work
I know it’s true when you say something
I travel several miles my eyes closed
To sit by your side and watch you for a while

A smile n sparkle

Since the day I saw you
I am thinking about you
Every day, every night
Nothing else runs in my mind right

You gotta understand, that you are my delight
The streak of first light
Heart longs to hold you tight
Even when you blow me, in a fight

A smile n sparkle - you ignite
Your words n voice - an invite
You are so far away from sight
I feel like catching the next flight

hidden deep....

He asked "Do you know what's the sexiest thing about you?"

She answered "No...I don't know"

"It's that sorrow hidden deep inside your eyes!" he answered poignantly

A tear flowed down through the corner of her eyes....may be she was trying to push out that sorrow what he was talking about!

N[ever]

his silence

Until one day

He never spoke a word to me..
until one day, I had to say good bye
Tears in his eyes!

Another day and another night is over!
leaving behind those unfulfilled dreams!
and still I keep dreaming....

War with love

He was gazing at me,
And every time he thought that I didn’t notice
I looked at him after he turned away,
He reached out for me,
I knew, he gave a silent knowing smile
Cues of love
I pretended, as though I didn’t understand
Every night he kissed me in the air
I knew, it was on my forehead
Every time he whispered
I heard it close to my ear
Every time he touched me
I knew, the peaks of bliss!
Every time he wrote a love song
I knew how he sang it
Every time he shed a tear
I pretended to be indifferent,
I knew, he was in love With Me
But I was confused in Love!

Miracle

The first time that I saw Carole, was at a crossing. I was on one side and she on the other side. I couldn’t resist taking out my mobile a clicking a picture of her. I have never done this before. I felt crazy. That girl sure had something. I extracted the picture on to my PC to see a larger version of the same. I wasn’t in love with her until I saw her piercing eyes and innocent smile. She didn’t have any make up on. She was uniquely gorgeous! She appeared and disappeared in a flash.

The second time I saw her was a pleasant accident on a Friday evening, at a pub after a month or so. She was sitting at a table with three other ladies. Her beauty was beyond description. The long black tousle framed her cherubic face. Her deep brown eyes were sparkling with excitement. In fact, she was so gorgeous that I dared not approach her. I just watched her from a distance.

"How could an average looking guy as myself approach a woman like her?" I sat terrified in the corner. She was animated when she talked. I could almost include myself into the conversation just by watching her hand motions. She was so alive. Her beauty was pulling me, tugging at me to talk to her.

I slowly stood up from my half eaten sandwich, and half drunk beer to talk to her, but fear grabbed me and sat down again. Looking down at myself, I knew that I had nothing to be ashamed off. I was looking ok in a branded T-shirt and jean. Yet, the trouble was that, I was just average.

I could feel the natural romantic urges taking over my body and knew that I should better get out of the room. Looking around, I realized that there was no other door except the one beside her. I had to find a way to relax. I needed something to distract myself. I found nothing other than her distracting me.
I had to force myself to walk beside her. I would have taken two steps, before I realize what, I was on the floor, my face down. I had slipped and was right at her feet.
“WTH” I said to myself
"Are you all right?" she asked.
As the waiters tried to help me to my feet, I shrugged them off. Standing to my feet, I was okay. I made direct eye contact with her.
"Thank you ...uh.." I paused
"Carole, my name is Carole Joseph," she volunteered.
"Thank you Carole."
She grinned.
“You ok?”
“Oh yeah fine, I m ok” I blurted
"I am glad you are fine."
Suddenly, the manager appeared in the scene from nowhere and escorted me to the hotel's doctor's office. After a quick examination, they gave me an examination report and refunded my bill. As soon as I got out, I looked for Carole. She was no longer in the pub. My heart dropped to my stomach. There were no signs of her. I just wished that I would see her again.

About four months had passed. I had almost forgotten her…
One cold winter evening I was sitting on the shores of Juhu beach
"Hello Stranger, " some familiar female voice I heard from behind.
"Hello," I responded turning back.
To my surprise, it was her. ‘Miracle” that day, I believed. I felt something click between us. It was like we were old friends that had not seen each other in years. Both of us were blushing.
"I knew, I would meet you again," she said with a slight grin. I knew at that point that she felt the same connection. I smiled back a grateful smile.
It no longer mattered where she was. Miles across the oceans was immaterial to me. I decided she was the one, my soul mate.
"Would you like to go on a walk? I love to walk along the beach during a sunset." She asked me
Until then, I didn’t notice that the sun had started to sink into the sea. The huge fireball was cuddling with some distant wave. This moment of conflict between day and night, the sun and sky was the most magnificent sight.
"Oh that would be great, " I answered.
We walked and talked along the beach. Conversation was easy and comfortable with her. Our talks seemed to compliment each other like the color of the sky complimented the sea. The more that we walked, the fewer people we saw on the beach. We might have walked long, suddenly I realized we had the beach to ourselves. No people in sight.
I found myself staring at the horizon. The bit of the sun that was still showing was creating a myriad of colors on the horizon. It was a beautiful sight that stirred emotions deep inside of me. As I blended with the scene, I felt Carole’s hand slip into mine. I saw that she too was watching nature reveal her most beautiful treasure, the sunset at sea. She made that day, the sunset so beautiful for me

I knew that a gorgeous sunrise wasn’t far away…..

Where is...

where is

the answer to my prayers
the reply to my questions
the smile on my face
the sparkle in my eyes
the happiness in my heart
the peace in my spirit
the fizz in my actions
the sweetness in my words
the cheer in my ways
the love the dwells inside me!

Bunch of Sunshine

I walked across the meadows
where there was this tall grass;
the cold wind was blowing
For a minute,
I thought I was in heaven,
but I wasn't!
I stood there,
feeling the cold wind
rubbing past the raw skin of my face
I stood there,
looking at the collossal trees
and then I saw this beautiful bunch of flowers!
I kept gazing at them,
beautifully they were swaying with the wind, rather dancing
carefree, smooth and gentle
I moved closer and closer to this bunch of wild flowers
I smelled them!
Alas! they didn't have any aroma, but still they looked like heaven!
this bunch of flowers sure had taken me to a fantasy ride!

tired and lost

I am feeling so lost
I feel, I am tired
Living just to please people
It's all the people around me
All of them love me
thats what they say!
lemme be clear, I dont love you
I have idea of reciprocating your love
wanna yell out loud
"Fu*k off world, I don't need you!"
leave me alone
just leave me alone

a lil confusion

I was a lil confused this morning
which mask
should I wear today?
the good gal one? the sad gal one?
or a sceptical one?
everyday it happens naturally
I wear my dress and then
Pull out a mask from under my sleeve
it happens naturally
it was different today
I forgot my face!
my natural face
my face, sans make-up
is long back lost!

somedays

Some days I am a feather
Some days I am the wind....

my fear, my confession

Those juvenile days, I chased butterflies
I grew up a little and sprinted behind kites
Now, is this a rainbow or a wind?
I know, they can never be mine!

Can't take more...for they leave me torn!

Time to Celebrate!

I am excited! If you ask me why? Coz I am getting published!

It was a short story entitled "Love me dear..." submitted in response to a contest announced by Mirage Books in 2008. Now has been published in the book titled ‘Inner Voices’. Released this week, the book can be ordered online from Amazon or Rediff

Inner Voices

This blog happened sometime in November, 2004. I never knew what a "blog" was until then. It was Swati who introduced me to this world of blogging. I started off with reading few blogs and one among them was Dream Vendor & his Coffee and Stories. If I hadn't bumped on to Dream Vendor (now my best friend) I wouldn't have known I would one day write and get published. One very important person who contributed to this blog is Balaji

I have already two poems published with Sulekha Series. This is my first story getting published.

There is something special about this story. Well it was my first attempt to write a story !

I just wanna thank all the folks who continuously kept visiting this space and encouraging me.

My special thanks to Arjun Kariyal for he himself doesn't know, how important his role is, in keeping my spirit up!

Huggzz Dreamvendor he is getting published too!!!

I may...

I may not have muscles
but, I would never run out of strength

I may not breathe
but, I would never run out of life

I may run out of money
but, I would never run out of wealth

I may be blindfolded
but, I would never run out of vision

I may never get an opportunity
but, I would never run out of hope

I may not have power
but, I would never run out of courage

I may not be freaking happy
but I would never run out of a smile

I may not sleep
but, I would not let loose my dreams

I may not have followers
but, I know I'm on the lead

I may look clumsy
but, I know my destination

I may be weak
but, I know how to recoup

I may fall down
but, I would surely rise up again

I may not be mighty
but, I believe in an Almighty