When I had discovered that my father wore dentures, I was around the age when kids began to lose their baby teeth. When I witnessed him removing his dentures, I somehow thought that was a normal progression into growing up: the ability to remove and replace one’s teeth at will!
Of course, as all curious kids would do, I trotted off to tell my mom I made an awesome discovery, and that I couldn’t wait to do it.
“ What?!” my mom said. “You think you can do what?”, laughing her way though the question.
My mom explained to me that not everyone had access to dental care, and in some countries, dental care was either very expensive, non-existent or delivered by unqualified persons. The solutions for many people were to invest in dentures, as it seemed inevitable that you would have rotten teeth by a certain age. So why wait? Get dentures now, and don’t worry about recurring dental visits, cleanings, fillings and the like. Natural remedies such as Guyana’s black sage plant , which is known to clean the teeth and helps to get rid of odor ( the end of the stem is fashioned into a brush) were readily available and easily harvested, but it really was not a great long-lasting substitute for flossing, cleaning and repair.
Affordable dental care is still an issue in many countries today, including the USA. In a 2018 article “Stuck In Cavity Country”, the Washington Post Express reported that “According to a 2014 report from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, nearly 20 percent of adults ages 21 to 64 said they’d forgone needed dental care in the last 12 months, with the most common reason being “could not afford the cost.””
The “Ok Narwhal, Brush Your Tooth” design was inspired by my father, and my parents made sure that I went to the dentist regularly. The only tooth that the Narwhal has is the large canine which originates from the left jaw, and protrudes through the narwhal’s forehead. He brushes it to make sure that it’s clean and free from barnacles, seaweed and such, and that it shines bright! This awesome tee comes in a variety of colors, and is made of 100% organic cotton. I screen-print each tee by hand in my studio.
I also curated a gift set to encourage little ones to have fun brushing their teeth! Included in the gift set is the Narwhal tee, along with the book Brush! Brush! Brush! by Douglas Florian, and a silicone training toothbrush by Mushie. The training toothbrush comes in a variety of fun colors and is:
+ 100% food-grade silicone
+ BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free
+ Measures 2.25 x 5.5" (5.71 x 13.97 cm)
+ Features removable safety guard to prevent choking and stay-put suction
Makes an awesome gift for the little one in your life, and I hope that they will enjoy the process and have fun brushing their teeth!