Chen Shih-chung talks nicotine stains and dental health after quitting smoking

Chen Shih-chung talks nicotine stains and dental health after quitting smoking

2023-06-12

Former Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung recently announced that he’s been off tobacco for a whole year. Before quitting, the dentist and statesman had been a smoker for 60 years. Since retiring from frontline politics, he’s back in the dental clinic, practicing his first career again. He sat down with us to talk dental health, specifically: how can smokers avoid those tell-tale nicotine stains on their teeth? It turns out the secret isn’t rocket science, just dedication.

Chen puts on his scrubs. He’s gone back to his roots in dentistry.

Here in his dental clinic stands a mini figurine of “A-chung” the former Central Epidemic Command Center chief – a gift from another dentist, with lasting sentimental value for the former minister. In this rare interview, Chen was happy to share that he has been off tobacco for a whole year, after being addicted to smoking for six decades. And that means no more fussing over nicotine stains on his teeth.

Chen Shih-chung
Former health minister
Before, when we smoked, we had to think about how to keep our teeth clean. But then I said, “If you clean your teeth after every meal – brushing and flossing – like we do, then basically you don’t really get nicotine stains.”

The former Minister of Health and Welfare is proud that his rigorous dental routine kept the stains away – for the most part.

Chen Shih-chung
Former health minister
When I did get stains, I’d deal with them straight away. When you have bad habits, like foods that stain your teeth, smoking or chewing betel nut, then you need to brush your teeth anytime, anywhere. The longer you leave it before brushing, the harder it is to get them clean. If you shorten that time lag, then of course it’s easier. And obviously it gets harder and harder the more stains you have built up.

Reflecting on his own experience, Chen has a piece of strong advice for fellow addicts: get serious about brushing your teeth if you want to avoid unsightly stains. He’s not so definite about teeth whitening, though – it might not be right for everyone. Now that he’s back in the clinic, everyone wants to know: who are his patients?

Chen Shih-chung
Former health minister
For example, when my wife has dental problems, I take a look.

The politician is finally back at home with his first love – teeth. Chen’s parting injunction to us was to keep your teeth as clean and beautiful as possible, because it can make you want to brush them more, and – of course – drastically reduce your risk of gum disease.

獨! 陳時中重披醫師袍勉癮君子積極除菸垢

2023-06-12

前衛福部長陳時中，日前宣布戒菸成功滿周年，我們進一步獨家直擊，陳時中已重穿醫師袍，重回牙醫師老本行。60年菸癮的他，牙齒卻很少有菸垢，陳時中分享，他過去會天天注意牙齒清潔，自己幫牙齒清菸垢，也強調勤刷牙能有效避免菸垢。

穿上醫師袍，熟悉的阿中部長，真的重回牙醫老本行。

診所一旁，擺著學弟送他的迷你阿中指揮官，讓陳時中感念至今。難得受訪，最開心的就是分享抽菸60年，戒菸成功滿一年，從此以後也不用再擔心牙齒有菸垢問題。

[[前衛福部長陳時中]]
“像以前我們有抽菸的時候，怎麼樣維持牙齒的一個乾淨，但我講說如果你有照著我們，餐後潔牙又餐後刷牙弄牙線，基本上菸垢是不太會上去的。”

陳時中更驕傲地說，過去那段抽菸的日子，牙齒也很少留下菸垢。

[[前衛福部長陳時中]]
“(有菸垢)那自己趕快弄一弄。這種容易染色的食物，或是菸癮或者就吃檳榔，這樣的一個壞習慣的時候，那就要隨時隨地的把牙齒刷乾淨，卡越久當然就越難清啦，那卡的時間比較短，那當然就越容易清。積了很多當然就越來越難清了。”

回首來時路，陳時中建議癮君子要勤刷牙，避免留下難看菸垢，至於要不要美白牙齒則是見仁見智，但外界好奇，卸下部長職務的陳時中，都幫誰看診？

[[前衛福部長陳時中]]
“像我太太牙齒不適我就會看。”

念念不忘牙醫師一生志業，陳時中也分享，牙齒維持越乾淨越漂亮，不但增加刷牙意願，也能真正降低牙周病可能性。

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Holding up a visual aid, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih addresses a preschool drugging scandal in his city during a regular press conference.

Hou Yu-ih
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From the very beginning, we have been handling this issue using a joint task force.

One day earlier, he had urged his 2024 presidential election rival, Lai Ching-te, to follow up on the case, saying “the judiciary is under your government’s jurisdiction.” On Monday, Lai criticized him for missing the point.

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Think about it, if these children were our own children, our own grandchildren, think about how upset we would be. We need to empathize in this situation. Mayor Hou or the New Taipei City government should set up a medical team as soon as possible to protect these children’s health. Come on, Mayor Hou.

Hou Yu-ih
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Lai Ching-te specifically said that I missed…he said that I missed…he said that I missed the point, but actually it’s Lai Ching-te who missed the point. The measures that Lai Ching-te recommended, we have already been taking. So he doesn’t know what we’re actually doing at this stage. For the parents and their children, the most important thing is that they want prosecutors to quickly figure out where the drugs came from.

Hou stressed that his government was being proactive over the case. But DPP councilors say he has explaining to do at the city council.

Cho Kuan-ting
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The bottom line is that you missed the golden window of opportunity. There are too many mysteries in this case, too many truths that are being covered up. Your only chance at saving yourself is to walk into New Taipei City Council tomorrow and face the questions of the people’s representatives.

Hou Yu-ih
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I’ll never try to evade the issues. We fully respect the procedures of the city council.

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Lawmakers and councilors convened a press conference, saying that in April, the scandal was reported to the 1999 hotline, but it was not taken seriously. I personally have no tolerance for cover-ups or concealment. If anything is being concealed, I will personally step down.

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The number of overseas tourists coming to Taiwan has skyrocketed since the pandemic. The No. 1 source of visitors is Japan, but the Taipei Metro Corporation has noted a serious rise in South Korean travelers coming to Taiwan independent of a tour group. That’s why they’re adding new announcements in Korean.

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Fifteen stations will add new Korean announcements for a train arriving at the station. We originally had 13 stations with announcements in Japanese, and we will also add Japanese at eight more interchange stations. We expect them to go online at the end of August, providing a more internationalized service.

To choose which stations need Korean, the company considered social media data as well as trending topics of discussion online, to work out where Korean visitors see as the capital’s top destinations. They hope their announcements will reach as many Korean travellers as possible.

Voice of Ling Chi-hsiao
Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
Considering the international development trends of metropolitan areas, we provide Mandarin, English, Taiwanese and Hakka language announcements, and at relevant stations we have added arrival announcements in Japanese or Korean. We have taken into account whether the announcement can play to completion by the time the train pulls in to the platform.

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Hsieh Su-wei
French Open women’s doubles champion
Come back after nine years. Because nine years ago I was with other partner, and today I’m coming back after my injuries.

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Ms. Chen, in her 50s, is browsing in a supermarket. She chooses a small pack of vegetables, and a single piece of fruit.

Ms. Chen
I choose small packs. It doesn’t matter if the single item is a bit more expensive. I’m used to being single, and I think it’s great – you don’t have to worry about what the other person wants to eat. You just decide for yourself.

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This lettuce was originally sold in a big pack. Now there’s also a single portion. Many convenient ready meals are also gaining popularity due to the single market.

And consumers no longer feel embarrassed to sit down to a feast by themselves. Restaurants have installed single-person seating areas for traditional group meals like roast pork or hotpots. You can even buy mini kitchen gadgets designed for the single household.

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If you want to go and sing karaoke alone, you can get a solo booth. The single market is no longer synonymous with “unmarried people,” either. There are lots of people who were married and are divorced, as well older people who live alone and have retired. The “singles’ economy” is now worth over NT$500 billion a year in Taiwan. And another market that benefits from the rise of solo life is the pet industry.

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