NCERT Solutions - Oh, I Wish I'd Looked After My Teeth

Q1. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following table.

Ans:

Q2. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions by ticking the correct choice :
(a) The title 'Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth' expresses ___________.
(i) regret
(ii) humour
(iii) longing
(iv) pleasure

Ans: (i)

Explanation: The title shows a feeling of regret. The speaker looks back on past behaviour and wishes that better care had been taken of the teeth to avoid present suffering.

(b) The conscience of the speaker pricks her as she has ___________.
(i) been careless
(ii) been ignorant
(iii) been fun-loving
(iv) been rude

Ans: (i)

Explanation: The conscience pricks because the speaker recognises her own carelessness in neglecting dental care. She now understands that neglect led to decay and pain.

(c) The speaker says that she has paved the way for cavities and decay by ___________.
(i) eating the wrong food and not brushing
(ii) not listening to her mother
(iii) laughing at her mother's false teeth
(iv) not listening to the dentist

Ans: (i)

Explanation: The speaker admits that eating sweet, sticky foods and failing to brush properly created conditions for cavities and dental decay.

(d) The tone of the narrator is one of ________.
(i) joy
(ii) nostalgia
(iii) regret
(iv) sorrow

Ans: (iii)

Explanation: The narrator's tone is regretful, as she laments past mistakes regarding dental care and expresses sorrow for the resulting pain and treatment.

Q3. Answer the following questions.
(a) But up and down brushin'
 And pokin' and fussin'
 Didn't seem worth the time - I could bite"
 What do these lines convey?
Ans: These lines show that in her youth the speaker treated brushing casually, using quick up-and-down motions and fussing rather than careful cleaning. She felt it was not worth the time and believed she could still bite, so she neglected proper care. The lines convey a careless attitude toward brushing which she later regrets.

(b) Why did the poet go to the dentist? How could she have avoided it?
Ans: The poet went to the dentist because her teeth had decayed and developed cavities as a result of eating too many sweets and not brushing properly. She could have avoided this by brushing her teeth regularly and correctly, avoiding frequent consumption of sticky and sugary foods, and heeding advice about dental hygiene earlier.

(c) "If you got a tooth, you got a friend." What do you understand from the line?
Ans: The line compares a tooth to a friend to emphasise that teeth stay with us and help us throughout life. It suggests that healthy teeth support our everyday activities-eating, speaking and smiling-and so deserve careful attention and protection.

(d) With reference to the poem, how can you look after your teeth?
Ans: To look after your teeth you should brush them regularly and properly, reduce intake of sugary and sticky foods, rinse your mouth or brush soon after eating sweets, visit a dentist for regular check-ups, and avoid using teeth for other tasks. A steady habit of careful cleaning and sensible eating prevents decay and painful treatments later.

(e) Give an appropriate proverb that conveys the meaning that this poem carries.
Ans: The most appropriate proverb is "Prevention is better than cure." If the poet had followed this advice and taken simple preventive care, she would not have needed painful dental treatment.

Q4. "I can't afford to, after what Jack's done to his teeth." What is it, you think, you can not afford to do and why? Write a diary entry of not less than 125 words.

Ans:

Tuesday, 20 June 2023
10:00 pm
Dear Diary,

I can't afford to ignore my teeth any more, especially after seeing what happened to Jack. He has been off school because of toothache and has had to visit the dentist several times. The dentist told him that too many sweets and poor brushing had caused deep decay and that complex treatment might be needed. It was upsetting to see Jack in pain and worried about more work on his teeth. I do not want to waste money and time on avoidable dental problems, nor do I want to go through injections and drilling. From now on I shall brush twice daily with care, cut down on sweets, rinse my mouth after eating sugary food and have regular dental check-ups. I will also persuade my friends to take their teeth seriously so we all avoid the trouble Jack is going through.

Q5. In line 35, the poet has misspelt the word 'amalgum'. Why do you think she has done that? Discuss.
Ans: The poet deliberately misspells amalgam as amalgum to create a playful pun that links the dental term with the word "gum" as in chewing gum. This wordplay adds light humour while drawing attention to sticky sweets and gums that contribute to decay. The deliberate spelling emphasises the connection between dental repairs and the kinds of foods that cause damage.