Smile Pride

My Story

When I was just fours year old,  I contacted Meningitis from a young soldier visiting my family in Carmel, California.  He’d been stationed close by at  Fort Ord Military Base (long since closed down). The only thing I remember about the evening was a soldier throwing me in the air and having dinner with us.

Shortly after our company’s visit I came down with an unmanageable fever.  My mother rushed me  to the hospital where I was immediately diagnosed with Meningitis, ascertained from the  red rash on my spine accompanied by an extremely high fever.

This particular hospital had seen many cases of Meningitis at the time,  especially with Carmel’s close proximity to a military base housing large numbers of soldiers in close quarters;  a virtual petri dish of communicable diseases.  After my examination, I was quickly taken to the quarantine wing of the facility.  The only memories I had of the whole ordeal were hurtful shots, crying to go home and everyone wearing white masks, including my parents.

Children who contract Meningitis often die because of late diagnosis and severity of the disease. Those who do live usually have lingering side effects.  I was so lucky my only side effects were low levels of calcium and iron.  Although the doctor warned that if I was not cared for properly, I could lose all my permanent teeth before I was 12 with the probability of an denture apparatus in the future and would most likely develop arthritis at any early age.  It was not hard to imagine my young mother’s heartbreak with this prognosis.

I still have all my teeth as of this writing (minus my wisdom teeth), primarily because of the devotion of my beautiful mother who could not imagine her first-born without teeth.  She faithfully took me to the dentist every three to six months  in a valiant effort to stay ahead of the prolific carries eating away at my weakened enamel.  Once I was living on my own I proceeded to go to the dentist every 6 months until this day.  When I discovered dental crowns could protect my enamel even further,  I celebrated.

Unfortunately, I’ve had to endure 12 root canals, 22 crowns, four wisdom teeth extractions and an ongoing battle with gum disease, at an estimated cost of $30,000.  I can’t remember a single year that I didn’t owe a credit card company or Carecredit for my dental debt.  But because I fought that battle and won, I have earned smile pride.

What I Learned From A Lifetime of Dental Trauma 

Pick a young dentist. Seriously, take the time to look for a dentist who meets your family’s dental needs.  A young dentist would be trained in the latest dental techniques for saving teeth and not pulling them.  He or she would most likely do dental procedures in their office and not send you out to specialists who charge more.  Once you find the dentist that best fits your needs, stay loyal and listen to his advice.  You and your family will grow with him, keeping fear and trepidation of dentistry at arm’s length.

26 years ago I had an excellent dentist who I trusted but because of illness had to retire.  I was then referred to another dentist who discovered an infection that needed a  root canal.  He could not do this procedure so I was referred to a specialist.  I made an appointment with said specialist who proceeded to tell me after an examination and x-rays that it could not be  saved.  I was so angry I left his office in a huff.  Nobody was going to pull my tooth.  I was always diligent about going to the dentist twice a year just to avoid extractions.  I loved my teeth and they were going to stay with me forever, period.

I went home that day bitter but still hopeful and decided to go for a walk to cool off.  After a couple of blocks I came upon a sign announcing a new dentist in town.  I immediately went into the the office and made an appointment.  When I met the dentist I was shocked at how young he appeared but was comforted by his enthusiasm and love for dentistry.   After looking at my x-rays he said the procedure looked difficult but felt confident a root canal could be done.  I came back the next day and within 2 hours the tooth was saved.  Fortunately, this hero of a dentist hired me shortly afterwards citing my enthusiasm and love for dentistry and in doing so helped me avoid dental bankruptcy.

I have that pesky tooth to this day.  I have that ace dentist to this day and after 26 years consider him a dear friend.

Love your teeth and mouth.  Appreciate the hard work they do day in and day out, preparing food for digestion.  Your marvelous mouth is the gateway to health and must be cared for regularly just like the body.  Infection, missing teeth and swollen gums lead to disease, pain, weakness and a shorter life, not counting the out-of-pocket expenses even with insurance helping.

I met patients who told me they’ve never smiled because were too embarrassed to show their teeth.  Imagine the embarrassment this must have caused especially in a job interview or interactions with the public. Others related the misery of partials and dentures in chewing, digestion and loss of bone in their mouths.  Still others got hooked on drugs to relieve the constant pain of tooth decay; or those who claimed to have never brushed their teeth or had them cleaned (unbelievable but true).  But the saddest of all were the children with mouths full of cavities, broken baby teeth and racking with unbearable pain because their parents didn’t know the basics of dental care, leaving them for hours with a bottle propped in their mouths or not having the fortitude to brush their little teeth or check their mouths for decay.  What kind of dental habits will they grow up having?    

Listen to Tried and True Dental Advice.  Religiously brush and floss your teeth after meals, especially when eating anything sweet.  Visit the dentist every 6 months but take no longer than a year.  Plaque and decay never rest, their sole purpose being to destroy.

Fluoride helps prevent decay in children and adults. Use it if your dentist recommends it.  I don’t care which side of the fence you are on with this issue,  fluoride works.

Take ownership in the care of your teeth and gums.  Dentists are not God.  They can’t be with you every minute of the day.  You need to do the daily maintenance required to avoid the ridiculous cost and irritation of extensive treatment. Make your precious smile a priority.  Feel sorry for the people like me who had no choice but to depend and pray for a dental hero or lose their teeth before they could made a mark in this world.

Remember

A beautiful mouth develops smile pride and paves the way to self-confidence.  Self-confidence then paves the way to a more youthful countenance; a happier and more positive attitude and eventually to a success in life; no matter the age.