The Dental Dilemma....Maintenance vs. Avoidance

I hate to go to the dentist. Even during a good check-up having someone fasten a paper bib with a silver clip chain like old ladies wear on their sweaters, fitting me with HazMat goggles to protect from what…flying spit? Tilting back so far my feet are sticking straight up in the air and my mouth is gaping open, renders me…well speechless. Which is another gripe I have. My grunts, nods and eye rolling answers can only communicate so much.

In my 40s I took a hiatus from maintenance dental care and have dearly paid the price since. That should give me a clue in the issue I'm facing.  I'm on an every four month plan and undergo what they call a "deep clean," kind of  like a "deep dive" in business. In the corporate world I don't mind digging for the facts, whereas I am not as excited when they go searching the crevices of my mouth for some errant speck of tartar. Deep cleaning, more like spelunking, is done with a sonogram laser emitting a shrieking high pitch sound, jolting me out of the chair when it is turned on. Gone are the days of the rotating brush and mint toothpaste replaced by a virtual sand blaster that hits your teeth and gums with a force designed for industrial use.

 For several years now the dental office has had me on a "treatment plan" for future work totaling well over a million dollars...well a lot of money. I've been parceling out here and there fixing a tooth once it has broken. The problem with being old is all those fillings you had as a child are still intact while the teeth around them become brittle and break, creating the perfect environment for decay. Not to mention what they say mercury does in your system, but I am not industrious enough or rich enough to replace all the old fillings. Spitting out shards of a tooth after biting down on a piece of  candy has become a common occurrence. Either way you're stuck dealing with the issue, often in an emergency situation on a weekend while you're howling in pain from a broken tooth and exposed nerve. Although I do have a "temporary" fix on a tooth that is going on 18 years, so sometimes my avoidance pays off.

Which brings me to my current dilemma. The x-rays today showed a gigantic ancient filling, probably from the 5th grade, with several cracks running down the side, ripe for splitting in half. I am still paying for an inlay from this summer, which is a procedure that is more expensive than a filling but less than a crown. Normally I would wait until the Care Credit account balance is at zero before putting anymore charges on the card. But waiting runs the risk of the tooth breaking, thus requiring a more extensive, expensive crown as opposed to doing preventative care . Should be a no brainer, right? Take care of the tooth before it becomes a problem. Except I don't want to and I find I often put off things that deal with my body or are good for me. Routine mammograms, colonoscopies, eye exams, annual check-ups, etc. It's a wonder I ever took my kids to their "well baby care" appointments.

So is it a matter of negligence, avoidance or just plain old laziness? I don't delay in getting my oil changed in the car or having the water heater winterized, although those are non-invasive processes that don't affect my body. Why is it we often care for others but not ourselves? Is it self-love or lack thereof, that is part of the equation? Or is it merely an aversion to pain, yes I hate shots and dental work.

Rather than continue navel gazing as I ponder what the root, (literally) cause of my issue is, I am doing the adult thing and have scheduled an appointment next week to begin the process of fixing the tooth.  In the meantime I will spend time visualizing that the whole experience is painless and effortless, after all I believe our thoughts create. In reality, most likely I'll be trying to think up the perfect excuse to cancel the appointment.

But if I do follow through, I'll be finished just in time to sample the sticky, gooey, fall caramel apples. Now THAT'S what maintenance will buy you.

Becky Arrington guides individuals and businesses to discover their purpose and live authentically. Whether you’re a company looking for innovative ways to lead and engage employees or an individual trying to prioritize, reduce stress or decide what you want to be when you grow up, learning to accept and thrive in change is key.

Discover the Passion, Power and Purpose Within

http://www.channelforchange.com/

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