The Good Dentist

I try to brush twice everyday, like all who care about their teeth should. But sometimes I neglect the duties, and brush only once or maybe not at all. But what’s one day without brushing, right? Sure, you get that layer of plaque that you feel every time you run your tongue over your teeth, but that can all be washed away with another brushing. Sometimes that little bit of neglect can do damage, but as long the outside looks clean people think you’re winning the battle with plaque. I go to the dentist to get my teeth all nice and clean so I can feel good about myself again. Today was such a day.

After the dental assistant finished with me, the dentist came in and did the final bit of the check up. He was a very friendly man, and I think he honestly cared deeply about my teeth. I asked him why and if he cared.

“Why do I care about teeth?”

"Yeah.” I replied.

“Hmm, that’s an easy one. I love teeth, so that’s why I care about them.”

“Why do you love them?”

“I just do. They’re so beautifully made. The bone, nerve, gums, everything about oral heath care is fascinating and that’s why I love them. There’s nothing better then healthy teeth.”

This response caught me by surprise. I would have thought, “Oh, I don’t care that much, I’m just in it for the money” but no! He seems to genuinely love teeth. I would even bet that they cause him sadness when someone has a cavity or when he has to do a root canal.

As a side note, have you ever wondered why the dentist asks you if you floss or not? It’s pretty obvious if you do, especially when the dental assistant five minuets before just flossed for you and your gums are bleeding all over the place. Why does he want you to tell him? He knows way more about your mouth than you probably do, so why tell him obvious things? I guess it adds to the dentist-patient relationship.

A trickle of blood was running down my lower lip from the recent flossing and then he asks the question. I wanted to say, “Yes, I do floss,” but lying straight up to you dentist is wrong, everybody knows that.

After he’s done cleaning my teeth, he tells me to call him if anything hurts and that I should come in immediately. “A cavity can sneak up on you when your defences are down, so brush and floss regularly so it doesn’t happen.” He then gives me a toothbrush and a pack of floss so that I can do what he told me to.

“My gift to you,” he said.

I feel psyched when I come out of a dentist’s office. I want to brush everyday, floss, and maybe even stimulate my gums with the little rubber thingy. I feel good when I do it; I’m thinking long term. My teeth are going to be so good ten years from now. But in two weeks I’m back to my old self only brushing once a day and not flossing. After they start to hurt, I don’t stop eating sugary foods. I enjoy the sugar too much. But then the pain gets too much and the dentist pops in you head. ‘He cares about you,’ my mind says, ‘and he said you could call him any time if you were hurting.’ But I hold off, and endure the pain for a while, hoping that it will go away. But then I finally call him, knowing that he is the only way for me to have healthy teeth.