You wake up in the morning in a frenzy. You’ve slept through your alarm…again. Sprinting into the kitchen, you frantically pour milk into a bowl of cereal, only to discover it expired three days ago. Turning your car’s ignition in the driveway, you remember it is out of gas. At work, your boss requests that project to be on his desk by noon—the project you forgot about last Friday!
Take a deep breath. We’ve all been there.
They say the early bird gets the worm. A little proactivity, and we could have saved ourselves a lot of anxiety. Unfortunately, reacting to life’s emergencies is often the easiest, most convenient human setting in which we can operate.
Reactivity has its place in dentistry, too. I’ve worked on thousands of patients, each with a unique story to tell. If there is one clear pattern I’ve noticed, it is that in most situations, the most egregious dental emergencies stem from a problem that was at one point preventable. A bit of proactivity could have warded off gum disease, tooth decay, plaque buildup, painful extractions, cavity fillings, and expensive surgeries.
Proactive dental hygiene is in the little things. Simple habits, done regularly, can save us so much grief in the long run.
Take flossing, for instance—arguably the dental habit most taken for granted! Most people know they should brush their teeth. But forget to floss, and up to 35% of your teeth’s surfaces are left uncleaned. Repeatedly left to flourish, that much bacteria will slowly and imperceptibly yellow your beautiful smile, weaken your gums, amplify tooth sensitivity, build up plaque deposits, and wear away your enamel. A scary thought, but eminently preventable, nonetheless.
Here at Two Rivers Dentistry, we take preventative dental hygiene seriously. Life is better with a healthy, bright smile. The battle for a healthy mouth is waged daily, by committing to small, simple acts starting with thorough brushing and flossing.
When you come into our office for a routine checkup, our goal is to ensure you are in-and-out quickly, safely, and most importantly—pain-free! Help us by helping yourself! Don’t forget the little things, and we will take care of the rest.