The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
DENTAL CARE
Q: I Can’t Do It All. So What’s The Point?
A: So I was asked by a patient who had not seen a dental professional in a good number of years. The story is one that I am well acquainted with. First of all, this is a patient who, at one time, had dental insurance. For a variety of reasons, the insurance went away. Then, of course life got in the way. Family issues, the furnace went out and all the while the mouth and it’s care were on hold. Well finally the hold period is over and it’s time to address the issues. Broken teeth, cavities, cosmetics are not what they once were. When I saw the patient, I was told, ‘fix me up doc.” I performed a comprehensive exam looking for cavities and gum issues. We screened for oral cancer. Fortunately, there were no issues on that front. We took models of the mouth and developed a plan. Options and choices were explained .. Everything was great. I had developed a road map to oral health. The problem developed at the case presentation. There were a lot of years of catch up that needed to be dealt with. Frankly, it was overwhelming. So what’s the point if I can’t do it all? Why should anything be done? Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Michelle Segar. She is the Director of the Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy (SHARP) Center at the University of Michigan. She also is proud to say that she is the author of the bestseller No Sweat! How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness. She discusses how to motivate one’s self to do exercise. The principals that she espouses have far reaching appeal. She talks about celebrating exercise rather than making it a chore. Let’s remember that New Year’s resolutions are not that far in our history. Goals are made and they fall by the wayside. Simple movement that makes you feel good is not a goal. It is a fact. We walk or run or stretch a little bit and appreciate how energized we feel. That’s it right there. Feel good and enjoy the moment ... celebrate the moment! You want to exercise to give yourself a gift of feeling full of life. Guess what? This is something that I want to do often. I am not counting steps..I am not counting minutes..I am not filling out charts. I am giving myself a present and feeling good about it. I like feeling good about myself. I feel strong and full of confidence. Wow! Isn’t that a great present. The simple act of moving a little got me to this point. Let’s come back to our patient. Remember how good we felt after our teeth are cleaned. They are fresh and smooth. I want to savor and save that wonderful feeling. I want to give myself a present of my mouth feeling great. I don’t want broken teeth. I don’t want to chew on one side of my mouth. I don’t want to put my hand over my face every time that I smile. I want to celebrate feeling good about the way that I look and feel. How do I do this? I pick and prioritize one procedure and focus on that. I will see that through and feel great about it. With this approach, I am not overwhelmed and full of despair. I gave myself a gift and I deserve it. If I give myself enough gifts, my reward will be a winning and healthy smile that lasts for many years.
If this patient sounds like you, then stop feeling overwhelmed. Let’s work together to make you feel good. Reaching the goal is great but the journey is what makes the whole process special and leaving you feeling excited about yourself. Please call Megan at 440.951.7856 tell her that you want to feel good about yourself.My staff and I look forward to helping you.