Well, this is what dentists say. I read on a dental page lately, that even if you can not see any cavities on your teeth, you should book a dental checkup, because there are probably treatments you could have.

WTH ?

In my interpretation, it means that if you are symptom free, they will surely find something to treat (and get payed for).

So, let me tell you what made me write about this.

The thing is that I recently met a friend of mine that I had this “long time, no see” issue with, and I was shocked AND amazed by the look of his. He had apparently got all of his teeth fixed for a lots of money. And by fixed, I don’t mean just filled, but he had got all of them redone with veneers and lumineers. He told me that he had some new implants too where they couldn’t save his own teeth. He has spent disgusting amount of money on his new look and bought himself a brand new shiny convertible car too. You don’t even have to ask about his age. He is around 40, the first typical age to be seized with fear of getting old.

This is quite common, I usually smile at men when they do this, but this time, apart from him, making me smile, he got me thinking. He said something I have noticed too. He said:

“DO NOT EVER go to the dentist and let them TREAT you unless you are in pain! Even if it is a simple treatment according to the dentist. If your teeth are touched, you are on your way down the hill, and sooner or later you’ll end up having false teeth, veneers, or implants.”

I confess. I have bad teeth. Although you can not tell, because all of them are fixed. my teeth are bad, ’cause my parents didn’t took care enough of my teeth when I was a kid (they were careless about their own teeth too). When I was a teenager, I realized how important healthy teeth were, I collected all my strength and visited a dentist.

Since then I’ve got all my teeth fixed, and I’ve been going to dental checkups twice a year. The funny, yet interesting thing that I observed was, that every single time I went there, my dentist found something that she, by all means had to fix.

And once she drilled and filled my tooth because of some tiny little cavity spot she could see through her magnifying glass, my tooth got worse, and in some cases I needed root canal or a crown eventually. I am not trying to blame it all on her, but it is hard not to ocberve any coherency here.

I may have some issues with health care in general, besides I try to avoid it, I do not have such a big confidence in doctors and hospitals. I know, what you’re gonna say now , that I should trust them, they are devoted to cure and their professional calling is to save lives, and they are one of the most appreciated people in our society (and the lawyers, and the judges, etc.).

According to me, doctors do not deserve more appreciation than other people. I mean not because of the work they do. I do believe that a plumber or an engineer is as important as a doctor, what would we be doing with soiled water flowing on our streets, without all kinds of engineering solutions that make our lives easier, and even without our commonly disrespected dustmen? Where would we be without them?

I suspect that some people would conceivable feel offended now, after reading this, although my intention was not to hurt anybody, but to tell my opinion about values that I do not always agree with.

 

What do YOU think? Do you think that we should put more values to particular professions? Do you trust your dentist? Do you let him/her treat a tooth unless it hurts?

 

 

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