Visit now for fewer visits later.

An ounce of is worth a pound of cure. Benjamin Franklin

I am one of the first to admit that wellness, prevention and taking care of your health does take some time. You must invest in your health to help stay healthy. Taking the TIME to go through your preventive medical appointments today, saves you time in the long-run. Waiting until you are sick to do something takes much more time and money (appointments, treatments, medications, lost work time, etc.) than taking the time to take care of yourself before you are sick.

Early last month was the start of what will end up being over two months of preventive maintenance for my body. The product of age and being a woman I have to take the time for several appointments to get through all of my “preventive care.”

This year is unusually busy since my six month appointments, annual appointments, and bi-annual appointments all came together at around the
same time. I have no unusual health issues for a woman in her early 40’s, so
everything I have appointments for are all a matter of routine. Here is what I
am going through right now:

1. Dentist appointment, for routine cleaning  – every six months
2. Routine physical – annually
3. Dexa scan (bone density test) – every two years referral from the routine physical. This is unusual for someone my age, but I’ve had them every two years since 30 years old because I need them.
4. Blood work – annually, referral from the routine physical. The blood cholesterol, glucose, liver function, etc.
5. Annual gynecological exam – annually
6. Mammogram – every two years

That is six separate appointments on six separate days to make sure I am still healthy. Or, what I have estimated, 11 hours of time for actual appointment and “travel” time. Not counting time being on hold making the appointments.

I need to schedule two more appointments outside this flurry of medical merriment: my annual eye exam and dermatology exam. Despite having LASIK several years ago, I still need to get checked for eye diseases that run in my family. I also need to get checked for skin cancer since I am a fair-skinned, red-head living in New Mexico.

I feel that I must stay on track with my preventive appointments because of the family history of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancers, and other health issues. I would rather know early and be able to take care of the issues than when it is potentially too late or the visits to the doctor will take a LOT more than 11 hours…

Take the time now to make your preventive appointments, and keep them. They may not be convenient and they do take time, but it is worth it in the long run.

I got a cavity.

Somehow, somewhere along my daily routine of brushing and flossing (and sometimes mouth washing for months when I had it) my tooth decided, “Hey, I’m going to decay in your mouth.”

This is my first cavity in my adulthood. As a child I had many cavities, me and them were like thirty-two peas in a pod. I was the pod. They were my peas. My hidden treasures. My little black nuggets of guilty, sweet pleasure. But the great thing about being a child is that those tiny chompers fall out to make way for a more permanent set.

And what a glorious set of sturdy white soldiers they were! Year after year, they held fast. They were tried and true. Strong and mighty. They could tear through any foe: chicken, beef, pork, you name it. Nothing could take down my army.

Except floss. The harbinger of bad news. The grim reaper of dental hygiene. The gladiator of gum disease.

Guiltily, I’ll admit, I did not floss on a regular basis all my life. Except for this year. This year I made it my moral (switch the letters and it’s molar) duty to look my dentist straight in the eyes and tell him with pride and honesty, that yes, I have been flossing. Every. Single. Day.

Generally, I would feel a slight pang lying to my nice dentist-man, but this year I said to myself, “No more lies! We will do dentist-man proud! We will floss!” And floss I did.

And so, when it came time for that final question, that million dollar question, I could hardly hide the pride in my smile, “Yes! I have been flossing. Every day!” I beamed, waiting for my praise.

“Really? Well it seems you’ve got decay here, in a spot that could only be reached if you were flossing.”

My pride was shattered. My smile weakened at the corners.

“Can you come and see me next week?”

Yes.

“Good. Take care! Don’t forget to floss.”

So, I went back into his office the next week. My usual room is the very far one at the back. (There are only 3 rooms). But this time, the lady ushered me into the first room. The first room has such a sense of urgency to it. No nice stroll to the back where small talk can be had. Right to the front where we mean business.

My usual nurse, the one who cleans my teeth is a nice old-ish woman. We talk. She remembers my major and what college I go to … went to. She picks and pokes at my teeth, scrubbing and scraping. She asks me questions. She takes her fingers out of my mouth so I can answer. She gives me a toothbrush.

This new lady was young. We didn’t talk. She didn’t know my major or anything about me. She held a gun. (Some special gun that hardens the filling).

Enter Dentist-man with large syringe. He opens my mouth and stabs my gums with the needle in two places.

Exit Dentist-man.

I am left all alone in this new room that I’ve never been in before today. The numbing starts taking its effect. I feel … cold. All of the blood and heat just got sapped from my body. I’m trying to look at the nice digital picture frame on the wall, but my vision goes blurry. What. Is. Happening?!

Then, the fires of a thousand suns flare into my skin and I get the cold sweats. And I’m still feeling dizzy in my eyeballs. My stomach is doing the slow churn, like it’s learning how to do gymnastics but all it can do is roll over on its head.

I want to die, and all that’s happened is the anesthesia shot.

My heart races and my breath gets shallow. I tell dentist-man I am a’okay. All signs are go.

Next thing I know there’s a tiny signal tower being screwed into my gums. I have this metal pole sticking out of the side of my mouth and I don’t know what it’s for. Then the grinding, and the whirring, and all the screeching inside of my brain.Banshees are wailing to be freed, knives on plates slice the air, fingernails on chalkboards pierce my soul – all this inside of my mouth.

And I am trying not to barf into my dentist’s goggles.

He unscrews the metal tower and pokes around in the newly drilled hole. Some rinsing occurs. Some suctioning. Some prodding with sharp metal tools. Then fumbling. And, “Dang it! Get me another one. Why won’t this just … Ugh!” All followed by forced whistling.

He is making me nervous. Either he’s got a serious case of turrets, or something is going wildly wrong. He keeps trying to jam the tower back into my gum, which I can feel despite having been shot with numbing anesthesia. And every time he stabs me, I wince. I don’t think he took notice. Or else he just ignored me.

Dentist-man finally gets the tower locked in place and anchored. But then more problems arise in the actual filling of the hole that he created. The lady puts the gun to my tooth. I surrender.

It beeps three times and she withdraws. Dentist is back at it. And then she holds the gun to my tooth again. It beeps and she withdraws. Dentist says, “Good job. Bite down. Chew. Feel good? Good! We’re done. You have a good day now.”

The lady gives me a cup to rinse my mouth. I swish. But it feels weird.

“Does it feel okay?”

I shrug.

“When you bite down, where do you feel it first? On this side or this side?”

I point to the side where my cavity-turned-filling is.

She grabs dentist-man and he tells me to bite down again. Chew. “Oh yea, that’s sticking out.” He grabs a tool and shaves it down.

She gives me a cup to rinse again. I spit all over myself because my lips are numb on the left side of my face and I have zero control over the muscles. She’s gracious enough to wipe my mouth for my pitiful self.

I leave.

But my tooth still feels weird. It feels jagged. I feel a hole. I try to look in mirrors. I can’t tell. I don’t know what a filling is supposed to look like. I don’t know what a filling is supposed to feel like.

I floss. I rinse. It hits a nerve.

And now I might have to repeat this process all over again …

L.

P.S. I am extremely sorry this was so long. I probably should have given a verbal warning to those who don’t like to read. Warning: this is a really long post. Don’t read if you don’t have the stamina.

Each year 30,000 people die of oral cancer and the sad reality is that the vast majority of these cases could have been caught much earlier. With early detection treatment could have been less radical or invasive with a more successful outcome. We all know about the risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, poor oral hygiene, compromised immune systems and poor nutritional support that might increase the likelihood of precancerous tissue changes. However, how do we know when a sore spot occurs if it is something we need to have checked?

Any lesion or sore that has been present for more than two weeks should be examined. In our office we use a treatment protocol consisting of a visual exam at which notations are made concerning the size, shape and characteristics of the lesion. A two week follow up is scheduled and if the lesion is still present a special light called a Velscope is used which aids in further identifying the extent and seriousness of the sore. If there is superficial changes to the tissue a brush biopsy may be done, which is a simple, noninvasive way to collect cells to be analyzed by an oral pathology lab. If the results are positive for further treatment then a referral to an oral surgeon would be recommended for removal and follow up.

Mouth sores can and do occur the question of how serious is one we need to pay attention to, especially if an individual falls into the higher risk categories. April is oral cancer awareness month. If you do have any concerns regarding areas in the mouth that seem to not heal, please contact our office to set up a free exam. Remember catching something early is really your best medicine!! 708-479-9797

 Dental fear may stem from:

• Prior painful or negative experiences
• Feeling helpless or out of control in a dental office situation
• Feeling embarrassed about neglecting your teeth

 Tips to help ease your anxiety:

• Choose a dentist that you trust.
• If you are bothered by the sounds of the dentist office, such as the drill, bring your iPod with you and listen to your favorite music.
• Communication is key.  Share your fears with your dentist and dental staff.  They can help alleviate any concerns.

 Keep in mind that you don’t have to avoid getting the dental care you need.  There are many tools and techniques than can make regular dental visits more comfortable and relaxing for you.

Dentistry by Design is a unique dental office in Elk Grove where you can relax and be at peace while we are working on your teeth. Our patients are looking forward to their dental visits because “everybody in our office is so cheerful and thoughtful”. The sense of well being and fulfillment our patients leave with at the end of their dental appointment is priceless for us and is the highest compliment we can be paid. Please click here for more information or to request an appointment.

 Yours in good dental health,

 Theodore Ionescu D.D.S., Elk Grove Dentist

So make your dentist appointment, NOW. Yes, I’m serious. Call your dentist and make an appointment. He will make you feel so different with your hygiene and your mouth, that it will make you smile more. Dental health, means overall health.

All you need is self confidence & everything “new” in our appearance increases our self confidence. So you need a “new” smile.  The easier way to do that is by going to the dentist. I didn’t say cosmetic dentistry to “make” your teeth. Just refresh them by giving the dentist the chance to do his best by cleaning them and do his best.

After that you will feel much better and you will want to smile more.

” Its X from the dentistry office to confirm your appointment tomorrow. Please can you bring your cheque book or pay £xx.xx per postal order. Any questions please call this number.”

Cheque-book? Postal order? Is this 1984?

So called the number and yes it is apparently indeed 1984. ” Excuse me, did you leave a message to pay by cheque or postal order?” “Yes that is right, you can just got to your local postoffice…” Lord have mercy.

Now I wonder, assuming that this is a fee for the consultation not yet the treatment: how do they make sure you are going to pay for the treatment if you they ask you to pay £xx.xx beforehand by postal order? Or do you then need to make another appointment and queue at the postoffice again?

Hmmm. I sure hope they have electricity in that van…

To be continued.

“That’s a ridiculous amount,” the man says. “Isn’t there a cheaper way?”

“Well,” the dentist says, “if you don’t use an aesthetic, I can knock the price down to $60.”

Looking annoyed the man says, “That’s still too expensive!”

“Okay,” says the dentist. “If I save on anesthesia and simply rip the teeth out with a pair of pliers, I can knock the price down to $20.”

“Nope,” moans the man, “it’s still too much.”

“Well,” says the dentist, scratching his head, “if I let one of my students do it, I suppose I can knock the price down to $10.”

“Marvelous,” says the man, “book my wife for next Tuesday!”

Thursday we met our field trip group at a local grocery/health food store called Windmill Farms for a tour of the store. The kids got to see the bakery, the walk-in fridge and freezer at the back of the store, and behind the scenes of the meat counter. It was a really nice trip and we were all given goodie bags with coloring sheets, apples and raisins.

That afternoon, the kids and I walked to E’s soccer class and then to the farmer’s market to stock up on organic fruits and veggies.

Friday we met our Camp Fire friends at a local beach for the last in our series about San Diego’s regional ecosystems (deserts, mountains and beaches). We saw some shore birds (just gulls), jumping fish, shells, seaweed, eelgrass, and a crab! After we had lunch, two of the mamas came over to our place since we were nearby and since no one else had RSVP’d for knitting group and we had a lovely afternoon working with our needles.

I have no pictures for you of these last two days partly because sometimes I get tired of lugging a big camera around, and partly because I wasn’t about to be responsible for two kids in the bay while protecting a DSLR from sand and water.

Kids had a dentist appointment. It was the first time I ever left Margie alone but she was, of course, fine. Elliott was scared so he sat in my lap and I had to hold him still. He said at every opportunity (and sometimes when someting was currently shoved in his mouth), “I’m being brave!” And, indeed, he was, sweet thing. E’s teeth look good. M has some sort of cavities between her teeth and a “sticky spot” on her molars which is making me second-guess my decision to avoid sealants. We will be better about brushing and see how things go. As far as her teeth not fitting (six months ago we were told she’d need a permanent retainer) well, there is no problem now so THERE. Thbbb!

Margie did about 45 minutes on the Wii Fit – today was step, running, and kickboxing.

I was feeling grumpy and snappy all day.

Gymnastics class. We learned that next week will be the last class as they have decided to close the place after 10 years. I am not sure what that means for the rest of our semester, but I am pretty bummed. I suppose now we’ll look back into the Tuesday PE classes.

Kids watched some Old School Sesame Street this evening. It has a warning on it to the effect that it is NOT FOR KIDS but I think they are tripping so my kids watch it anyway. I live on the edge like that.

Stories at bedtime.

We’ve gone to the dentist today.  Daniel has been complaining about a tooth hurting for about a MONTH and finally it got to me and I started to worry…thankfully the dentist said it’s just growing pains.  He has a big molar coming in and it’s starting to push around a baby tooth.  The baby tooth is going to have to come out on its own….unless the pain bothers Daniel on a daily basis and begins to interfere with his eating, then the dentist said he’d pull it.

OUCH!

Hopefully nature will take its course and the tooth will come out on its own.

Afterwords, I took him to IHOP.  He loves to go to the IHOP for their chicken strips and honey mustard dipping sauce.  I had cheese blintzes with strawberries on top – at first they didn’t settle right but eventually I felt better.

Now he’s back at school and I’ve already got supper started:  two chicken breasts and a can of chicken broth are in the crock pot, along with a sliced onion and celery.  Later on, I’ll add green beans and baby carrots and then some cheese tortellini.  YUMMY!  And I purchased a French baguette to dunk into the soup.

Off to see what’s new in the rest of the world!

~ Patty