Don't wait until it hurts!

     Last month I went back to Romania for a number of meetings with my colleagues. For most of the people in the world Romania is associated with Count Dracula (not such a malefic character until 1897 when Bram Stoker wrote his novel), however there are many other places to see and people to know. 

      Being my birth country there is always a lot of anticipation when I land in Bucharest. The first thing which makes a big impression is the driving. It is just crazy :) I cannot understand how come the nice lady, who just spent 2 hours drinking coffee on a terrace, can become a monster when she gets behind the wheel, because she wants to be on the other side of the town in less than 2 minutes :) It becomes crazier when you approach a turnabout. The rules are fluid, everybody seems to have the right of way, and there are moments when it seems like you have to close your eyes, push the gas pedal, and hope for the best. This is an approach which may work, but when it is not, the consequences are not pretty. 

      Unfortunately, I sometimes see the same approach when people are thinking about dentistry. I have been told several times by people who just found out I am a dentist (casual acquaintances,outside the office), that they haven’t see a dentist in 10+ years because nothing hurt them. The truth in dentistry is that, when it gets painful, the treatment is usually very involved and expensive. What about the gums? The health of the gums is extremely important for the health of the body. Bad gums lead to infection, and the infection can travel all around the body. This is extremely important for the people who have diabetes. So, in order to have a healthy body one should have a healthy mouth. This is why we recommend having a dental exam at least once a year, and a tooth and gum cleaning AT LEAST once every six months. And if you have a healthy smile you will end up with a beautiful smile as well.