It’s Not About the Tooth
August 1, 2024
I skipped my 6-month dental appointment this past December. The dental hygienists are booked up at my dentist’s office and it’s gonna take til September to get in.
In the midst of kicking myself about not keeping up with my checkups, a back tooth began to hurt. I got a quick appointment, and my dentist told me I have a cracked tooth. I might need a crown.
In my mind, I am not old enough for a crown. Those are done on folks much older than me, right? Well, the dentist has crowns, and his assistant has them too. It turns out that 2.3 million crowns are placed on teeth every year in the USA. So, I am old enough to have a crown and I am not alone. For someone who has no cavities, which for me, is a badge of honor, this assessment of a cracked tooth reminded me that maintenance is key.
Was there something I could have done so I didn’t get to the point that my tooth was cracked? I could have avoided sticky snacks (toffee) or sharp ones (popcorn), brushed and flossed frequently, and not been grinding my teeth. Yup. Sigh.
I am sure you are thinking, “Jennifer, this isn’t a dental blog. We don’t need a communication consultant telling us all about her molars.” Yet, I am also an English teacher who loves a good metaphor. Side note: This blog isn’t about my back tooth.
This piece is about avoiding what is necessary to do in order to stop things from getting to the ‘ouch’ moment. Like paying attention to your health, like decreasing stress. In order to not get to the crown moment (aka the ‘ouch’ moment), we gotta do the basics. Be consistent with the boring stuff. Keep things level. Put in the work. Metaphorically and literally, floss.
Amid the pushes and pulls of the start of school, a few wild months with a presidential election in November in the USA, and every other bump in the road of life, where can you do what’s best for your health so you can avoid further ‘ouch moments’ down the road?
How about asking yourself:
- Which clarifying conversation do I need to have now before school begins so we start off on the right foot?
- What boundaries do I need to set now before I get into an irritated state and become frustrated that I am feeling pushed and pulled in ways that don’t allow me to do my best work?
- What do I need to calendar for myself each day, week, or quarter to make sure I am scheduling in time for my health and rest?
- What do I need to do to keep myself from grinding my teeth at night? Metaphorically and literally.
- What do I need to do to build up my stress tolerance so that when the bumps in the road come, I am better able to manage them?
For me:
- I am putting in a skin check with a dermatologist and an eye appointment on the calendar. (Getting a physical and doing blood work is already done. Phew.)
- I am arranging for more days in between the days traveling for work for downtime and time to think.
- I am working on putting on my blinders and ‘running my own race’ versus getting comparative with others. Not easy for me. On this one, I am a work in progress.
I may need a crown on that tooth down the road. I am grateful that it is something that can be done relatively easily. And, I am recognizing that I need to take responsibility for my health and my body so that I don’t often get into these ‘ouch moments.’ Join me on the journey.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions or need a safe space for talking something through, please feel free to email me at jennifer@jenniferabrams.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Cool Resources
It was a fiction ‘full’ July. Here’s what I read. Non-fiction is coming back into my reading list as soon as school begins!
