| The words hung in the air and the implied | | | | state board that regulates her profession. I |
| meaning struck me like a hammer. There was no | | | | decided not to. I believe in the saying, |
| way I was going to allow this dentist to make | | | | 'what goes around, comes around'. I don't |
| a permanent hole in my tooth and then fill it | | | | wish for anything bad to happen to this |
| after hearing the word, 'reversible'. I was | | | | dentist. I just believe that there is a |
| going to do a little research first. I feared | | | | universal justice system that balances things |
| that what the dentist wanted to do and what | | | | out in the end. |
| was really necessary were two very divergent | | | | |
| realities. Turns out that I was right. | | | | In any case, I'm glad that I didn't have a |
| | | | cavity that was permanent. The moral of this |
| I did my research. The majority of the | | | | story is to underscore a point that I think |
| sources I checked indicated that reversible | | | | is important. The body does have the ability |
| pulpitis will go away without intervention. | | | | to heal itself. Softness in dental enamel is |
| So why did this dentist want to drill into my | | | | no different. Still, perhaps there are times |
| perfectly good tooth? That is a question that | | | | when it cannot. |
| still disturbs me, more than a year later. | | | | |
| | | | Of course, I'm not a dentist and I'm not |
| It does appear that there is a 'gray' area | | | | suggesting self diagnosis or treatment. If |
| nestled in among the qualified opinions of | | | | you have or think you might have a cavity or |
| dentists. Some believe that the very | | | | any other dental condition, you should go to |
| beginning of tooth decay should be | | | | your dentist for diagnosis and treatment. |
| immediately drilled and filled. Others are | | | | |
| not so quick on the draw. | | | | But it does appear that sometimes you can |
| | | | start to develop a cavity and it can go away. |
| Having a number of negative experiences with | | | | I found a reference to a November 1991 study |
| dentists, I've become a bit cautious around | | | | published in the Journal of Oral |
| them. It seems to have paid off on at least a | | | | Rehabilitation in PubMed. (PMID 1762023). |
| couple of occasions to hold off on | | | | This study was conducted by the Dental |
| 'immediate' treatment and do a little | | | | Research Unit of Hadassah Medical School |
| research first. | | | | located in Jerusalem, Israel. |
| | | | |
| I equate the dentist attempting to 'start | | | | After intentionally softening enamel |
| right away' with the type of high pressure | | | | utilizing a popular cola drink, they found |
| tactics that often take place on a used car | | | | significant hardening of the enamel from |
| lot. The stakes are a little higher in the | | | | eating hard cheese. This is important because |
| former case. The health of our teeth and gum | | | | it suggests that when the tooth enamel is |
| tissue is not the realm where sharp salesman | | | | weakened it can become strong again. |
| or NLP wielding marketers should tread. Yet, | | | | |
| the phrase, 'let the buyer beware' still | | | | That makes sense because the human body is |
| seems apropos. | | | | not a machine in the true sense. For example, |
| | | | a car doesn't have any self-healing |
| What happened at the end of my story? I | | | | mechanisms. It breaks down sooner than a |
| dropped that dentist like a bad habit. I was | | | | human body and requires external intervention |
| so sure that nothing was wrong that I didn't | | | | to keep it running. The human body has many |
| even bother getting a second opinion. Six | | | | ways to heal itself in contrast. Consider a |
| months later, I went to another dentist and | | | | cut or an abrasion and how the body can often |
| guess what? There was no cavity in sight. | | | | repair those problems without serious medical |
| "But, isn't it in my chart?", I asked. " | | | | intervention. |
| "Yes, I see it in there." Not wanting to harm | | | | |
| the reputation of the other dentist, I | | | | Remember, if you have or think you might have |
| decided not to say anymore. | | | | any dental problems at all, be sure to |
| | | | consult your dentist for diagnosis and |
| I've thought a lot about it though. The words | | | | treatment. |
| that first dentist said before declaring her | | | | |
| wish to drill and fill my tooth were about | | | | On a side note, I believe the cornerstone of |
| her impending wedding. I can't help but think | | | | my personal health maintenance regimen to be |
| she felt some special need to make more money | | | | the healthy, energizing and peaceful |
| then her usual take. | | | | exercises of Falun Dafa. You can read and |
| | | | watch videos about them on the FalunDafaorg |
| I briefly considered reporting her to the | | | | website. |