{"id":48833,"date":"2018-04-05T10:46:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-05T14:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=48833"},"modified":"2018-04-05T11:45:29","modified_gmt":"2018-04-05T15:45:29","slug":"a-brush-with-greatness-diabetes-at-the-dentist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=48833","title":{"rendered":"A Brush with Greatness:\u00a0Diabetes at the Dentist"},"content":{"rendered":"

I do not care for the dentist.<\/p>\n

Actually, let me back up for a second, because that\u2019s not fair.\u00a0 I like my dentist a lot.\u00a0 He\u2019s terrific, and very good at his job, and I feel well-cared for and respected during our visits.\u00a0 He takes the health of my teeth very seriously.<\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t like going to see him, because dentist appointments have always scared me<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I have very sensitive teeth.\u00a0I have no idea if it\u2019s because of a long history of type 1 diabetes or because sensitive teeth seem to run in my family, but even a basic cleaning at the dentist\u2019s office can put me on edge.\u00a0And filling a cavity?\u00a0 That\u2019s an out-and-out nightmare of Novocain and clutching the dentist\u2019s chair so hard that my hands go numb.<\/p>\n

Associating pain and discomfort with my dental visits kept me from going to my appointments regularly.\u00a0For a few years, I was only getting a cleaning here and there, and regular dental care was something I viewed with trepidation and fear.\u00a0 (Seems like I\u2019m not alone in this, either, as a recent study just came out citing people with diabetes as reluctant frequent fliers at the dentist\u2019s office<\/a>.)\u00a0 Yes, I was brushing regularly and flossing like a champ (mostly in pursuit of avoiding the dentist for as long a stint as possible), but little issues would crop up here and there, forcing me into the dentist\u2019s chair.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Life with diabetes has shown me that avoiding something doesn\u2019t make it go away, and my need to maintain my oral health was as important as keeping tabs on my blood sugars.\u00a0Also, for people with diabetes, we KNOW that our teeth are impacted by blood sugar fluctuations.\u00a0 Haven\u2019t you ever had that \u201csweaters\u201d feeling on your teeth when your blood sugars are high?\u00a0 You know what I\u2019m talking about.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Diabetes can take a bite out of your oral health, for sure.\u00a0 According to the Mayo Clinic<\/a> (and every other health resource out there), diabetes is huge cause for cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis, and other oral issues.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want any of that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Just like with so many other things, diabetes causes me to have to pay extra attention to non-pancreas-related issues, too.\u00a0 Managing blood sugars as tightly as possible can help me avoid extra dental woes, as can regular (gentle) brushings, flossing, and following through on all my dentist appointments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sigh.\u00a0 So I go to the dentist like all the time now.\u00a0 I go to all my cleanings, and I make myself show up a bit early every time, checking in with the receptionists immediately so I don\u2019t have any choice but to follow through on my appointment.\u00a0 I go in for my cleaning (the hygienist is amazing and puts a bit of numbing cream on my teeth where they\u2019re most sensitive, allowing the cleaning to be as painless and effective as possible), I take their advice on flossing to heart, and when the dentist comes in to examine my teeth, his kind and calm demeanor takes the edge off my panic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Going to the dentist is \u2026 kind of nice now?\u00a0 Dare I say borderline enjoyable?\u00a0 (Almost.)<\/p>\n

I make my next appointment as I\u2019m leaving their office.\u00a0 That strategy, coupled with being a patient in a practice that is kind and careful, helps me with my follow through.\u00a0 (I also bring both of my children to the same dentist\u2019s office, upping my accountability even more.)\u00a0 And yes, it feels weird to have to psyche myself up to follow through on something as simple as a cleaning, but when fear takes root, it can supersede logic and good intentions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So bring on the minty toothpaste!\u00a0 And the floss!\u00a0 And that light they shine right onto my face that sometimes causes \u00a0me to sweat!\u00a0 And the little metal picky instruments that are the stuff of nightmares!\u00a0 They are scary and intimidating but ultimately contribute to my better health, so I\u2019ll check my fear in pursuit of happy teeth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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