Get Serious! Little Infections?
So here’s the thing; when DDS-types like me start yammering around in dentalese right in front of patients, that’s bad enough. But when we minimize disease and then go extreme on describing the proper care, that’s just plain stupid.
I’ve seen the dentalese approach practically put folks into a deep trance. Patients just sit there absently nodding with eyelids aflutter hoping somehow I’ll finally stop verbalizing so they can escape. But these days my dental assistants do a good job keeping me on track (Singing Dental Assistant Kolleen just points to her watch while Dental Assistant Extraordinaire Dani prefers a more dramatic Sicilian hand gesture.) And I guess if I hired on assistants to support me in every aspect of life I’d have more friends and fewer broken tennis rackets. But I digress.
So what sort of choice would you make if someone sporting a white lab coat told you that you had a little gum infection and the solution was a series of deep cleanings? Can we hear a little traveling music?
“A little gum infection” sounds like something almost cuddly. I start thinking maybe my cutting back on cute little candy figures should do the trick. Since most folks will listen for basically what they want to hear, many tune out after hearing “a little.” Besides, things seem way out of proportion when a slight infection warrants multiple deep incursions around the ole choppers. And what about the consequences of doing nothing?
Believe it or not, dentists can be normal folks just like you. Really. We hate dishing out bad news and we enjoy being liked. And often this totally human approval addiction gets smack in the way of good care.
The solution is as simple as asking for a cookie. Today, you’re more likely to hear your dentist or hygienist actually ask permission to describe any clinical discovery that falls outside the parameters of health.
So if your gums bleed when you brush, you have an infection. If any other body parts bled on touching, would you describe the concern as “little?”
When a diagnosis includes the words “infection” or “disease” its time to be adult describing the concern and the consequences of inaction. And it’s totally appropriate to be hopeful about the prospects of predictably positive treatment results.
“After examination, we’ve measured infection and inflammation in the tissues that support your teeth. Infection of the gums and bone around your teeth is called periodontal disease.
Without the appropriate care, periodontal disease is a leading cause of tooth loss. Today, research is showing a strong link between oral and general health. Periodontal disease has possible connections with heart and lung disease, diabetes, and low weight premature births. The disease is a bacterial infection transmissible within the mouth and between individuals. And folks who manage the disease (that is chronic and episodic much like diabetes and hypertension) live an average 7 years longer than those who don’t.
The good news is the care is personalized and gentle. Early diagnosis produces predictably positive results. Today, improvements like laser and ultrasonic technology add a lot of finesse to our approach; our patients do great and they’re always in control of their own comfort. Early to moderate disease is almost always treated non-surgically. Does all this make sense? Is there any reason we shouldn’t begin care and treat the infection?”
Insurance tends to pick up most of the tab on preventive and/or diagnostic care like exams, x-rays and first trips to the hygienist. And the cost of the same care without insurance is way less than a trip for two to the Clippers or being hauled down from behind by “Panch and John” while cruisin’ down Las Tunas.
Next trip to the dentist, listen for what’s going on, what the consequences of inaction are, and what the solution is. If the solution sounds worse the condition, look for a second opinion.
