As a business owner and dentist, my patients’ and staff’s needs come before my own. Even so, it came as a surprise when my staff told me that it had been over a year since I’d had my teeth cleaned. I usually try to have my own teeth cleaned when there is an opening on one of my hygienists’ schedules AND mine. When the stars collide, as they did finally yesterday morning, I was able to get a spot in one of my dental chairs to have my pearly whites polished!
As a self-described obsessive and compulsive when it comes to brushing and flossing, I was fairly confident that I would get another glowing report from my hygienist during my appointment. One of the measurements that we use in our office to determine oral health is measurement of the gums, or periodontal probing. For periodontal probing, low numbers are good. The hygienist’s tiny ruler slips into the space between the tooth and the gums. She records six separate measurements for each tooth. When the gums are inflamed, the ruler shows larger/deeper numbers. Ones, twos and threes are ideal. Fours and above indicate inflammation and the presence of periodontal disease.
I suppose I should not have been surprised that, after a year of not having my teeth professionally cleaned, that my mouth was not the ones, twos and threes I was expecting! Instead, it was a reminder that I need to practice what I preach! You can bet I’ll be back in the chair in six months!