say cheese

I think that was the first dentist appointment in a long time that didn't end with, "Looks like we'll need to do some additional work." whew!

Well, I did spend most of the early part of the year with constant dental visits: redone cavities to switch out the metal fillings, two redone root canals that had gone bad. Let's just say I enjoy dual coverage dental insurance.

Fortunately, I'm still young enough to turn it around after numerous years of neglect bouncing from one dentist to another. And the deep gum pocket that signaled a deeper infection in the tooth in the back is virtually gone!

I'm thinking about getting braces, not just for the aesthetic reasons but also for hygenic reasons to make it easier for me to keep my teeth healthy. And not just my teeth healthy but the rest of me too! There are now various studies linking gum disease to a whole host of ailments including: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and yes even pre-mature births. They believe alot of it is tied to the bacteria in the mouth penetrating the body and causing infection to weaken other parts of the body.

And if you like your teeth, you smile more. I certainly don't mind having more reasons to smile!