For years, I have neglected the dentist’s office. I thought that by brushing and flossing (occasionally flossing) was enough to keep my teeth healthy. Last week, one of my fillings popped out and took a chunk of my tooth with it. There was no pain, but it was highly inconvenient. So I was finally forced to visit the dentist. Little did I know, I was about a month away from needing a root canal in 2 different tooths (among other minor issues).
I learned some valuable lessons.
Little problems, left unattended, become big problems
What started out as a broken filling turned into a chipped tooth (about a quarter of it), and soon would have become root canal status. If something is a problem, fix it as early as you can. Whether you are in pain every time you bend down to pick something up, or you are a 9th grader who can not dribble with your left hand. Solve the problem early, and see the progress later.
The best time to start is right now
As Dr. Gilmore was going through my lengthy list of issues, I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and like a failure all at the same time. It was then that I realized: this is WHY he does what he does, to help people keep their teeth healthy. No matter how far behind you might seem, start your journey right now. If you do, you will only see improvement. If you wait, you will only get further and further behind. Don’t protect your emotions only to worsen your problems.
Silent IS deadly
Since I had no pain in my mouth, I didn’t think there was any problems. Little did I know, I was just a short time away from major issues (and major dental bills). Just because there are no immediate effects to a small problem, does not mean that you can ignore it. If something seems wrong, start fixing it.
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Being a beginner on anything is frustrating and difficult. No matter what you are trying to do, keep moving forward, no matter how slow you are moving. Also, seek out advice of people who are more knowledgable in the area you are focusing on. Our success is largely influenced by the people we surround ourselves with and learn from.
What are you doing right now (or need to do right now) that is difficult starting? What can you do to initiate the progress?
