Editorial: Dental care is crucial

Hands up who hates going to the dentist?

I'm sure most of us do but unfortunately, as I've had hammered home recently, it's a necessary evil.

I've realised how important it is to see the dentist regularly - at least once a year - and that dentists are actually not that bad.

In fact, I told my father-in-law I loved my dentist and repeated that compliment to said dentist the same day.

I usually wait until I'm in agony before I go to the dentist but after the teeth problems I've had over recent months I think I might start going annually for a check-up and clean.

Two months ago I went to the dentist for a root canal and ended up spending more than two hours in the chair and let's not talk about the bill. The dentist, who did a good job, went on to say I had severe gum disease and if I was not careful my teeth could start falling out.

Having returned to get teeth cleaned the dental hygienist urged me to invest in an electric toothbrush and said to come back every three months to get my teeth cleaned.

The cynical part of me was thinking they just want my money but the rest of me realised that I really had been nonchalant about the care of my teeth and that I didn't really want false teeth just yet.

I recalled also reading a friend's Facebook post about how he needed something like 17 fillings. From all accounts he'd also left his visit to the dentist for too long.

And then I had the nightmare to end all nightmares - an abscess in another tooth. I was popping painkillers every few hours and within 24 hours I'd had 10. I was up pretty much all night in agony.

Fortunately I'd made an appointment the next morning to see the dentist. I arrived at the clinic 20 minutes before he did.

His staff were concerned that he was too busy to see me for any longer than 15 minutes but he went out of his way and actually saw me three times that day - hence why I said I loved my dentist.

By the time the work on my teeth is finished I will have spent close to $2000 but I really only have myself to blame. If only I'd visited the dentist more regularly.