Literally!
For the first time in my life, I am having dental procedure. Regret neglecting oral care all these years. Anyway, surprised to learn that our bite determined how we looked, whether aged or younger. This is of particular significance to us the middle-aged. A drop in our bite can let our chin drop and make us look older for our age. In matter of minutes we can add years or cut years! An improved bite level lifts up our chin and we look younger just like magic! The dentist who measured me for crowning my rootcanals virtually demonstrated to me the effects of bite levels. Handing me a small handmirror he asked me to check for my altered look everytime he readjusted my bite to see how comfortable I felt with my mouth closing (or lips pursing). With a lowered bite my jaw literally dropped and it looked as though I had aged by ten more years! Some of are already chinny! Then to my relief, he got me back to my exact or present level. This is news to me even if its rudimentary lesson in dentistry. Never gave credit to our molars and canines for gifting us with our aesthetic looks! I could see why and how with gum recession as we age we lose our teeth so that our jaw or chin drops (or perhaps droops?!) and we get the befitting septuagenarian or octogenarian look consistent with our advanced years! A learning experience for me. Life is full of opportunities to glean in information. I was shown a diamond edged blade that could chip in human teeth which was strongest to the extent that only diamond could crack it. I was reminded of the tusks of the elephants. It is because the ivory does not crumble that it made for incredible art pieces in the first place. An integral and vital part of our face, our identity contributing to how the world views us, the reason for our confidence level, most of us still neglect the dental health. I learnt my lesson the hard way, a bit late. But better late than never. Every profession is noble and specialized and takes years of training and expertise to master. In dentistry, precision counts. Our root nerves in gums also connect to our heart so our dentals must be handled with extreme care. How easily the dental flap is lifted and our teeth are reached and later put back right in place is astonishing. Almost like ART. May be that’s why its called dentistry. And finally I could see why dentistry and cosmetology go hand in hand. Dentistry is one area where our general health insurance does not cover us. There is a separate dental health policy to cover dental care expenses. And dentistry is not just about vanity. Our dental health tells on the functional health of our internal organs and our general health conditions.
vijiravindran's 