This Is Real Life...So Floss
In May of 2008 a young 7 year-old boy named David was taken to the Dentist to have a tooth removed under anesthesia. David’s mother could not be present so David’s father decided to record David on video following his procedure. The resulting video was uploaded to YouTube under the title “David After Dentist” and had an average of 1 Million views per day during the first week. David After Dentist had gone viral.
The reason this video went viral is because of little David’s odd, yet humorous behavior resulting from the anesthesia. In other words, David was a little out of it. The most famous gem offered up by David that day was the line, “Is This Real Life?”
Another significant reason for this video going viral is the fact that we are presently living in what has been dubbed the Information Age. Information, media, our friends and family, etc. are all rapidly and readily accessible via the interconnectivity of the internet. Stuff can travel from peer to peer fast. That is kind of the definition of viral right?
I recall my first exposure to the “internet” during 6th grade at the Joseph City Elementary School in Northern Arizona. Each student was given 10 minutes on one of 2 computers that were “connected.” I immediately looked up information on the military jet called the SR-71 Blackbird. I watched as it loaded whatever I would request and asked myself then, “Is this real life?”
We all, like David did back in 2008, ask ourselves if what we are witnessing is real life on a routine basis. We can access and stream any song, video, document through the air on a little device that has an ultra-high definition screen. We watch videos on our social media feeds of self-driving cars and private companies flying to space. In bigger cities I can push an app on my phone and have a guy named Jason show up in his own car to drive me wherever I request. It just keeps getting more and more complex and amazing and we keep asking ourselves, “Is this real life?”
What about the political situation in this, the greatest country on earth? Please, somebody tell us that this is not real life. This is not the situation that we are really finding ourselves in, is it? C’mon, get to the punchline already...the joke’s over. I digress.
Stuff is going viral all around us every day, and as a Dentist I tend to be tuned into viral topics related to my chosen profession. Some things only go viral within the dental community if perhaps a new revolutionary technique is introduced or if major dental companies merge, whatever. Some stories go full viral and spill over the “dental” banks if you will to the masses. You all remember Cecil the Lion that was illegally hunted last year in Africa...by a Dentist. More recently another dental related story has gone viral, a news report through CBS on whether or not flossing is necessary. Upon hearing about this report I once again asked myself, “Is this real life?”
Let me bring everyone (everyone who reads this column that is) back to reality with my professional opinion on why we all need to floss. If you are a regular reader of mine then you have heard all of these recommendations before and also, thanks for reading!
1. Effective Flossing Prevents Cavities.
I don’t know the actual numbers, but I would venture an educated guesstimate that 85% of all tooth decay that I remove originates between teeth at the point of tooth-on-tooth contact. Where someone would floss if they did indeed floss. Why would so many cavities be found there? Because that is the one part of your tooth that cannot be scrubbed and cleaned with your toothbrush. This is the reason that we take dental X-Rays, because the majority of these cavities cannot be seen otherwise. Food for Thought.
2. Effective Flossing Prevents Build-Up Under Your Gums.
The number one (let that sink in) cause of Tooth-Loss is the gum disease called Periodontitis. An accumulation of plaque beneath your gums contributes to an infectious and also very inflammatory process that results in irreparable loss of jaw bone. The surface area of your gums approximates the top side of your hand. Imagine how alarmed you would be if your whole hand was red and puffy and bled every time you touched it. Dentists have a lot of tools in their belt to restore and fix teeth, but if the bone is a mess our options and those of the patient become limited. Healthy Jaw Bone = Options.
3. Regular Flossing Keeps Your Breath Fresh.
I mentioned this in a previous article, but any dental professional will know if someone has gum disease within 5 seconds of meeting. You are finding yourself doubting me right now but it’s true. Have you ever heard of the phenomena of Nose-Blindness? Would you believe it if I told you that I don’t smell that unmistakable Dental-Office smell at work? Floss for the benefit of your friends, coworkers, and loved ones, but most importantly floss for yourself.
4. Flossing Saves You Money.
No cavities and no gum disease means no expensive dental treatment. Simple enough. Also, I have chosen not to dig into the multitude of overall health benefits that come from great oral hygiene habits. Google it.
Living in Northwest Montana for me means having lots of visitors in the summer. I love seeing the reaction of those who are visiting for their first time. Whether it’s Glacier Park, Flathead Lake, or all the other amazing stuff in between. They soak it all in and turn to me and say, “This isn’t real life!” A big Montana Smile is my only response to them.
I’m here to remind you that we have it good in Montana and this is real life. We only have one life so floss for crying out loud, because we need more big, bright, and HEALTHY Montana Smiles out there. Enjoy the rest of your summer and smile like you’re a kid again.
View This is Real Life, So Floss from Dr. John Miller in 406 Woman magazine.