Last week as I was travelling back from a course over in Formby I got to listen to the radio more than usual. My patients may know that I favour radio 2 these days and what caught my attention on Jeremy Vine was a discussion that the Queen’s Corgi had died, and she wasn’t going to have another as it would outlive her.
Firstly 92 what a great achievement! At the practice, we have a running joke that you must be over 80 for us to consider you old. Even at that age many of our 80+ patients come up our steep Victorian stairs with no problem. We are all living longer and are healthier in old age.
Secondly how many decisions do we make when we take our age and how long we may live into account? Mostly likely not often enough.
How does this link to dentistry you may ask? Well, unfortunately, dental work does not last forever and will not be as good as an untouched natural tooth. Dental veneers, for example, will most likely need redoing after ten years. So, before you ask your dentist to veneer all your teeth ask yourself how many times this will need to be redone.
Obviously, I want people to have dentistry, I am a dentist. But, less can be more. Make sure you consider all your options. Tooth whitening perhaps with some adult orthodontics can vastly improve your smile without sacrificing some of your teeth and replace it with porcelain.
So, feel free to ask us things like; How long will this last? Is this the most conservative option?
We are always happy to answer any questions and I hope you all live as long if not longer than the Queen!
