Stay on Track

Great things are accomplished with consistent small actions.

I have tremendous fear of the dentist. Growing up my dentist could never get me numb, so I felt every procedure performed on my teeth. Looking back, those times in the dentist chair really scarred me for life.

You can image the anxiety I still feel when I go see my dentist today. No matter what I’m having done, a cleaning to a crown, anxiety is my constant companion.

My fear of dentists leads me to be more aware of how I care for my teeth. I brush my teeth twice a day; once in the morning and once before bed. I may even brush my teeth after lunch. I floss daily.

The confusing thing for me is that even with all this displeasure surrounding dental visits and my knowing how to properly care for my teeth and gums, I still struggle with being consistent in such a small thing.

For example, I own an electric toothbrush. It works great. My dentist loves that I use one. The hiccup is that I don’t always use it. When it gets late and I’m very tired. I tend to reach for “old faithful” the regular toothbrush, rub it over my teeth a few times and call it day.

You see, I don’t want to take the time it requires to use the electric one. If the electric one is used properly, it will take you a grand total of two minutes. A whopping thirty seconds on each quadrant of my teeth!

This may seem like an interesting example for the title “Staying on Track,” but for me, if I stay on track with brushing my teeth properly (a two minute investment twice a day), I will experience great things when I am sitting in the dental chair. I love hearing the words, “No cavities Mr. Pierce. See you in six months.”

Life doesn’t always go as planned. My days don’t always cooperate with my checklist. I don’t always get all the rest I need which can lead me to have a debate while staring in my bathroom mirror. However, I must continue to challenge myself to “Stay the Course”. A very small investment of two minutes can lead to great things four months down the road with those wonderful words, “No cavities Mr. Pierce”.

What small actions are you struggling with?