I got to know my neighbors pretty early on when I moved to this place, and I was so thankful that we all got on pretty well. I was introduced to a common joke in my street, that we could be our own medical world given the professions we have in the street. There are nurses, doctors, porters and surgeons in our street, and there is also an emergency dentist near me who I have to thank for my improved smile.

Caring for my teeth is not something which I did to a high level, although I always knew I should have. I had the odd problem but it was never something which caused me great pain or discomfort. Sometimes however, you do just need a shock to kick you into action, and that is just what happened with me.

The Agony

I won’t go into the specifics of the cases which Francis told me about, just the high level of it and the fear which this placed inside me. The main thing which he mentioned that began to make me think twice about my oral hygiene was the pain which people had when they came in for an emergency appointment. I have had some level of toothache before and as anyone will tell you, it is not pleasant at all. The pain which Francis described however, that is something which I never wish to experience. From patients who had literally scratched the skin from their arms in pain to those who passed out from it, that is a position I never wish to find myself in.

The Cost

It is not just the thought of going through something terrible with my teeth which bothers me, but also the costs associated with it. Most people who do have dental insurance have basic cover, which will not always cover the pricy treatment which they may need in an emergency situation. Sadly however many patients don’t have dental cover, and that is why they do not go in and get issues looked at before they become an emergency situation. Sadly of course, the end result is a much bigger bill, I’d certainly prefer to practice good hygiene than face a bill like that.

The End Result

Dentists are not always able to repair the teeth to be like new after an emergency situation. What these incredible men and women can do is to get the teeth and the form of your mouth to be as close to how it was as possible, but this take a lot of time, money and appointments. One patient I was told about, it took just over 2 years and more than 10 appointments to reset his jaw and his front teeth, a painful and time consuming process.

These were the key reasons why having spoken to an emergency dentist, I decided that it was a far smarter idea to just take good care of my teeth.

Gareth Willmot

Gareth Willmot is a serial weird festival collector, coffee snob and a neurotic last-minute traveller who is passionate about marketing, ultramarathons and yoga.