Teeth are your life
Today, someone came for a second opinion, saying,
"I wanted to have you examine me, Ms. Yanagisawa."
I am a dental hygienist, but I do receive requests for second opinions like this.
(Of course, I inform them that I am not a dentist, and the consultation is conditional on them being okay with my perspective.)
They had undergone orthodontic treatment, but were worried,
"Is this really okay?"
"Should I have it redone?"
they wondered.
What they were concerned about was the standard for the beauty of the mouth.
They felt that they did not fit
a certain famous standard for the mouth.
But I feel uncomfortable
applying one standard to everything
and deciding, "This is the correct answer."
"Is that really necessary for this person?"
That is what I thought, and that is what I told them.
And as I examined their mouth,
the effects of clenching were also clearly visible.
So, I told them that in order to protect their teeth from now on,
it is also important to reduce clenching.
This can be learned in my course, the Clenching Girls' School.
But you know,
what I am looking at
is not just "how the teeth look now."
With these teeth, how will this person
live from here on out?
How they use them, how they smile, everything is connected.
In 10 years, 20 years,
what will these teeth look like?
I examine the teeth,
and I imagine the future of those teeth and their life, haha.
Having examined teeth for over 30 years,
I have seen many regrets of "I wish I had met Ms. Yanagisawa sooner."
So I end up imagining more deeply.
I think not just about the current state of the teeth,
but even about the life that lies beyond those teeth.
Today, we had a thorough talk,
and they left feeling satisfied about their own teeth.
And then, a message arrived after that.
"I will live with these teeth❤️"
This made me incredibly happy.
To live with one's own teeth.
I was happy that they felt that way.
Being able to give them a push to start their life over
made me supremely happy.
I examine teeth.
But I am not just examining teeth.
Teeth are life.
That is why I
intend to continue thinking about that person's teeth and their life.
