The first memory I have of seeing a dentist was when I was six years old. My dentist was Dr. Peck on Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, New York. He had a very nice, kind disposition, but once he started drilling the cavities in my mouth, I was terrified! Even as my Mother and Dr. Peck’s niece Tony held my hand and tried to comfort me, I was scared and in pain. Nothing they could say or do made me feel happy that I came to the dentist. My Mother had an almost impossible time getting me to go back to the dentist.
A year after that “terrifying” appointment, I had a bacterial infection in my mouth. Dr. Peck gave me a deep oral cleaning to eliminate all of the bacteria. I don’t know if the bacteria from my mouth spread to other parts of my body prior to seeing the dentist, but shortly after my second appointment, I got appendicitis. I had an emergency appendectomy and nearly died.
At a very young age, I understood that dentists are vital to healthcare. It’s hard to say what the cause of my appendicitis was, but if Dr. Peck had not given me such a good oral cleaning, I may not be here today to write about this incident. This is why I am such a proponent of dental insurance. Dental care is not expensive, Dental neglect is.
I will be glad to answer any questions about the different types of options that are available.
