Forget mental health, I want to talk about dental health now.

Getting a cleaning is mandatory every six months that is twice a year. Your health insurance will often cover this if you have a dental plan.

Do I like the drilling? No, of course not yet I time it every time because there’s a clock on the wall to the left in front of the chair.

It should take only twenty minutes for the cleaning though of course it feels like a century.

Going every six months is no joke. Like with other medical appointments this can be an area where mental health peers fall down on.

Luckily, or proactively, I hardly ever have a cavity. You should be able to get the x-rays at every other visit which will cut down on costs if you have to pay out of your own pocket.

Yet I can’t say it’s luck, because I rarely eat chocolate or sugary foods that can cause tooth decay. Yet it could be the luck of the draw because I know plenty of people who have heartache with their teeth.

I was at MoMa years ago eating a piece of cheese in the museum cafe. My tooth chipped. It cost $422 out of my own pocket to get two teeth bonded after that. No kidding.

I don’t have the greatest teeth, they’re not an added attraction. Though I do have a great smile, my teeth aren’t white. And I’m not keen to obsess over having gleaming white teeth.

No–I won’t spend money to get my teeth sparkling. I’m not that kind of girl.

It’s true that I have fangs, not perfectly straight teeth. Luckily you can’t seem them when I smile. Yet I also haven’t had the urge to get my teeth bonded so that they look immaculate.

Please–get an x-ray at every other visit and get a cleaning twice a year at the dentist’s.

Your dental health is just as important as your mental health.