Welcome back to another episode of “Being Bella Minded”. This particular vlog happened almost a year ago. Listen, I’m being more diligent in finishing what I started so just be prepared to see a lot of year old vlogs being published on the site. However, there’s a lot that can be learned from these vlogs because I believe it speaks to some of what I’m experiencing today when it comes to health and the healthcare system.
I had to get six teeth pulled by no one’s fault but my own. I wasn’t taking care of my teeth like I should have, for instance, brushing my teeth after eating sweets. Listen…. I loooooooved sweets but wasn’t aware that you should brush more often with the more sweets you eat. I figured hitting them in the morning or before bed was enough but not realizing that sugar is just sitting in between your teeth dissolving. Brush your teeth in the morning and brush them before going to bed but honestly, I wasn’t doing that as I grew up. So when it came to me being pregnant and having severe morning sickness my teeth weren't strong enough for all the acidic residue that came from “praying to that porcelain god” (had to watch Menace To Society lol) and as a result I had to get a few of my teeth pulled. Well, let’s just say having dental insurance is very important because everyone isn’t going to care how they pull your tooth and it all went downhill from there.
I assumed for the longest that dental insurance was a part of your overall health insurance; that and vision. Well I came to the understanding it’s not. Now the question I have is why isn’t it? I read somewhere, and they stated that these insurance companies look at dental as cosmetic. COSMETIC??!! The fact that a bad or infected tooth can travel through your body causing infections elsewhere that could lead to severe illness and even death; should be enough to make dental care as important as general healthcare. Why aren’t we speaking up about any of this? I mean I get it…Kendrick and Drake; What do you bring to the table (I’m actually tired of this one) are interesting conversations with some great think pieces but it’s probably millions of Americans walking around with subpar health because they can’t afford to get their teeth treated or even pulled. And even having them pulled isn’t the best because as you can see with me, they messed my mouth up even more. Why aren’t we lobbying for dental to be mandatory and a part of general health insurance.
I know we laugh about people having missing side teeth or missing teeth in general but the reality is that the emphasis on how to take care of your teeth and being able to afford to take care of your teeth is being overshadowed. People laugh and make jokes about people washing their ass and brushing their teeth because they have an odor but we don’t take the time to think maybe they’re doing the best they can. Everyone doesn’t know how to brush their teeth properly. I have to constantly correct my 8yr old about how to brush his teeth because he forgets to brush his gums and yes it’s important to brush your gums as well. The way he brushes his teeth is another thing I have to correct because he goes back and forth and is not circular. Some might think this is nitpicking but in reality it helps to get in the areas that food can get stuck.
Hygiene is something that gets overlooked and joked about but everyone wasn’t raised where they were taught the effective way of cleaning themselves or taking care of themselves. And if we have so many people who don’t even have health insurance to get a routine check up, I can only imagine how many people who don’t get their teeth checked. Who’s to say they aren’t brushing everyday and flossing but like the dentist told my children, “sometimes you miss areas that you can’t see or can’t reach, hence why it’s important to go to the dentist every 6 months. Now, I’m going to be perfectly honest, growing up I don’t remember going to the dentist every 6 months. I’m not saying I didn’t but I don’t remember and I know for a fact, once I got up in age as a teenager, I rarely if at all went to the dentist. That’s why my ptsd (lol) has me making sure my children go regularly when they’re supposed to so that they don’t end up like me. I still have fill ins and implants to get but due to some other medical issues I couldn’t finish the work I need on my mouth but soon enough.
I also believe most people are ashamed to speak on their lack of understanding or being taught about personal hygiene. I can understand because people take on personal accolades to be able to say they never smell or they have all of their teeth; especially women when it comes to our feminine hygiene. I believe it all comes down to us having a “separatist” mentality. We’ve been conditioned to be the “one”, “best”, “better”, “only” and we forget that we are a community and it takes a village even as we come of age. Maybe for those of us who didn’t know any better or didn’t have guidance in that particular area, instead of mocking or shaming, we’re supposed to make up for the absence of what we were filled with.
Let me know your thoughts. Do you think dental care is just as important as your general health care? Did you have to pick up or learn certain personal hygiene on your own because you were either misinformed or weren’t taught?
Peace & Blessings
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