For 10 years, we’ve emphasized that the first step to dental self-empowerment is to get to know what’s going on in our mouth by filling out the OraWellness Mouth Map.
However, as we’re constantly revisiting the concepts we share with you, we recently realized that there’s a step before this first step. (What would that be called? The zero point? 🙂 )
Here’s the thing: getting to know your mouth is a critically important step. But truth be told, most people aren’t comfortable with the idea of taking a look around their mouth as the starting point for their journey to greater oral health.
So, before we consider exploring our mouth, we need to “get our head in the game” and ask ourselves a question: “Who is the most important person in my oral health journey?”
The answer establishes a crucial frame of mind that will help us to optimize our growth and benefit on this path.
Let’s define the roles of the players on our team.
Who is the captain and CEO?
Who is the most important person in my oral health journey?
If we buy into what mainstream media, dentistry, and medicine lead us to believe, that most important person would be our dentist. After all, they went to school to become an expert in the field.
However, in our view, this would be a mis-assignment of the most important position.
We have to realize that each of us is the captain, the most valuable person, the CEO, the BOSS of our own health journey.
If we don’t consciously proclaim this and take responsibility as the CEO of our journey, we’re more likely to get stuck in a victim mindset when something ‘bad’ happens ‘to us’.
This victim mentality of not taking full responsibility for what happens (in oral health and in our lives in general) is a tricky trap. It disempowers us and creates a huge hole in our ability to create positive change.
So, step one: proclaim that we are the MVP (Most Valuable Person), the CEO of our own oral (and whole-body) health journey.
Say it with me, “I am the boss of my path.” 🙂
The importance of guides…
Now that we have the MVP role firmly established, where do we go from here?
Like any good leader, you’re aware that you need team assistance in order to steer your ship on your optimal course. You need the support of guides, coaches and mentors who can help you brainstorm and gather information so you can make the best decisions for your path.
Guides and mentors help us sift through the ocean of information so that we can make the wisest, most educated decisions possible for our path.
At OraWellness, our role is in this space of being guides, or brainstorming buddies if you’d prefer.
We help you grasp what options exist, what strategies might be available given your circumstances, and the holistic implications of your choices. With a background in holistic longevity arts and a lifelong passion of research, we bring a different, wider point of view than someone classically trained (and indoctrinated) in the field.
We aspire to provide a broader perspective.
And in case you’re new here, we are truly honored to support you along your path, specifically focusing on the areas of our research including:
- holistic oral health
- toxin-free product solutions
- the role of the oral microbiome in the health of the whole body (the mouth/body connection)
A good dentist can also serve in the role of a guide and help you identify and weigh your options. However, as we’ll discuss more below, not all dentists are created equal and depending on the dentist, they could even serve as a detriment to this role of guide for you.
With a good grasp of what’s going on and which options are available to us, we’re in an empowered position to make the best decisions for ourselves.
The importance of technicians…
Our team (or board of advisors if you will) also needs expert technicians (think engineers) to do the technical work and to fix stuff when it breaks.
Perhaps this will date us, but the analogy of Star Trek seems suitable.
How well would captain Kirk have been able to navigate his course if Scotty weren’t there to help him keep the engines running?
Dentistry is a very technical trade. It takes solid diagnostics combined with lots of visual and hand skills.
This is where a good dentist can be a real blessing. However, it’s an unfortunate truth that not all dentists are equally skilled or have a deep-rooted sense of what we call a “helper’s heart”. Plus, some dentists are way more engaged with the holistic nature of dentistry and others are nearly blind to this truth.
So, the key to getting the perfect technician for your team is to find the right professional(s) to work with.
And, in the spirit of being good guides for you, here are some resources to help you find a dream dental team:
- Helpful resources to find a qualified dentist to assist you
- 7 Key Components of a ‘Dream Dentist’
- How to be your own oral (and whole body) health advocate
- Guide to Safe Dentistry eBook
- How to find awesome emergency dental help while traveling
- Holistic Oral Health – “What’s the difference between biological, functional and holistic dentistry?”
Pulling it all together…
In order to make the wisest choices on our path, we must first firmly establish that each of us is the MVP, the BOSS of our own health journey.
With this role solidly in place, we can also benefit greatly from finding guides and mentors as well as skilled technicians to assist us in navigating this path to optimal oral (and whole-being) health.
Welcome to OraWellness, Boss!!
(ps. How has your life changed since taking full responsibility and claiming your role as captain? Or did you realize from this article that you are inspired to take this leap? Please share your insights in the comments below. We love hearing how you navigate this amazing journey!)
Helpful, related resources:
The first step of dental self-empowerment [article]
OraWellness Mouth Map [free download]
Helpful resources to find a qualified dentist to assist you [article]
7 Key Components of a ‘Dream Dentist’ [article]
How to be your own oral (and whole body) health advocate [article]
Guide to Safe Dentistry [free eBook]
How to find awesome emergency dental help while traveling [article]
Holistic Oral Health – “What’s the difference between biological, functional and holistic dentistry?” [article]
Love your products and will be ordering more soon. I’ve had 3 gum surgeries in the past 2 years and I’m told I need one more. NOT a pleasant situation although the perio and assistant were very professional. This last surgery has a root still exposed. Which I clearly felt yesterday. What to do to help gums grow higher? Thank you for any advice! 🙏
Aloha Karen,
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
We’re sorry to hear about your gum-health challenges!
We here at OraWellness aren’t medical or dental professionals, so we can’t treat, diagnose, advise, etc. Instead, what we can do is share information with you to help you become self-empowered on your journey. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s see what information we can share to help. 🙂
We don’t know exactly how gum tissue that’s receded can regrow/grow higher, and we don’t claim that our products can help gum tissue regrow. However, some customers have claimed to have seen their receded gums regrow. Here’s a link to the Receding Gums section of our Testimonials page, in case you’d like to check it out.
That said, the ability for receded gums to regenerate really depends on the level they have degraded. To start, one should do what they can to stop the insult(s) causing the recession. Beyond that, much depends on the extent of jaw bone loss.
Dr. Al Danenberg talks about the need to have calculus removed from gum pockets to support overall gum health and gum reattachment.
From our perspective, generating new tissue growth inside the gum pockets is crucial for the reattachment of existing gum to roots. One way to seek to accomplish new tissue growth is via direct massage. Direct massage generates an acute inflammatory response which stimulates blood flow into the area. This is important for growth in general (and why massage feels good if done well).
Finally, you might find it helpful to check out these resources on receding gums:
What Causes Receding Gums and How to Stop It
How to Stop Receding Gums
What Your Receding Gums Could Be Telling You
I hope that helps! Aloha! 🙂
Since discovering Oral Wellness I definitely feel more in charge of my oral health. I use Heal Thy Mouth, and an organic salt toothpaste, a bass brush and electric brush. I sterilise my brushes in steredent each night, I take an oral probiotic and use a tongue scraper.I also take k2 and D3. I have found an excellent hygienist and have in fact ditched my dentist, feeling much happier and positive about my oral health. Thank you so much.
Thank you for this empowering post! I am in agreement 100% with your stance on how each individual must take responsibility for the health of their mouth and entire body.
I agree—each individual must be in the driving seat when it comes to taking care of themselves. One cannot rely on another to take care of them. Help and guidance is necessary, yes, but ultimately the power lies in ones’ own hands. You are the captain of your ship. ; )
I will always remember this message, and I thank you for bringing it back to the surface of our consciousness so that we won’t forget that we are empowered beings, and that the key to ultimate wellness lies within. : ) This is why I love your blog! All the best to you all!
Aloha Jennifer,
Thank you so much for your comment! We’re thrilled that you found this message empowering. 🙂
I have been thinking these thoughts for a little while now, and your articles are timely. There’s an interesting article in February’s “Readers Digest” (taken from “The Atlantic”) called, “Can you Trust Your Dentist?” It’s a very good read–brings ups some interesting info. I think we are raised to completely believe everything a doctor or dentist says, and never put our own thinking into things. We would do well to be active participants in our own health care.
Thank you for sharing this with us Lisa!
Yeah, we’re glad to hear that others are raising this question. The sooner each of us realizes our MVP role, the sooner the medical and dental industries will adapt to be helpers rather than the most important ones in the game.