Why going to the dentist is the best birthday present possible.

Once a year, I begrudgingly set out to face my greatest source of dread. 

The dentist. 

“Well, Mr Lorkis, you have plaque building up in your teeth for the last 8 months, I’m going to need to put these pointy metal things into your mouth to cause you a lot of pain.” 

It’s the worst. 

Last week, as I sat in the blue recliner biting down on an irritating piece of plastic, I had an epiphany.  

My dentist gives the best feedback.

Think about it. Brushing your teeth is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing that you do at night (Hopefully..). It’s a habit that bookmarks your day. 

Now, this little habit carries great significance. That is: if you are on top of the little things in your life, the big things will fall into place. If you’re not, the big things will eventually fall apart. It’s a truth of life. You can only put your shoes on so many times without tying them before the backs break, and you can only skip brushing the back teeth so many times before you get a cavity. 

And nobody will know how you’re really doing except for you… and your dentist. 

Today is my birthday, a day in which I take the chance to reflect on my year and think about the year ahead. As I'll sit down to think, these are the things that I want to be focusing on. Not the big and flashy moments, but the small details that no one notices. Like putting my shoes away, brushing my teeth, and giving my 100% to the last 10% of a work project, a workout, or a conversation.

My conclusions: A trip to the dentist is like a trip to a good consultant or therapist. It’s scary but it should be celebrated as an opportunity for growth. Confronting the plaque on your teeth is a good start to scraping it off and brushing better in the future. 

Weird flex but I haven’t had a cavity in almost 15 years! Can I put that on my resume? 

My blessing to us all this year is that we find the strength within ourselves to go עד הסוף (all in) on everything we believe in.