Family smile dentistry loves to do things ourselves. It is in our culture.
Growing up, each of us was taught the virtues of the do-it-yourself lifestyle.
For many of us, this advice sticks with us long into our adulthood.
DIY Products Market in the U.S.
U.S. consumers spent more than $27 billion on DIY products in April of last year, according to German research firm Statistics.
Though annual figures are not available, it is easy to deduce from the trends that yearly expenditure would easily top $300 billion.
Some Things are Better Left to Professionals
For all the advantages of a DIY lifestyle, it is equally important to know that some things are best left to the professionals.
Even though some British prisoners of war (POW) removed their appendices in Japanese jails, you will never think to do something that crazy for yourself or a family member today.
The same argument applies to airplanes. No airline will let you perform pre-flight checks unless you are a certified pilot.
Healthcare and high-stakes technology are a couple of the fields were taking things into your own hands is more likely to worsen the situation than improve it.
Yet, for some reason, many people take the risk.
DIY Dentistry Products
DenTek is a firm based in Maryville, Tennessee.
It sells DIY dentistry kits. Currently, 250,000 of its kits are sold each year.
Though there is no reliable data available on how these kits are utilized, one cannot help but visualize hundreds of thousands of people as they wince while using this and other DIY tools to pull out their teeth, fill up fillings, straighten their molars, and trying to whiten their teeth’s surface.
Not surprisingly, the trend of DIY dentistry products is going up.
One in Five People say they can try out DIY Dentistry
It would be difficult to come up with equivalent statistics for the U.S., but a 2012 British Dental Health Foundation survey found that one in five Britons were prepared to take things into their own hands if they could not afford dental treatment—20 percent of people said they will either pull out an aching tooth themselves or ask a friend to remove it.
Those numbers are staggering.
Although in some emergency situations, you do not have a choice, it is never advisable to use first aid kits as permanent solutions to your dental troubles.
Some Real-World Cases:
The case of Ian Boynton in Britain is exceptional.
A Gulf War veteran, he pulled out 13 of his teeth with pliers because he could not afford dental treatment. The poor man is fortunate that he did not develop any side-effects.
Tina Hicks was not so lucky. Gap bands are a magical tooth straightening treatment offered by companies.
But, when Hicks tried it to fix the space between her two front teeth; she found gap bands “super painful.” In the end, she had to take them off.
There is even filling material available now.
Even though it can be used in emergencies—such as when you are on vacation and cannot locate a dentist, it can never replace professional treatment.
DIY Dentistry is Dangerous!
A lot of things can go wrong with other treatments, too.
In fact, they have gone wrong in more than one case, according to Dr. DeWayne McCamish of the American Association of Orthodontists.
But People Still do It… Because of Money!
Although I am not an expert on the healthcare system of that country, my advice is never to be your own dentist to save a few dollars because you may end up paying a heavy price later.
Don’t Let Dental Care Expenses Force you to be Your Own Dentist.
If it is money that is keeping you from visiting your dentist, use your Flexible Spending Account.
It could decrease your dental expenses and make them more manageable.
It is part of our philosophy at our clinic to encourage our patients to save money. You can be one of those patients, too.
Contact Us for a Solution, First Consultation is Free!
Do not let expenses stop you from seeing a dentist. And never ever be your own dentist. It is dangerous.
Call my clinic at (858) 755-8993 if you live in San Diego or at (619) 656-6785 if you live in Chula Vista and we will try to find out a way to keep your teeth healthy without breaking your bank. The first consultation is complimentary.