FINDING A DENTIST THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS

Author: Ethan TATAJE

And just like that 2023 has ended and we welcome 2024 with open arms and big smiles! This is the time of year when everyone wants to work on self-improvement, whether it be going to the gym or eating healthier or reading more books and taking more time to appreciate the small, everyday tasks of life. One of my resolutions for the new year is to pay closer attention to my health and listen to my body. This can show up in several ways in anyone’s life, for example: drinking more water throughout the day, beginning a light workout routine, and even flossing consistently (a lot of people like to tell their dentist that they floss more often than they actually do!). 

DENTAL HEALTH IS IN THIS YEAR

After taking a mental inventory of my personal self-care routine, I realized I should prioritize my oral health more than I do. Something many people don’t realize is how much your overall health can be affected by the health of your teeth and gums. If you don’t take proper care of your gums, bacteria will start to build up. This can lead to gum disease which can cause sensitivity, irritation, and gum inflammation. These themselves are unpleasant and can cause discomfort and difficulty concentrating. So far, I’ve only mentioned what can happen if someone doesn’t look out for their oral health, so what are the benefits of taking good care of your teeth? The biggest benefit is of course staying healthy, but when you take care of your smile it shows. I have had the pleasure of seeing people’s smiles being transformed and it brings me joy to see others smile confidently and be proud of their teeth. To wrap up my personal teeth testimony I want to share a little bit of my dental hygiene journey. When I was around 11-12 years old, I still had a couple baby teeth that needed to be pulled. Once all my permanent teeth had come in, I got braces that stayed on for about two years. During the middle of my high school career, I had to get braces again. I got them removed after about a year, so I have had my fair share of dental work over the past several years.

FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THE FAMILY

As I’ve started to mature and develop into a young adult I have invested in my professional image. Part of this image is making sure I take care of myself and letting others know I take care of myself. I made sure to get a routine dental cleaning at the very beginning of this new year so I can start off my year already working on my resolution. I got my cleaning done at Greenway Family Dental and let me say: the staff is amazing, and the atmosphere is very friendly. Not only did I have a good patient experience, but in one room over I heard one of the hygienists and doctors working with their 7-year-old patient. They were extremely kind and made sure she had a good experience at the dentist (this kind of family-oriented care is really important and helps younger children learn to not be scared of the dentist). I have gone to one of Greenway Family Dental’s sister locations: Middleton Family Dental. I have had nothing but good experiences there as well. These two dental offices are part of the greater Mercy Dental Group which is well established all around the Madison area. I can say without a doubt that you will be in good hands at whichever location works best if you decide to check any of them out!