As a middle-aged man, I thought about my recent dentist visit and the gentle chastisement for not going for more than 10 years. I received a very severe prophylaxis and fluoride treatment, and I had to gargle Orahex for seven days. I was suddenly reminded of my step-by-step process of preventive or restorative dentistry. Right now, the process is slow, but the dentist not giving a one-stop fix may be better in the long run, like me not taking cryptocurrency hoping for a quick win.
Back in the 1990s, I remember Nutrition Month. Sure, we had the promotion for eating healthy foods, avoiding junk food (which really causes health problems, no questions asked), the need to eat vegetables, but we had the slogan, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." It was based on an outdated Welsh proverb. In fact, it was an era of reactive healthcare. I heard people didn't bother to to any doctor unless they felt bad. The same went for dental care, where the dentist's income was based on damage than prevention.
I thought about how elders were often misled. I might be thankful that my elders didn't give me everything I wanted. However, it's a common mistake for elders to get their children to stop eating too much candy because of the dentist. It was often like, "If you eat too much candy, we will go to the dentist." Sadly, this may be why so many people ended up developing the habit of,"The doctor or dentist is just after money if they ask you for check-ups." Unfortunately, that has led to so many people losing their teeth or even refusing dentures out of fear. They just "live through it".
Honestly, I feel like breaking the cycle at 41 wouldn't be easy. However, things like maintenance are preventive. Prevention is better than cure. Health is wealth. We always hear that. But the slogan that an apple a day keeps the doctor away actually scares away precise medical prevention.