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A frog in hot water

Dr. McGann September 8, 2015 Blog

There’s an urban legend out there that claims a frog placed in a pan of boiling water will quickly jump out, while a frog placed in a pan of room-temperature water, with the heat then slowly increased, will just sit there until cooked.

Dentist Lake Elmo MN - Frog in Hot WaterWhile I have my doubts as to the scientific accuracy of this claim, it serves a useful analogy to your teeth.  No, I’m not kidding.  The key is the difference between an acute attack on a tooth and a chronic attack.  An example of an acute attack would be a large piece suddenly breaking off.  One second everything’s fine, the next second your tooth is screaming “Ahhhhhh!  Fix me!”

On the other hand, an example of a chronic attack would be a slow-growing cavity; this type of attack is sneaky and most often painless, sometimes even when the cavity gets into the nerve and kills it.  This happens because the body has a remarkable ability to adapt and avoid pain, for better or worse.  The difficulty is that many people believe if something doesn’t hurt it must be OK; unfortunately most dental issues are painless until it’s too late, and then the cost to fix it will typically go up by a factor of ten.

The old medical axiom “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is particularly appropriate to your dental health, and this is the basis of our philosophy of care at McGann Family Dental.

Don’t like needles? Neither do I!

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  • Home
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  • Services/Technology
    • Dental Services
    • Cosmetic Services
    • Technology
    • Smile Gallery
    • Dental Health
  • Patient Resources
    • New Patient and Other Resources
    • After-care Instructions
    • Videos
    • Blog
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    • Dental Dictionary
  • Contact
    • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • Carbs: The good, the bad, and the sugary
  • Stressed out? Don’t let your teeth bear the burden.
  • The great antibiotic debate
  • Are you stressed out? Your dentist can probably tell.
  • Healthcare Evolves. Again.

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