Just give 'em a toothbrush

True story, I had a patient who I met for the first time when he was in his early 20’s. He was engaged to get married to a very nice girl who had been my patient for a few years. He came to me for his first ever dental visit. He had never been to the dentist before, his parents never took him. So I reviewed his health history with him, nice healthy young man. Asked him if he was excited to be getting married, found out what he did for a living. We took some x-rays, I did an oral exam and found a ton of stuff going on in his mouth. He had developed the early stages of periodontal disease, decay, and his mouth looked like a mess. So I finished my exam and then sat the chair back up. I reviewed with him what we had found, discussed with him what we could do for him to get things healthy and repaired and answered his questions. I then educated him on how to take care of his mouth, mainly focusing on regular brushing. Yes I am a hygienist who rarely harped on their patients about flossing, while I think it’s very important some people needed to master brushing first. So I supplied him with a toothbrush, floss, and recommended some mouth rinses to help things get healthy in his mouth. We then went out to reschedule him to come back so we could clean his teeth and start on some of the restorations/fillings for the teeth with decay. So the next time I saw him, he seemed a little more comfortable about being in my chair. I asked him how things were going and he started to tell me "well I have to be honest with you, I have never owned a toothbrush, this whole toothbrush thing is new to me, I am excited to find out if I have been doing it right." What? You have to be kidding me, a guy in his 20’s in the United States of America and he has NEVER owned a toothbrush. I had a ton of questions in my head…What about his parents? Where they neglecting him, or did they not know about toothbrushes? Had he ever watched TV, and wondered what people were doing with a small hair brush in their mouth? And what about the fact he was engaged to get married? I don’t know about the rest of you, but brushing your teeth was most definitely a pre-requisite before I said Yes to the big question! Yikes! I was speechless for what seemed like an eternity. I was trying not to let this shock me or throw me off my hygiene chair…but too late. I tried to collect my professionalism and thoughts quickly as I didn’t want to give him a complex. "Well let’s lay you back and see how you have been doing!" As I lay the chair back I am thinking…I wonder what he thought the small white string was used for?!?!


Do you know that there are people around you in your circle of influence that need Jesus, but maybe have never been introduced to Him? Yeah you might wonder, "how in today’s world could someone not know of Jesus?" Just like I wondered about the whole toothbrush thing.

Maybe we just need to "give em" Jesus!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

May we not assume that Jesus is a "given" for everyone!