Straight Teeth, Straight Spine

Posted by: The Balancing Center

Whenever a patient is hesitant to commit to consistent and long-term chiropractic care, I like to talk to her about dentistry.

Two common reasons you might see the dentist: 1) you have a toothache and 2) your teeth are crooked. Toothaches tend to be quicker fixes--cavity fillings and root canals might require one or two visits to the office. But if your teeth are crooked, that means an orthodontist, braces for two or more years, and a retainer after that for several more years or maybe permanently.

One common misconception about chiropractic care is that it will provide you with lasting, significant relief after one or two visits. For certain kinds of back pain, this might be true. But more often, this is not the case. And this is why I like to talk about dentists with hesitant patients.

Very often, backaches and back pains are not like cavities. Because backaches and similar pains often come from misalignments in the spine, backaches require a treatment plan similar to one for braces. As those of you who've had braces know, this is not just one or two visits.

Just like braces gradually remold your teeth, chiropractic care gradually resets the alignment of your spine. Braces need periodic tightening and maintenance. A spine needs periodic adjustments to keep its correct alignment. Just as you might need to wear braces and visit your orthodontist for months or years, you might need to visit your chiropractor for spinal adjustments for month or years.

Some people don’t want to hear that and that’s understandable. Not everybody likes to hear that they need to alter their lifestyle or spend more money or that his or her pain won’t be fixed immediately.But reality doesn't change whether you like it or not, and your spine is unlikely to realign itself.

And you could always look at it like this: wouldn't it be wonderful to boast a straight spine along with that winning smile? The benefits of long-term chiropractic care are almost countless. A straight spine can mean fewer allergies, alleviated asthma, less back pain, fewer colds, a clearer head, no more headaches, just to list a few. Long-term commitment means long-term health--the results might not be immediate, but they can be profound and lasting.

So if you desire to not only get out of pain but improve your overall, long term health, a commitment to chiropractic care might be just what the dentist ordered.