As the oil continues to wash closer & closer, encroaching upon the livelihood of surrounding towns, the anticipation of devastation has
Bacteria, like gushing oil, continues to multiply until something stops it or removes it. Small amounts of bacteria can be removed by a toothbrush and can die with the use of a Fluoride mouthrinse; however, small amounts of bacteria quickly multiply into large amounts of bacteria if not stopped or removed on a daily basis. The only way for bacteria to survive is to eat something nutritious—and in the mouth, nutrition comes from healthy teeth & gums.
The livelihood of a tooth is its nerve and bone. The nerve is in the middle of the tooth and it is joined to the bone at the base of the tooth. Bacteria begins eating on the outside of the tooth and migrates toward the most delicious part—the nerve. It has a great blood supply with many nutrients that keep bacteria strong & multiplying. At this point, the bacteria have eaten a hole in the tooth, are sucking the life out of the tooth by eating the nerve, and are working their way to the bone. Like the Gulf Coast communities feel the affects of the oil spill via a decrease in tourism & trade, a person’s livelihood will be affected by pain & swelling.
Dentists to the rescue! Although there is still no cure for the BP gusher, there is a cure for a person in such a condition. A dentist has the skills and tools to remove and kill the bacteria causing the acute problem so your mouth doesn’t become a “BP Situation.” The key is to see your dentist regularly so that gushers don’t continue to erupt all over your mouth.
I don’t know if BP had any foresight into the effects of their actions, but as responsible adults, we know the consequences of our own actions. If a dental professional informs you about a cavity-- in relation to BP, it means the oil is bubbling and if you don’t have it treated, it will become a gusher. If he/she suggests anything larger, (ie crown, root canal, etc), it means you already have a “BP Situation” and there is a system in place to resolve the problem. If you are told there are multiple issues throughout your mouth that need to be addressed…it means you definitely have a “BP Situation” –and in order to resolve the problem, we, as engineers will devise a plan for treatment & you, the patient, will have to join the clean-up crew.
If only BP could make it so easy…
