Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

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A Visit to the Dentist

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain,… More
  • Published Jun 30, 2004

Rambling thoughts before, during and after my visit:
1) I wonder what he'll find this time?
2) You don't think about your teeth until there is a problem.
3) If dentists are so friendly, why do they have sharp tools in their hands?
4) I wonder how many times the Bible mentions teeth? Answer: 42.
5) When the Bible mentions gnashing of teeth, that's not a good sign.
6) It's been a long time since my teeth were "whiter than milk" (Genesis 49:12).
7) You can't make up for not flossing your teeth by flossing ten times a day the week before you go to the dentist.
8) David once prayed that God would strike his enemies in the jaw and break their teeth (Psalm 3:7).
9) There is nothing about dentures in the Bible.
10) This is a romantic compliment, I think: "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone" (Song of Solomon 4:2).
11) Dr. Jacobs seemed very happy to see me, and I was glad to see him, considering that he's a dentist and all.
12) Is it true that George Washington had wooden teeth?
13) The fourth beast of Daniel 7 had iron teeth—no cavities that way.
14) A verse to think about: "Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble" (Proverbs 25:19).
15) Ecclesiastes 12 offers a sobering picture of old age. We go to the dentist lest "the grinders cease because they are few" (verse 3).
16) Several times in the Old Testament, the law of retribution is stated this way: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Jesus moved beyond that in Matthew 5:38-39 when he said, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Most of us would rather knock out the guy's tooth than turn the other cheek, but it's better to do what Jesus said.
17) Like many people, I put off going to the dentist as long as possible. This was just a cleaning, but that always tends to lead to other things. And that's why I put it off, but that's why it's better to take care of things promptly.
18) Dr. Jacobs is an excellent dentist, and if he inflicts pain (which he rarely does—but then, dental work isn't painless either), it's for my good. That covers a lot of things besides going to the dentist—just because it hurts for a bit doesn't mean it's bad for you.
19) He said my teeth are in pretty good shape—not perfect, but okay—sort of like the rest of me.
20) So I'm glad I went to the dentist, and that's the end of my story.

Email: raypritchard@calvarymemoria.com