There are certain things in our lives that we do because we know they need to be done. No matter how physically or emotionally painful, we have to do them.

Like going to the dentist. Which is especially important for those of us with diabetes because diabetes can make a person twice as likely to develop gum disease, which can make blood sugar management more challenging, which makes the gum disease worse, which can lead to kidney failure and heart disease, etc., etc.

When I was younger, I used to go to the dentist faithfully every six months. I hated every part of being there, but knew the cleanings were good for my teeth. And then The Mr. and I hit some serious financial trouble and I gave up our dental insurance in an effort to pinch pennies. It was several years before I would go back.

So several weeks ago when I was finally able to get to the dentist for what I thought would be a regular check up and cleaning, I was hit with this: You need a deep clean that involves anesthetic and two visits. This was not something I was happy about. When I quizzed the hygenist about it she tried to blame the extreme build up on diabetes, but I got her to acknowledge that while diabetes didn't help the situation, lack of care was mostly to blame.

I started my day at the dentist at 7 a.m. today. Seriously. I had way more shots in my mouth than I care to count. When B and I were talking right before I left she reminded me that the more often I floss and the more often I can come in for a teeth cleaning, the more likely I am to avoid gum disease.

Three months from now I go back for another cleaning. This one won't involve shots.