That sounds just like my mom—she’ll put off anything medical unless it’s totally unavoidable. I get the stubbornness part, honestly. Sometimes I think people just hope it’ll go away if they ignore it long enough. It’s tough to push them without starting an argument, but you’re not alone in this.
Ever notice how people will drag their feet on anything dental, but if their car makes a weird noise, they're at the mechanic in two seconds? I get the stubbornness, but sometimes I wonder—does pushing really help, or just make them dig their heels in more? I've seen folks refuse to come in for years, then finally show up when the pain is off the charts... and suddenly they're mad at everyone for not making them go sooner. Kind of ironic.
Have you tried asking what exactly freaks her out about the dentist? Sometimes it's the cost, sometimes it's fear of pain, or maybe just the idea of someone poking around in there. I had a patient once who said she'd rather give a speech to a stadium than sit in my chair. Ended up laughing through the whole cleaning once she actually came in.
Maybe there's a way to make it less of a big deal—like, "Hey, let's both get checkups and then hit up that coffee place you like." Ever tried that angle?
Honestly, I get where you're coming from—my dad's the same way. He'll ignore a toothache for months but won't let the car make a single rattle. I tried the "let's both go" thing, but he just laughed it off. Has anyone actually had luck with that? Or is it just about waiting until the pain gets bad enough?
He'll ignore a toothache for months but won't let the car make a single rattle.
- Same story at my house. Dad will schedule an oil change three months ahead but a dentist? Forget it.
- Tried the “let’s both go” trick too—he just said, “Nice try, kid.” Didn’t budge.
- What finally worked: I printed out a bill for a root canal and left it on the table. He hates wasting money more than he hates dentists.
- Sometimes you just have to wait until it hurts enough... but then it’s usually a bigger problem (and bill).
- If you can, keep reminding him that small fixes are way easier than big ones—just like with his car. Doesn’t always work, but worth a shot.
Honestly, I see this all the time—people will baby their cars but not their teeth. The root canal bill idea is genius though, that hits where it hurts for a lot of folks. I always tell my dad it’s like getting the brakes checked before they fail... but he still drags his feet. Sometimes you just have to keep nudging and hope they come around before things get too bad. It’s tough when you care but can’t force them, right?
