Toothbrush

Mom’s electric toothbrush arrived. I opened the package yesterday, and a sad series of thoughts ran through my head. They went something like this:

• I (or perhaps someone else) introduces mom to the toothbrush she has reasons for not wanting to use. 
• You have to constantly plug it in. 
• If its battery runs out what’s the point of having an electric toothbrush?
• It’ll clutter up the counter.
• She was offended when the dentist suggested that as we age we don’t brush as well and this device can help. But she doesn’t remember that any more.
• We just replace the new with the old, sneakily.
• She pitches a fit with staff over the sudden appearance/lose of the toothbrushes.
• Even with this simple one button unit, she won’t be able to learn to use it, nor will she allow staff to help her. 
• There is little that’s going effect this situation. Not:
• Root planing,
• A simple electric toothbrush, or
• Staff’s help, because my mother would be too offended to consider that she might need some coaching.
• More frequent cleanings are the only thing in the toolkit, however, it doesn’t feel like enough. 
• Is this the beginning of the downward spiral toward the inevitable outcomes of poor dental care, like heart disease?