Lessons From My Dental Retainer

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Is it over yet? 
Has this all been a bad dream? 
Will I wake up and life will return to normal? 
Will I be able to go to the mall again?

NOPE, not a bad dream. This is REALITY! 

It's been a rolling change but we have entered a brand new way of living. 2020 has ushered in a new era. A new level of sensitivity to frailty. It has also expanded our level of understanding how connected we are as a globe. It's not us vs them. It doesn't matter if you are a parent in Spain, Bangladesh or the U.S., you are trying to figure out the best way to protect your family from COVID19.

I'm adapting to this "new world" by learning breathing exercises to help cope with stress. I notice that certain conversations, social media post or news stories can start my heart beating faster. In my head I think that I'm calm. My outward demeanor is relaxed and tranquil.  My inward body tells a much different story.


Lessons From A Retainer
Unfortunately, I had to start wearing my dental retainer again. Not because I like the hug on my teeth but it helps me be aware of moments when I am clinching my jaw. I didn't realize it was happening.

During my last visit to the dentist, he discovered that I've worn away the top layer of my enamel. One of the effects of clinching my jaw. As I've spent more time at home and through a valuable therapist exercise, I know that the grinding of my molars has everything to do with STRESS in the body.




I know I'm not the only one experiencing some level of tightness, stiffness, heaviness or pain in my body. It might be a cough of anxiety, a headache, pressure above your eyes, acne breakouts on your skin, stomach pains, blurred vision, short term memory loss, lower back pain, or even ringing in your ears. The fact is - STRESS (known or unknown) manifests itself in our body in a negative way. You can think you are in a state of "calmness" but your mind is processing information that can be causing STRESS to your internal systems.

Now that I'm wearing the retainer again, I can feel the clinching. Yup, I feel the moments of stress. I honestly didn't notice it before. In the moments of clinching, I relax my shoulders and take deep cleansing breaths to help slow my heart rate.

I can give you scriptures in every post. I can encourage you by giving you a song to sing or book to read. The reality is, YOU will have to check in with your own body and recognize the many ways STRESS is showing up in your daily life.

Stay safe. Take time to learn new lessons in this pandemic, even if it comes from a dental retainer. ~Posted by Roslyn

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