What will cause you to act?

The report was the same from my last dentist appointment: my teeth are aging. The first few times he said it, I took him to be coy, noting that we're the same age.  The hygienist even got it on it this time.  I grew concerned when she skipped the floss-shaming speech and went straight to big words and payment plans. 

I have this condition that effects my teeth: I'm human and I'm getting older.  At least that's what I thought it was -- the inevitable entropy in my mouth.  I watched my grandparents and now parents visit new kinds of '-ists' and took my turn as certain.  Maybe. 

I categorized the first speech from my dentist as a poor attempt at humor and the second as him being annoying.  By the third speech I was expectant and he delivered.  Round four was the hellfire and brimstone speech of wooden teeth and a lifetime of eating through a straw, which went over as poorly as you'd imagine.

This time was different.  Maybe I was ready to hear something or maybe I heard sincerity in his voice. I don't know.

"What will cause you to act?" he wondered with great sincerity.  He was genuinely curious because he wanted to help.  He sees the trend line based on the data and compares that with the teeth in front of him.  In his mind, he knows where it goes and knows the tools available to change the slope of that trendline.  While the decision is ultimately mine, he wondered if and where I would get off the line: surgery? Directive from him? When the price of gold teeth came down?  What was it that would catalyze decision and action?  This time I heard sincerity and a genuine curiosity or his role in helping me.  

I couldn't answer him. Certainly factors such as cost, overall health, pain levels, and relative priorities are all considerations, but what was most important to me? 

Where else am I deteriorating? Am I in denial about it? Am I actively choosing to kick the can until it gets worse? Am I ignorant of the impact?

The question is really one of importance: what is most important to me and what is it worth to me given all we know.  Certainly oral health is important.  I like my teeth and would like to keep them. But so is staying financially solvent and there are braces to put on the children. I want to avoid pain and surgery won't be fun, but neither is extraction. 

Tradeoffs with uncertainty.  Nothing in medicine is certain, I've been assured by the lovely ER doc.  The same is true of life.

So, which is it?  Cinnamon or mint flavored shellac this time?  Morning or afternoon appointment next time?  Important or more important? 

I only wish the decision were as clear as my freshly polished incisors.