Remember learning about the inflammatory response in dental hygiene school? There was discussion about vasodilation, edema, cellular infiltrate, what came first, how long it took to heal, and so on. It was all so confusing!
Then the teacher said, "Think of a piece of calculus like a splinter in the finger. The calculus is partly responsible for the inflammatory response." Now that was something we could relate to. Yes, the finger did get red, swollen, and it hurt when some pressure was applied. It even hurt when the tweezer was used to take it out. But, oh, what a relief it was once that irritating splinter was out! This is the same analogy we sometimes use with our patients. The splinter is like calculus creating puffiness, and the tweezer is like the instrument used to take it out.
That teacher taught an invaluable lesson — the importance of speaking metaphorically to enhance understanding. How boring it would have been to simply memorize and regurgitate the physiology of inflammation!
This idea of speaking metaphorically, or using similes and analogies, is exceptionally beneficial for patients. They often hear things in "dental terms" even when the intent is to keep it as simple as possible. The beauty of communicating this way is that the more one uses metaphors, the more inclined one will be to stay away from "dental jargon." Giving the patient something tangible that they can relate to causes comprehension to skyrocket. With greater understanding and awareness of a dental situation, the greater the likelihood of trust. And with trust comes patient ownership of a problem and increased compliance, whether it is treatment acceptance or plaque control at home.
