Gums

The gums bleed when you brush. They recede, become sensitive, become inflamed. Perhaps they swell, perhaps they thin out until the tooth necks are exposed and every sip of cold water causes pain. Dentistry speaks of gingivitis, of periodontitis, of bacteria and inadequate oral hygiene. And yes — all of that plays a role at the physical level.

But if you look deeper, you recognise: the gums are the bed in which your teeth are anchored. They envelop, protect, and hold what needs holding. Your teeth stand for decisiveness — for the ability to make up your mind, to bite down, to take a position. The gums are the ground from which that decisiveness grows. When this ground gives way, everything standing on it wobbles.

The psychosomatic question is therefore not: why are my gums inflamed? But rather: why can't I hold the ground beneath my decisions?