If you
belong to the notify list, you would have been privy to some very embarrassing information
about myself. I had not been to the dentist in ages, and I felt like my teeth were falling
out because a "chip" came off my tooth. I really have nice teeth and my mother
harped on me all the time about going to get them cleaned when she was alive. All weekend
I would stay awake at night, feeling the jagged hole with my tongue, believing that soon I
would have no teeth at all. I must have brushed my teeth dozens of times, everytime
thinking it might be the last time I brushed my own teeth. Today I went in to the dentist that my husband uses. I
was too embarrassed to call my dentist, one I had been seeing since I was four. The
appointment was to see what kind of shape my teeth were actually in and if after a
cleaning I would have to go to a gum specialist.
I was pretty nervous in the waiting area. My
mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts. I had no excuse about how my teeth ended up in
this terrible condition. It was going to be my own fault that they were going to have to
be all pulled out and that I would have to wear false teeth. The thoughts were racing
through my head. I was twenty-five and I was going to have false teeth.
"Kim," called the hygienist.
"That's me." I said with a half
smile. I was going to hear my fate, I was going to hear that my teeth were rotten and that
I had gum disease. My heart was racing.
"So why are you here?" she asked as
I sat down in the chair. "My name is Donna and we are going to see what is going on
inside of that mouth if yours."
"I think my teeth are falling out, there
is a giant hole in the back of my teeth, I've been stupid and haven't had a cleaning in
years, " I was starting to ramble and talking really fast.
"Do your teeth feel loose at all? Pain?
Inflammation?"
"No ma'am."
"Well let me take a look and we will see
what is going on in there."
I opened my mouth and she kinda laughed.
"You do not have a hole in your teeth, that's where tarter has built up and chipped
off."
Relief. My teeth aren't crumbling after all.
"But it looks like you may have some gum
disease, we will have to clean your teeth and take x-rays to be for sure."
Damn. My teeth may fall out after all.
"My appointment canceled for this time
slot, we can clean your teeth right now and Dr. Adams can look at you."
"Sure, might as well get this over with
and hear the verdict." I was sarcastic, but in a funny way, she was laughing as she
left the room.
I stared at the walls. Posters on root
canals, cavities, and gum disease were plastered everywhere. I felt sick to my stomach.
Goddess, I prayed, if I walk out of here and get to keep my teeth, I swear I will take
better care of them.
After my cleaning and x-rays, Dr. Adams came
in.
"Kim," he said.
Here it comes, here it comes, he's going to
tell me I have gum disease and I'm going to loose my teeth just like the poster on the
wall says!
"You really have beautiful teeth, in
fact you are the only person I have ever come across who has had their wisdom teeth come
in and it not cause them any problems or crowding."
Okay, so I have a big mouth, that's not news.
"You don't have any tooth decay or
cavities," he paused,"but I wouldn't take any more chances if I was you. Get
your teeth cleaned every six months and floss to avoid getting gum disease."
"So I'm not going to loose my
teeth?"
He chuckled, "No, not unless someone
knocks them out."
Relief. I already made my next cleaning
appointment for January 17, at 10am.
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