Teeth

Today I went to the dentist with a tooth ache and came back home with one less tooth in my mouth.

If you know me well you know I hate everything about teeth.  It is mostly because of my horrible gingivitis (gum disease) and even more horrible experiences with dentists in Europe and in the US.  If I could make a deal with God to deliver 10 more children so that I never have to put a foot in the dentist office, I would gladly do it. :)

Well, I got one more bad news about my teeth today.  I went in with a tooth ache, which I thought would just be a big cavity.  Turns out it was way deep inside my tooth, under a huge silver filling.  Basically, if they tried to get rid of all the bad stuff in that tooth there would be nothing left to save.  So I came home today with one less tooth in my mouth.  It's always emotional to have a tooth pulled out and I'm not even sure why.  But the panic attack associated with the pain of pulling the tooth out is even worse so my nice dentist gave me the gas and plenty of injections.  It still feels weird when they do it, like they are going to pull your whole jaw out.  This tooth, whatever the number they kept talking about, is the last one in the back that I can have taken out and not miss it much when chewing.  I am just praying now that the tooth next to it will be ok enough to stay for a while.  That one too has some cavity but it's hard for them to see how bad it is so we have to wait on that and see.  If it turns out bad like the last one, I will need an implant there so I can chew my food. :)  I already need another implant right in the front which everyone sees when I smile or talk, and I keep postponing it all the time.  The tooth has gotten really crooked from the gingivitis over the last 10 years or so and is not strong enough to stay in if it's corrected.  The only logical thing is to pull it out and get an implant instead.  I'd love to do that too so I'm not that conscious of my smile all time but it costs so much money I never feel like I can justify it just for a nicer smile.  But maybe someday soon I will do it.  The implant in the back of my mouth, if it turns out bad enough, will be a lot more important to have done because it's not doing it for a cosmetic effect but for me to be able to chew food properly.

Well, it is a bit gross but teeth issues is something I have to struggle with.  We all have something in our life and I do know that I have to be thankful it is just teeth.  Really, with cancer and tumors all around me, how could I complain about the stupid teeth.  When I hear or read about someone going through chemo it always hits home for me and I quickly realize I have absolutely nothing in my life even comparable to that.  So I'll be ok going to my dentist for the 1000s time (and try to be ok with all the dental bills) and I'll be ok with my smile that shows my very imperfect teeth because I have so much more to be thankful for.