Grumbling about my teeth
Today was a new experience for me, and not one for which I am thankful. Well, perhaps I’m a bit thankful*, but it was unpleasant. What could it be? A crown on my tooth. One of my teeth cracked, which exposed a bit of root, and made me very sensitive to both hot and cold. Blech. So off I went to the dentist, where she filed down my poor tooth, fitted a temporary crown on it, and sent me on my way. I have to say, I wish I didn’t know that they file your tooth down. The whole time that stupid file was in my mouth, I kept picturing my poor tooth being worn down to a nub. Not pleasant.
We have a new dentist, and this was my second trip to see her. My first was when she diagnosed my problem. I like her well enough, she’s gentle, which is a good thing. But I do miss my old dentist, Dr. Ochikubo. Dr. O was such a sweet guy, and had been practicing dentistry for many decades. He would sometimes tell stories about when he and his family were put in an internment camp during World War II, he being Japanese and living in California. Not a fun story, but interesting, and such a part of our history. He retired last year, not because he wanted to and was going to travel the world, but due to health issues. So that’s sad, and at least at this point, it brings a whole level of sadness to going to the new dentist, who is in his same office. Sigh. So now I have a crown, which somehow feels like a moral failing to me. Like I failed to care for my teeth or something. I know, I’m weird. I sometimes feel guilty when my eyesight gets worse, too. Everything that’s wrong with me is surely my own fault, and if only I had done things differently, I wouldn’t have these issues. Never mind that it’s all hereditary, and I’ve always taken good care of myself (except perhaps for my soda addiction, which I finally quit in late 2013). None of that matters in the face of the guilt.
You know what would make me feel better? If my ‘Downton Abbey’ DVD would hurry up and get here. It’s supposed to arrive today, and yet here it is, almost 8:00 at night, and NO DVD!!! Uncool.
*A bit thankful, or should I say, very thankful really, that modern dentistry exists, and there is help beyond just yanking a painful tooth out of your head. That would suck.
10 Comments
Nina
Ugh I can relate, although for me it was simply a cavity. But sheesh I hadn’t had a cavity in ages, then to get one was terrible. Not to mention that it isn’t covered by insurance, so here I go spending over $100 for something so preventable. I’m better (hopefully) about not eating too much crap anymore!
J
Ugh, I hate when insurance doesn’t cover crap like that. Mine covers half of the crown, which means I’ll be paying $375 or so. Rats.
Ally Bean
I’m sorry that you had to go through this procedure, but you do bring up an important point. Going to the dentist is one of those gifts that I think I take for granted. I go on a regular basis and do as I’m told [most of the time] without a second thought about how lucky I am to have my teeth intact… unlike many of the real life people who would have lived during the eras represented in Downton Abbey, for instance.
J
You’re right, perhaps they should show someone on Downton Abbey having teeth problems!
Rain Trueax
I’ve had some unpleasantness regarding teeth; so I totally sympathize. What makes it work for me is nitrous as I have TMJ, so any big dental work makes it flare up too 🙁
J
Rain, perhaps I have TMJ, too. I do know I grind my teeth. After getting the temporary crown, I came home and at bedtime, put in my bite guard. Bad idea, as it doesn’t fit over the crown, and when I took it out, the crown came with it. I wonder if that means I’m going to need a new bite guard? Ted ran out and got me some fixident, and I put the crown back in. Blech on the whole thing.
Fiona
I can so empathise, J!!!! Just had work on a crown too. When I went in to have the new crown fitted, they discovered an abscess at the root of a previously crowned tooth so it seems that tooth has to be pulled and an implant put in. After a dentist pulled a molar when I was about 10, I refused to go to the dentist until I was brave enough in my early 20s but with notoriously poor Scottish teeth, a lot of work had to be done and I’m still reaping the impact of those days!
Hope the rest of the treatment goes well for you hon.
Teeth, eyes and joints are the body’s design faults!!!
J
Oh geez, how horrid! I had some years of no dentistry when I was a kid, too. My brother and mom, too. It wasn’t based on fear so much as the fact that I had braces, and my mom couldn’t afford both braces and denstist trips for us. Or glasses, which I needed, but didn’t realize. Being broke sucks.
Nance
Sigh. What a lot of guilt. Were you raised Catholic, by any chance? LOL.
Resolve to brush and floss regularly and go have a glass of Chardonnay, congratulating yourself on having the Good Sense to visit a dentist. Also for having white wine instead of red, which can stain your teeth.
Lots to be happy about.
Right now you have a couple of frustrations regarding your overall health, and you are at a loss as to why they have occurred. You take good care of yourself, and you do all the right things (more or less), yet they persist. It’s all terribly unfair, like your Dear Dr. O’s forced retirement coming after his forced internment. Where is the reward for any of our efforts?
Guilt won’t make any of that any better, despite what the Puritans’ and Catholics’ doctrine may say. Try The Nance Method: Wallow a little, bitch a lot, then move on. (Or the opposite–Wallow a lot, bitch a little, either way.) Ignoring your feelings never works.
Dime Store Psychology session over.
J
Hi Nance, no, not raised Catholic. There are Puritans way back in my history, so perhaps I can blame them. I do floss and brush and all of that, so you’re right. I do my best. And actually, while I was feeling guilty the other day, I don’t anymore. I’m over it, thankfully. Thanks for the continued support. 🙂