Triple Crown

Today I had a dentist appointment. It was only for a cleaning, so I didn't feel any particular anxiety about going. The realization that Motrin/Tylenol would dull the sensitivity in my teeth has changed my life, at least when it comes to dental visits. Why do they have to use such cold water??

The anxiety should have kicked in when the hygienist mentioned that part of a filling was gone. Or when she said that she thought I had a cavity and that one of my old white fillings probably needed to be replaced. But I was lulled into a false sense of security by the knowledge that the most painful thing I'd have to endure today was the sharp edge of the x-ray film.

After the cleaning, she stuck me in another room for a half hour which I really enjoyed because I got to read about 4 articles in the September issue of O magazine. Then Dr. Arora arrived (photo above - she's nicer than she looks in the photo). I love Dr. Arora and I drive all the way to Worcester to see her, since she moved from the Natick office of Gentle Dental to one closer to home when she had her twins. She has seen me through at least 6 fillings, 2 crowns, and 2 root canals, so I know she's a talented and compassionate dentist. I saw her at the mall once with her screaming toddler, so I know she's also a regular mom like me.

Dr. Arora took one look in my mouth and asked what I've been doing. Was I stressed? Was I grinding or clenching? Apparently in addition to the missing piece of filling, I also have another broken filling and a fractured tooth. Plus the cavity and the filling that needs to be replaced. And one tooth may need a root canal and another may need a "gum procedure" and I'm pretty sure she wasn't talking about Bubblicious. So I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of Dr. Arora. Thank God we have double dental insurance - through my work and Ben's.

Oh well, I can't get a cavity in a crown so this puts me closer to my goal of replacing every tooth with a crown. I already have 4 and will have 3 more by the end of the year. I can't prove it but I REALLY think that the problems with my teeth stem from my bad habit of chewing pens and pencils from childhood until I was about 25. I remember cracking the clear plastic Bic pens, and the taste of the metal ring that holds the eraser on a #2 pencil. Also the taste of earwax on an eraser - eeeeewwwww! Kids...don't make the mistakes I made. Go get some Bubblicious. Sugar-free of course.

.