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| Poor Prairie Eydie. The swelling was awful. |
For the first several days, my mouth was stuffed with bloody gauze squares and my mind was stuffed with sandwich dreams, trail mix visions, and pizza fantasies. For two weeks I only ate watery, luke-warm oatmeal and kale smoothies, enhanced with ch-ch-ch-chia seeds. Midway through my "healing" I was offered a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. I held back tears and said I was completely happy with a side of Greek yogurt.
Many people are surprised I still had my wisdom teeth at age 45. "Why?" they ask. It is because I don't like going to the dentist. I have skillfully been avoiding their suggestions that I have my wisdom teeth pulled for years. I swear these dental hygienists had to take "Condescension 101" in order to get their degree. I hate lying about flossing and I really hate how they can easily find out when my last cleaning was. Oh. And the smell of those latex gloves. And the taste of that gruesome tooth polish. And the bleeding gums, which immediately give away my flossing fibs. YUCKUMS.
After finding out about my dental plight, self-righteous "friends" have gone wacko in defense of continuous dental care. (Prairie Sherry is religious about going to the dentist twice a year. She could have easily fallen into the self-righteous category, but instead replied to all of my crazed, oxycodone texts and loaned me a 700+ page Amy Tan book.) These "friends" like to tell me all about their brushing routine, their first electric toothbrush, and how they are experimenting massaging their gums with water picks. Yawn. I am still deciding if I want to continue these friendships. It is probably time to bid adieu. (They are probably contemplating the same about me.)
This may surprise you, but I am changing my naughty ways. Too much energy has been zapped by avoiding the dentist. I have already scheduled my teeth cleaning for the next 12 months and bought my first pink Sonicare toothbrush . I have also solemnly sworn to show up for teeth cleanings for as long as I live. It will be so refreshing not to hear the hygienists bitch about my wisdom teeth.
Prairie Eydie
Having a wisdom tooth extracted isn't a walk in the park like other people think. Because of its position, it takes a more delicate procedure to extract and patients experience bleeding after the procedure. It's nice to know that you have recovered, and I hope you still frequent trusted clinics for a good oral health!
ReplyDeleteJavier Portocarrero
Thanks for your kind words, Javier! I have fully recovered and will never again blow off dentist appointments. Eydie
ReplyDeleteIt’s good to hear that you’ve finally changed your mind about not going to the dentist and now you're on your way to recovery. Most of us are really afraid of dentists because of the scary tools and equipment they use. Haha! However, they are the ones that we can trust regarding our dental issues, so it’s important to regularly visit them.
ReplyDeleteArun Narang
Good thing the extraction process isn't that bad because you were asleep. The storm comes after the numbness of your jaw wears off. By then, you feel every painful nerve. I hated getting my wisdom teeth removed, but I knew it was for a good cause. Anyway, don't worry about having them extracted a bit later than usual. What matters is they're gone now and they won't be coming back to bother you again. :)
ReplyDeleteBettye Primm @ Back Mountain Dental
Hey Bettye. I wasn't asleep because I had to drive myself to and from the dentist's office. Obviously I didn't think that matter through. But you are absolutely right. What matters most is that they are gone and "ain't" coming back. Prairie Eydie
ReplyDeleteHi Dr. Narang, I am happy to inform you that I went to my 6th month dental check up last week. I didn't want to, but I need to set the right message for my three kiddos. You are right - we need to regularly visit our friendly neighborhood dentist. Prairie Eydie
ReplyDelete