The Mood the Dentist Puts Me In

I woke up grumpy.

I knew where I was headed. 

It’s the place where they always manage to tell me every single time that something is wrong with me.  My mouth is far from perfect.  My teeth may be straight, but nothing else is how it should be.

The dentist puts me in a mood.  It’s rare that I have a perfect report, and today I definitely didn’t.  It’s not my fault that my teeth are shaped in a way that makes it impossible to brush and floss them correctly. 

These are the things I found out at the dentist today:

My gums are receding… I’m hypersensitive… I have two cavities in the very back… not to mention I have some dentistry cement left on a tooth that has a crown on it.  (Why they didn’t remove it on the same day I had my crown put on, I do not know.)

The gums issue is caused by the fact I clench my teeth when I’m sleeping and the hypersensitivity is nothing new.  You think they would be willing to accept the fact that’s it’s painful when a tool jammed against your gum line to remove plaque.  But no, I’m just hypersensitive. 

During these visits I often find myself thinking I would rather be a caveman and let all my teeth fall out.  But when I told my Mom that she reminded me they only lived until they were 40.  Dang. 

At some point the lady who was cleaning my teeth gave me a mirror and taught me to floss, which I’m pretty sure I knew how to do but maybe I’ve forgotten after the dozens of lessons I’ve been given.  Who knows!

As I was holding the mirror I smiled at my Mom who was sitting nearby.  She came in to see how I was doing since she knows I don’t exactly get along with the people at the dentist.  She actually probably came in to make sure I was being polite.  Believe me, I try…. most of the time. 

Later after I was fully “diagnosed” and my Mom and I were driving home I asked her, “Did you see me smile at you when I was holding the mirror?”

She thought about it.  “Yes, I think so.”

“Well, that’s when I was imagining hitting the lady with it.” (Real mature, right?) 

I got lectured for that one.  I deserved it. 

On a final note, I’m very happy I have wonderful teeth, and a wonderful smile... I'm just not very tolerant of the process it takes to keep it that way.