Yesterday I visited the dentist for the first time in...oh....far too many years....
The good news?
No cavities!
The bad news? Tartar buildup so bad that they couldn't scrape every tooth in one sitting! They cleaned up the bottoms but I've got to go back in 2 weeks to get the top set done...
The WORSE news? Wisdom teeth.
IMPACTED Wisdom teeth.
I used to think that Wisdom teeth were called that because they didn't grow in until you were older, and presumably wiser. However, NOW I know the TRUTH!
For you see, the Dentist explained to me what would happen when they remove my Wisdom teeth. How they'll knock me unconscious and cut into my mouth...how they'll need to use a bone saw to cut through my teeth, shattering them into pieces while still inside my jaw...thus allowing them to pry out the shattered, sawed up remains of these silly, sideways teeth. How the bones inside my face will then hopefully heal up and fill in the missing spaces over the next days and weeks...
The Dentist also explained what would happen if I choose NOT to have the teeth removed. How they are growing sideways, moving and pressuring my other teeth, grinding into my healthier, more well behaved molars on the sides, destroying both themselves and the useful, cooperative teeth. He explained how there is an excellent chance that this will cause injury and infection in my mouth. How the putrid swelling will begin once the infection sinks in, causing the teeth to start rotting in my head...he described the way that PUS will start to build up in the gaps within my jaw and cheeks...how they may have to drill holes up through my face to drain the pus pockets caused by the disgusting, infected Wisdom teeth that I didn't have removed in time!
There's only about a 50-60% chance that the pus thing will happen. The grinding into healthy teeth until problems arise? Already started, and very likely to continue, causing more problems the longer it goes on....
SO...the WISDOM comes, not because these teeth grow as you get older, but because these teeth provide you with the opportunity to make the WISE choice! Do I suffer the certain pain and torment of having them removed? OR do I take my chances and possibly suffer the much, much worse fate from leaving them the way they are? There *is* a small chance that everything will just stay the way it is and be fine and I needn't suffer at all if I take no action...
Too bad that is a fool's hope....I think the WISE choice is obvious. Have the teeth removed! I can even get paid time off work for it!
Still...
.I don't wanna!!!
OF COURSE I'm going to do it anyway. I'm hoping to get an appointment for January. I'm trying to find WISDOM.
Here's a secret...I have already been FOOLISH. I've known about this problem for YEARS AND YEARS! The last time I went to the Dentist he told me about all of this. He gave me the number to call the surgeon and make the consultation appointment and to get the ball started.
I.............
well........I "lost" the information he gave me and then avoided going to the dentist at ALL for YEARS. Until yesterday...
Co-incidence? I think not....
But I finally went. Perhaps this is a good sign?
