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A place for where you have a particular interest or passion that may seem remarkably dull to others, but remarkable to you.
Dental Punishment
Today was the day. For the first time in 19 years - yes, 2006, I booked a date with the dentist.
I knew it was going to be bad. How could it not be? But something always just prevents me from ever getting myself looked after. I've been hospital for only the most extreme things, namely for toe surgeries and when my spine broke in half.
But anything less than completely debilitating agony, I'll deal with everything myself! No idea why. Cultural thing or something.
And in fairness, my teeth have never given me any trouble. They're English ugly, but I never got a toothache, infection, a chip, never even understood what a 'cavity' was. Seems to be an American thing.
The only reason I went is because I want to use my insurance while I have it and I'm not certain I'll be signing another year with my job to keep that juicy money coming.
Entering the facility of doom
The hospital itself was quite nice. English speaking. I just walked straight in and signed a document and within seconds I was in a dentist chair. Literally seconds later, the dreaded picking and scratching with that cursed metal tool started going on.
I told her it had been 2 decades since I last checked up on my teeth and she was very disapproving, demanded I take an X-ray because the situation did not look good. Eek.
Well as it turns out it wasn't very good. But also, it wasn't terrible. Pretty much in line with what I expected. Enamel worn away, plaque build up, weird stuff going on in my back teeth. Here you can see, I have no bottom wisdom teeth. They just never grew. Family history thing.
Notice the Google Chrome... in China
Now she pointed at the bit in the red circle and said I had clear tooth decay. I dunno about you but I can't see a damn thing there, so I was a bit skeptical. She said I'd need a filling. I think I had those as a kid but I barely remember what it entails so I was just like 'Yeah whatever dude I got time'.
Moments later she'd drilled away all my enamel from that tooth!! That was MINE!
But actually, she did expose the truth hidden beneath which was a bit mortifying, a bunch of gross black stuff filled the centre like a Dairy Queen chocolate lava ice cream, but presumably less delicious.
How does it even get in there? Apparently there might have been some micro cavities where bacteria managed to sneak in. Ultimately, if unchecked, enamel would eventually go away, agony ensues, and root canals would be the punishment which are apparently not very fun.
There was a bit of pain in this part of the procedure, but I think mostly psychological. Only a few stabs, I can handle that. I'm a man after all. She complained and sighed that it was much deeper than she thought which can't be good but it was all done in a few minutes anyway.
She filled it in with some very uncomfortable stabbing procedures and it looks like it always did, only now it's a temporary filling that might last anywhere from 1-10 years before I have to get it replaced. Great.
A Cleaning from Hell
The second part was far worse. She offered it like it was some casual act. Just a professional toothbrushing or something. How wrong I was. She stabbed at my gums no less than FOUR times just to demonstrate that they're inflamed and easily bleed. Yeah because you're repeatedly stabbing them with a knife!. I watched the blood pool around my gums as she casually got ready to stab me dozens of times more:
Left to right, slowly, stabbing and drilling, then right to left on the back side. Then repeat for the top teeth. Every single action was slightly painful, which stacked to make the experience overall very painful.
I had such horrific visions. The sound of the drill was the same sound that it made when she stripped away my tooth enamel minutes earlier. I thought she was sanding down my teeth to little nubs!
But it continued on and on with copious metal and cotton shoved in my mouth. I did my best to be brave and not complain or stop the whole way through - I'm a big boy! (downgraded from MAN).
I didn't get a lollypop at the end, but she did show me the results and to be fair, it is a big difference. All the plaque stuff is gone. My filled tooth looks identical to how it used to look.
The problem however is now that the plaque is gone my mouth just feels permanently weird. Like my teeth feel dry and gritty. I feel like my tongue is gonna get stuck in the new little gaps or something (My teeth have always had gaps).
But alas, all this is my punishment for neglecting myself. As mortifying and shameful as the experience was, I'm very grateful for it, and it only cost about 200 quid - I only paid 20 on top given the insurance.
The rest seem not so bad, apparently. She suspects another tooth has decay but said I should leave that to another time but definitely keep it in mind, which I certainly will. And avoid for a while because that's the kinda guy I am.
but since I don't smoke and I tend to clean my teeth twice a day without fail with fluoride and electric brush, things could be way worse. At least I staved off the scary root canal stuff.