My milestone

Call my mom.

Break out the baby book.

Tonight I hit a milestone.

Tonight I recieved my first ever filling for my first ever cavitity.

Not bad for 33 years old.

Now, granted, I am worthy of quite the lecture from the dentist for failing to see one for, oh, I don't know, way to long. Luckily this was a nice dentist who only gave me a mini-lecture. And I'm sure my appointment in August for a routine cleaning and exam will produce another mini-lecture.

Why am I so very bad about seeing a dentist? It's a trust thing.

As a kid I had an awesome dentist. His office was in an old bank. The vault (with it's door bolted wide open) contained an arcade - pin ball machines, PacMan, you name it. All for free. When you left you got a new toothbrush and a cheap toy from a giant toy box at the receptionist desk.

Not once did I have a cavitity. Not. Once.

He moved out of that office into a new one. He lost the arcade. I was in my late teens. I was content with the magazines. Still no cavities.

He moved to a third office - in less than two full years. Suddenly I had four cavities - two of them really really bad and I needed my teeth sealed. I told my parents I wasn't going back without a second opinion.

A few years later I had my wisdom teeth taken out. All four. Two of them severly impacted - one so bad they had to chip away some of the jaw bone to get it out. That hurt like hell. I vividly recall not leaving my bed for days - the painkillers they prescribed doing little to dent the pain. The only thing that helped was never removing the ice packs from my face.

However, the good Oral Surgeon took several X-rays before operating. I asked him as he stared at the images of my mouth, "Do you see any cavities? Do I have to find a dentist?"

"No," he said. "No cavities, just problem wisdom teeth."

No cavities.

And there went my carefree attitude about denistry. In it's place was extremem distrust and a desire to avoid going unless I was in agony. That worked for quite some time - until last week.

It started with a sore spot under my chin. Tyically when I get a sinus infection, bad head cold, or respiratory infection, my glands swell and the one under my chin hurts like hell. Assuming the infection/cold is bad enough. I figured this was all it was.

Then the tooth. One on my upper right side - the first molar to be exact. It hurt. It hurt when my tongue touched it. It hurt when cold foods or drink touched it. It hurt when I brushed it. Crap. My dental boycott was over.

I'm still numb. I've realized I hate novacaine. The last time I had it was back when I liked my childhood dentist. I had what he thought was a bone chip. It wasn't. It was a cyst. He never gave me enough novacaine. I cried that appointment too. Tonight the doctor gave me enough. An hour and a half later I still can't feel my upper lip. My right upper gum feels swollen and angry. I feel like cotton balls are shoved up in my cheek.

I'm new to this. I'm left standing in my kitchen wonder what the hell does one drink or eat when they can't feel half their mouth?

Did I mention I've not yet eaten dinner?