Growing up, taking care of our teeth wasn’t the number one priority for my parents. I might have mentioned such in a previous post. But I do not recall being forced or reminded to brush my teeth all that often.

Also, as a twenty-something adult I went to the dentist. Only because apparently I had a tooth coming in where a tooth already was.

IN MY TWENTIES.

Thinking about that now, it seems to be an issue in the family! My niece has a tooth behind her baby tooth that came in because she was “too scared” to wiggle her baby tooth. The fact that she’d already lost a tooth or two before that… and now my child, who has already had some dental work, as a tooth coming in behind another tooth.

But that’s not what this post is about. It’s about my terrible horrible no good very bad teeth. I am of course exaggerating. Mine are, well, here. I know one or two people younger than me that have gotten rid of their natural teeth all together due to pain.

When I was a kid, there’s was a point at which my dad was out of work so we were on government benefits. And my mom being the ambitious smart person she is, decided it was high time we all go to the dentist.

Us four kids, not herself. Lort forbid she take care of herself.

Anyway before freshman year of high school (jobs and insurance came and went. Eventually he found a steady job) I had a mouth full of shiny fillings.

Actually I had about three REALLY bad teeth. Like, the dentist barely had to tug to get the pieces of two teeth out. One tooth was filled, one or two pulled and one actually grew in where one was missing. When I went to have the tooth pulled to make room for the rapidly descending permanent tooth IN MY 20s, the dentist said I still had several baby teeth.

Now, it’s been a while since all these fillings (like, decades) so my numbers are off. But I currently have three fillings in my bottom teeth.

Here’s the problem: it never occurred to me that these fillings could get cavities. But decades of wear and not brushing like I should, well duh goober.

So all of these teeth probably (yeah they do) have decay, (I looked closely).

I knew I needed some work but it didn’t occur to me that it was getting desperate until I was minding my own business and felt something just floating around in my mouth at work.

So, I think, hmm that’s odd. So I fish it out, and lo and behold. A tiny chip of tooth about the size of a sesame seed. And much harder. I hadn’t bitten down in anything, I hadn’t been grinding my teeth (like my kid).

But it was there, as sure as can be. In my hand while people walked around me. It didn’t take long to find where it came from.

And guess what

It came from—that’s right! A FILLED TOOTH.

Now, if one has a flashlight they can clearly see a hole burrowed into my tooth UNDERNEATH THE FILLING.

Not only that, but after a thorough brushing AND MOUTHWASH I was able to fish out DEBRIS. There is already stuff getting in the hide-y hole in my tooth. The chip happened two days ago!

And tomorrow is Memorial Day. So I will not be able to get a dental appointment until after Tuesday. So I’ll be carrying mouthwash and dental paraphernalia around until somebody can yank it out my mouth hole.

The sad thing? It’s not usually that side that bothers me…

Thanks for reading.

-c