Teeth

Teeth.

That’s right, we all have them. And if we don’t, we have some form of fake ones. We use our teeth for a lot of things: to eat food, to bite our nails, to form words, to smile, and even to open things when we’re too lazy to get scissors or a key or some other sharp object. We brush our teeth twice or more a day and floss between each of them, right into the gums, once or more a day. We get them cleaned twice a year. Some of us see orthodontists to get braces or to get our wisdom teeth removed.

We, as humans, generally can relate when it comes to teeth. Especially us Americans who seem to have an invested interest in keeping our teeth straight and pearly white. To the point where we put fluoride in our tap water. Nice, isn’t it?

All my life, I have been plagued with bad teeth. When I was younger, I thought it was because I never flossed. Each time I saw the dentist, Dr. Ben would lecture me in his thick Iranian accent about how I needed to take better care of my teeth or I’d be toothless by the time I was twenty.

Of course as I got older I acquired better teeth hygiene habits. I brushed thoroughly and regularly, and made sure to floss daily. Years went by with good teeth cleaning. Then at one appointment the dentist discovered several cavities despite my efforts. “You have really nice gums though, so I believe you,” he said when I told him that I was doing everything right. It especially ticked me off when I saw my siblings, who take horrible care of their teeth, get off scot-free without any hint of plaque! I thought for sure my dentist must be a quack.

I went in to get my teeth worked on and afterward, my teeth weren’t the same. They were sensitive, especially a certain tooth. This molar hurt at the slightest touch of something cold or hot to the point where I stopped using mouthwash because the luke-warm liquid sent a sharp pain into my tooth. On top of that, my tooth constantly aches. Because of this, I avoid a lot of foods, such as cereal (because of the cold milk and crunch), anything crunchy like chips, chex-mix, or chewy like beef jerky. I drink ice water or eat ice cream with caution.

I went back into the dentist and told him about the pain. He looked at my tooth, took an x-ray, and then told me I’d have to get a root canal. He went on saying that root canals aren’t as bad as their reputation and blah blah blah. Right then I just wanted him to take all my teeth out and make me a set of dentures. I didn’t want to have to endure the constant going back to the dentist for the rest of my life, for the new cavities to be refilled, to the fillings that needed to be replaced.

My mom tried to comfort me. “You know your aunt Dianne has bad teeth blah blah, it’s in our genetics, blah blah blah.”

So what’s the point of posting this rambling on the internet for anyone who cares to read?

I hate the dentist’s.

And I hate my teeth.

Thought you guys would like to know.