Yesterday I got my front teeth fixed. What is wrong with my teeth? Let's go back, back, back.
The year is I have no idea. I am I don't know years old...maybe 12 or 13. It is summer. The pool is blue, the sky is blue, the grass green. It is glorious.
My mom always told us to use the ladder to get out of the pool. There were actually two ladders. The ladder in the deep end and the ladder in the shallow end...which was for chumps and little kids.
We didn't use the ladder it wasn't cool. I didn't use the ladder that day. My hands slipped, I fell back into the water, I didn't move my teeth out of the way of the side of the pool. I shattered most of my front teeth, leaving that cool boxer or hockey player look. Not cool for an adolescent girl already struggling to like herself even a bit.
What did my mother say? You can imagine it had something to do with using the ladder to get out of the pool.
So, here I am, years later, in the dentist chair. The front of my face is numb and there are drilling sounds and the distinct smell of burning and nail polish remover. That is the stuff they use to build up the composite. It smells and it burns my tongue. It is seeping down near my salivary glands and the taste is attacking my senses. The dentist mumbles to the hygienist who uses this curious gizmo that has is orange with a blue light. I think it is melting or molding composite onto my teeth. The dentist uses what looks like a wide piece of dental floss to smooth and polish the new space between my teeth. It catches my gums and I feel a slight sting as the Novocaine is starting to wear off.
"Novocaine starting to wear off, eh?" He says. This is where it turns bad. Something is not right with one of the teeth and he starts applying the nail polish smelling stuff. It stings my gums. He has cut my gums and put some stinking gunk in there. It stings and it tastes terrible. He uses the drill and a sander to smooth my new teeth, hitting my gums as I clasp my hands helplessly together and try not to look worried. I realize that my eyes are as wide as 50 cent gumballs and my eyebrows are pushed up to my hairline. I relax my face and put on a nonchalant look as my gums sizzle under the composite and drill action.
I think the dentist is satisfied. He stops looking into my mouth and I hear the snap of the rubber gloves.
"You can eat right away, but your gums may be a bit sore." He says in a flat tone as he wanders off toward his office. I was his last patient of the day.
"No shit" I think.
What was on the menu for dinner, you ask? I made pasta salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Ouch.
The year is I have no idea. I am I don't know years old...maybe 12 or 13. It is summer. The pool is blue, the sky is blue, the grass green. It is glorious.
My mom always told us to use the ladder to get out of the pool. There were actually two ladders. The ladder in the deep end and the ladder in the shallow end...which was for chumps and little kids.
We didn't use the ladder it wasn't cool. I didn't use the ladder that day. My hands slipped, I fell back into the water, I didn't move my teeth out of the way of the side of the pool. I shattered most of my front teeth, leaving that cool boxer or hockey player look. Not cool for an adolescent girl already struggling to like herself even a bit.
What did my mother say? You can imagine it had something to do with using the ladder to get out of the pool.
So, here I am, years later, in the dentist chair. The front of my face is numb and there are drilling sounds and the distinct smell of burning and nail polish remover. That is the stuff they use to build up the composite. It smells and it burns my tongue. It is seeping down near my salivary glands and the taste is attacking my senses. The dentist mumbles to the hygienist who uses this curious gizmo that has is orange with a blue light. I think it is melting or molding composite onto my teeth. The dentist uses what looks like a wide piece of dental floss to smooth and polish the new space between my teeth. It catches my gums and I feel a slight sting as the Novocaine is starting to wear off.
"Novocaine starting to wear off, eh?" He says. This is where it turns bad. Something is not right with one of the teeth and he starts applying the nail polish smelling stuff. It stings my gums. He has cut my gums and put some stinking gunk in there. It stings and it tastes terrible. He uses the drill and a sander to smooth my new teeth, hitting my gums as I clasp my hands helplessly together and try not to look worried. I realize that my eyes are as wide as 50 cent gumballs and my eyebrows are pushed up to my hairline. I relax my face and put on a nonchalant look as my gums sizzle under the composite and drill action.
I think the dentist is satisfied. He stops looking into my mouth and I hear the snap of the rubber gloves.
"You can eat right away, but your gums may be a bit sore." He says in a flat tone as he wanders off toward his office. I was his last patient of the day.
"No shit" I think.
What was on the menu for dinner, you ask? I made pasta salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Ouch.
In the end, it was worth it. My teeth looked good. I had a new smile. Until I ate dinner this evening. One minute I was eating, and the next my tooth didn't feel right. I dashed to the nearest mirror to have a look. It is coming off! My tooth is coming off!
I can taste the sour stinging flavor of the composite already. I can hear the drill. I can smell the sander and feel the water spraying everywhere. I can't wait to get back to the dentist.
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