Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Toothache

I went in to the dentist for my regular once-every-two-year cleaning. It came at a good time because my tooth had just recently started aching a bit and so I had them check it. My teeth are generally pretty healthy (only 1.5 cavities so far, despite my infrequent dental checkups and not-so-diligent brushing habits - I think it's because I make loads of saliva. My husband does too, so we have very spitty kisses). Neither the hygenist nor the dentist could spot anything wrong with my achey tooth but in the process of looking all my other teeth started aching a bit too. So my dentist went and got what looked like a hammer and started banging on all my teeth to "check for fractures" but I think he was just getting a kick out of the process. Eventually he grew tired of it and told me I was probably stressed out and grinding my teeth at night. Then they asked me if I had been stressed out lately and I told them that last week I wrecked an entire day trying to get antibiotics from my doctor for that very dental appointment (I have a heart condition) and that had totally stressed me out. They nodded sympathetically and decided that's probably why my teeth hurt. They also prescribed me with some fluoride toothpaste and mouthrinse to strengthen up my teeth and recommended in the future I reduce my doctor-associated stress, which I am starting to believe is impossible.

And just for a note to all you hot yoga non-believers (you know who you are), the dentist thought hot yoga was a great way to loosen up the jaw muscles and prevent the tooth grinding at night. Kudos to hot yoga!

3 comments:

arial said...

How do you have 0.5 of a cavity? I'm sure cavities occur as integers.

If you're paid by a dental grant how come you don't go to the dentist more often? Don't the dental grant people keep track of stuff like that?

Maybe you should have your dentist call in the antibiotic perscription when you make the appointment. Dentists can do perscriptions too.

Would your teeth have hurt worse without the hot yoga? Cuz it dosn't seem like it helped you that much.

Uncle KT said...

Now with hot yoga you will have pain free teeth, know where your center is AND be toxin free! But really...it is cool that it'll help your teeth.

J-Funk said...

I swear, the dentist told me it was 0.5 of a cavity, because it was super tiny and they even filled it with tooth-colored stuff so you can't see it.

The dental grant is surprisingly not keeping track of our dental hygeine. We even have tried to get better dental coverage and/or VIP appts through our affiliation with this grant but to no avail. I have gotten lots of toothbrush and toothpaste samples and even a sweet deal on an Oral-B electric toothbrush though.

I tried to get my dentist to call in the prescription this time but the clinic I go to doesn't do that. The next place I go (in Seattle) I will be sure to set something like that set up. It's not uncommon and would definitely be the easier way to go.

I have no idea if my teeth would have hurt worse without the hot yoga. I am going to say yes, they would have, in order to keep up my strong faith in the hot yoga.

My, you ask a lot of questions!

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