Teeth. Don't talk to me about teeth.
This morning I had almost finished drafting a paragraph for here about those people who wish that they live in a previous age but of those things that they would particularly miss - like up-to-date dentistry, giving as an example the fact that I had a toothache last week and the way that a dentist can help today that years ago ago they could not (i.e. X-rays, fillings rather than extractions and antibiotics for infections). However I didn't post the piece as we were going shopping and so I thought that I'd post it in the afternoon.
Then over lunch, carefully eating on the other side side of my mouth and there was a crunch. And I realised that a crown fitted only last month had come off. It cost me almost £300 and I had been assured that it would be there for at least 5 years. OK, I didn't lose it and Ihave an absolutely excellent dentist who uses the latest technology from Scandinavia (I think that the machine that produced both that crown and a bridge I also have came from Finland). He will sort out both problems, the crown tomorrow and two more appointments dealing with where the abscess is once all the antibiotics have had full effect. But the whole experience just reminds me of getting older and the fact that one's teeth reach a stage when they begin to disintegrate slowly and slowly. I just hope that false teeth are far away in the future. Somehow I am beginning to doubt it.
And until tomorrow I'll have to eat like a rabbit with my front teeth. SIGH.
4 comments:
It may be that your teeth are getting slowly worse as you age because they did not give you problems at a younger age. Fortunately, for most of my adult life, I have had dental insurance; thus, had no excuse not to have dental work done, as needed. And I did need it. As a kid, oral hygiene was something to which we aspired, but for which there were few tools. Consequently, year-by-year, more and more of my teeth became crowned. Now, I've precious few solid teeth to give me a problem; and, I've learned to fight gum disease, mightily. Thus, I have no more dental problems, today, than I've had at any point in my life. The last major dental work (a new crown) was done several years ago.
It's too bad that you couldn't have had the best of both dental worlds, Val--good teeth as a youth and good teeth at middle-age. Perhaps by the time you join us elders, your dental problems will have diminished. Let's hope! (It's difficult chewing in the middle, isn't it?)
Cop Car
CopCar,
"Us elders"! I doubt that you are much older than me. You certainly seem very young to me both in the way you write and all the things you fill your life with.
It's a few years since I had any major problems with my teeth, mainly because my current dentist is so good. I have to admit that I have several crowns and a bridge and the rest of my remaining teeth (after about 3 have been extracted) have been filled. I just felt so frustrated when I wrote that piece.
Anyway after a visit to a hospital yesterday I have had yet another reminder that I am no longer young, this time with my eyes. In addition to glaucoma I've been told that I am now beginning to develop cataracts. Oh well.
Fortunately, they can do something about cateracts; although, I've been bothered by them for at least 10 years, now, and the insurance people keep saying that they aren't bad enough to have them fixed, yet. Good luck. As to our ages: for some reason, I thought that you were a couple of years younger than Buffy who is at least 10 years younger than my 68.5--and counting. At any rate, I don't believe that you or Buffy meets my criterion of age 60 to join the elder crowd. You'll get there--eventually!
Cop Car
P.S. I'm so sorry about the glaucoma. That is scary stuff.
I am having real problems in seeing properly at the moment due to the way light seems to be distorted. I also have night blindness (due to drops I take for glaucoma) and added to that the distortion of light means that I dare not drive at night at all and I'm not much good walking in the dark also. Thank goodness for the Husband. That's why I discussed the problem at the hospital and they told me that I have cataracts.
As for age I am 55 years old. At times that seems very old and at other times I feel just 18. Isn't it sad the way that so many parts of Society labels us as old.
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