Wednesday, September 22, 2010

idiot, with teeth

Yesterday I spoke firmly to the children, who were driving me crazy with their lackadaisical, unthinking ways. "Sometimes I feel like I have to have the brains for all three of us!"

Lola slipped her hand in mine and confided, "Yes, you do. I am really stupid!" How we laughed and laughed.

Today, though, I didn't feel like I had enough brains to be in charge of my own teeth, let alone a pair of lazy children. I've finally found a new dentist in my own city, after years of trying to replace my dear dentist who moved away, and I'm in the middle of having a lot of work done. This morning I learned that in my sleep, I swallowed a temporary crown. At the dentist for an emergency visit, I confided in a technician, "I must be the Idiot of the Day." She politely demurred, but I wasn't comforted. I was already convinced they'd written all over my file, "Highly Neurotic Patient. Administer Gas Whenever Possible. Move Slowly. Use Quiet Voice." Today they no doubt added, "Careful -- Swallows Things When Not Supervised."

9 comments:

Silliyak said...

Sounds like the wisdom teeth are gone.

GodsKid said...

I suppose the temporary was doing fine when you went to sleep? I just had veneers done on 6 teeth, and the temporaries were fairly fragile, for me. (I guess I bite down pretty hard.) When I had one come off, I would put it back on for cosmetics, but would make sure to take it OUT over night, so that it didn't come off again and get swallowed. I gather that it's not uncommon, to swallow them. Don't fret! :)

the Drunken Housewife said...

It had come out before, but I'd pressed it firmly back on the tooth. I was planning to go back and get it recemented (after rejecting my initial idea of gluing it back myself with glue from around the house). I should have left it out overnight; that's smart.

NonymousGrossyPants said...

I'm pretty sure that teeth, even fake ones, aren't approved vegetarian items!

So, I gotta ask... Has it shown up yet?

GodsKid said...

You can keep a small tube of denture adhesive at hand, to reattach a fallen off veneer or crown. For cosmetic reasons! But I'm chicken enough to take mine out (if they are thusly temporarily attached) before I eat or sleep. Just cause I'm suspicious of myself!

the Drunken Housewife said...

Non, I'm not analyzing my end products carefully enough to know.

Anonymous said...

My 85 year old uncle slash comedian turned real estate developer enjoys telling jokes. One day in the dentist office whilst having a crown removed he was trying to tell a joke and ASPIRATED the crown. All hell broke loose and he was taken to the hospital. After several failed attempts at removing the crown via bronchyoscopy the Doc told my aunt (a retired RN with an attitude)that they would have to take him to the OR and open him up. Knowing the risk of putting an 85 (no matter how hale and hearty)year old under anesthesia, she said "Nope, keep looking." The offending crown was found and removed and he is alive and STILL telling the story at 93.

MamaMoose said...

I was hoping you could refer to me the name of your fabulous dentist. I too have many dental issues and walked away from my last dentist in the middle of her treating me for a root canal and so now have an incredibly ugly greenish tooth with a hollowed out canal down the back of it. I'm a teacher and all my students can't help but to remark on this incredibly strange looking tooth so I just need to bite the bullet and finish the work. I do have insurance but at this stage, I'd pay just about anything to find a dentist who can fix my teeth without me freaking out. Thanks

the Drunken Housewife said...

Dear Mama Moose: I have not only my fabulous new dentist to recommend, but also a really good root canal guy. I'm telling you, I had a root canal with this guy, and it was easypeasy. I sent a dental phobic friend to him who also had a very good experience with her root canal.

Dentist: Dr Sean Moran
Sansome Dental
www.sansomedental.com

Root canals: Dr Ralan Wong
Laurel Village (Calif. St. @Spruce)