I love teeth: Sunday Thoughts about the last few months when I have been missing from life


Have I mentioned yet that I love teeth? I love taking my kids to the dentist. They like us, because Danielle has pretty good teeth. I worry that she will end up with the busted grills that run in my family and then her grandpa will have retired and we will have to pay a boat load to get her teeth fixed.
so far so good. With our new million billion dollar insurance we have dental coverage and we didn't even have to pay for her checkup (although if she had cavities this might have been different because it's not a huge yearly allowance- I don't even thing it would cover one of my average visits.)
I hate having cavities. Also on my bad list- pregnancy gingivitis, which I totally have. My gums bleed every time I think about brushing my teeth. It just makes me want to floss more, honestly. So when I took Danielle to the dentist (OK honestly I think it was in MAY) she loved her bag of stickers and her pink balloon. She also liked brushing the teeth of the stuffed animals. I was so proud of her for sitting still and being polite for the dentist- and I was happy she wanted to wear her heart shirt that I made for her. She showed me her clean teeth just like she showed the dentist.
If I raise her right maybe she will be a dentist someday.

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Positive Post #15

I got my tooth fixed. They didn't even ask if I wanted another color- they just glued the sucker back on. They cleaned it- maybe because it was stored in the change section of my wallet. My kids put money in their mouths though, so it probably would have been fine either way.
for those of you (denise) who wonder- I actually didn't start dental Hygeine. I finally realized that maybe piles and piles of educational debt were a bad plan. John knows this too, so he plans to work after school. Since I can't commit to that I decided to wait on school.

Other good news: Mark wakes up twice a night now- that is less than ever before and he is darling at night. Danielle likes to feed him yogurt and she is really good at it. After a few weeks she is officially a preschool drop out- and her school backpack came in the mail the next day. luckily she has a lot of important ponies to carry around the house and now she can do it.

I am about to die in anticipation of Halloween- one of the most glorious holidays EVER.

Long live Candy!
except milk duds, because it turns out I wasn't supposed to be eating milk duds at all anyway since I popped my crown off on one. and all other sticky candy.
I'm usually so careful to only eat them on the other side of my mouth.
I don't know if I can think about never eating milk duds again. They keep looking at me from the candy bin. They love me. They want to make me feel better about going to the dentist. They don't think my gold crown is a mercury filling.
Totally worth the very insignificant copay since I have much coveted dental insurance that I have a crush on.
Did I mention I'm one of the reasons everyone has such expensive dental insurance?
true story.
End Positive Post #15

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Positive Post #14

I have the opportunity to undo one of the worst mistakes of my life. What is it? that's right- getting the wrong color gold in my crown. Now my dentist (who really was NOT very good) recommended that I get a porcelain crown. Since I've been to a few jaw specialists who disagree and I cracked my tooth by clenching I asked for a gold crown. Porcelain can crack so if you clench or grind your teeth you shouldn't get it. You should get gold.
So once I had convinced my dentist that even though my porcelain crown would be guaranteed for two years I was going to get the less attractive gold they grudgingly asked me what color I wanted. Color? I didn't know that gold came in colors.
Then I realized what an idiot I am- of course it comes in colors, my wedding ring is white gold. I thought- well maybe I should match my wedding ring.

I don't know if you know this but a white gold crown looks a lot like those cheap-o metal fillings you used to get as a kid that I don't even know if they make anymore. Why didn't I get yellow gold? I could spit every time someone sees my crown and tells me they used to get fillings like that when they were kids. NO YOU DIDN'T.

not that it makes me frustrated because I am always happy.
and I would never be so vain about my teeth to care if people think my crown is gold or just a super big cavity.
One year after the first mistake I did it again. I got another crown and even though I knew it was a mistake I wanted it to match so I got white gold again. At first they ordered me a porcelain crown and I was a little upset that I had to call back two days after my fitting and remind them that I wanted white gold like the last one. They seemed to think it was unusual. Apparently they have never dealt with anyone that clenches. Why did I trust these people to make me a crown in the first place.

Just yesterday a miracle happened- while I was eating my crown fell out of my mouth. Now if I can get my other crown to fall out by tomorrow morning I can get it replaced with a yellow gold crown. I guess crowns just fall out sometimes since mine did. Maybe I can count on the other one falling out eventually- I could just get them to make me a yellow gold one. This one only lasted about 17 months after all. How about when my slowly and painfully dying root next to the newest crown finally dies- maybe I won't just need a root canal like the other surrounding teeth- maybe I can get another crown. Luckily I still had three pain killers left over from after I had a baby so I should be able to make it until tomorrow morning. Should I be worried that my crown stump hurts so bad? Can that get infected or is there even tooth left there?
Man I wish I was a dentist.

So my advice to you is to plan what color your crowns will be someday. Think of the repercussions of the color gold you get. I might be stuck- or have non matching teeth. On the bright side I could get white gold yellow gold white gold yellow gold. Then I could wear any color jewelry and match.

Totally worth the 2,000.00 dollars. Twice.

end positive post #14

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Halloween Candy: Giveaway 1



As the proud owner of two crowns I have received advice from the dentist about how to avoid cavities. Although they tell me my cavities "aren't my fault" (whatever the heck that means) I also have a pretty close relationship with dentists. I remember watching my first root canal in a mirror when I was nine. It was fascinating- I was bleeding but it didn't hurt. I know to explain that my nerve on the left bottom is flat and wide so they can numb it all.
I read my father in law's orthodontic journals for fun.
I also love Halloween candy. one of my dentists told me that I should avoid any candy that is sticky to help me avoid cavities. I don't know if you've ever thought about it but basically every good candy is sticky. the displays for halloween taunt me. Milk duds for example, are very sticky and very good. I am sucking a piece of residual caramel off of my tooth right now. Those little give away packets are usually about the right size for your candy craving, except those darned milk duds packages. I don't know about you but I don't usually think to myself- I could go for two to four milk duds right now. You grab your little box and try to pry open the super strong glue and wait for your four milk duds. I only grab one box at a time- I am trying to be healthy after all. Then you get one of the crappy boxes with two.
It's only when you grab five boxes that you find one with the four plus a tiny extra piece. Oh wait- who can I share this box with, two milk duds fill me right up. Pretty soon you've convinced yourself that it's OK to eat another box- after all just walking to the candy bag across the room probably burns off three milk duds.
It isn't until I'm sitting at the computer writing a blog post surrounded by eight mini boxes that I think maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much. Eight Boxes probably equals about 32 milk duds. Is that more or less than is in a normal box? I always feel like a whole box of milk duds is too much candy for me, but not with the tiny boxes. Maybe I would actually eat the equivalent of several boxes.
What is your favorite Halloween candy?
In honor of my love of the entire bag of milk dud Halloween candy I consumed this week I am giving away a bag of Milk duds to one of my blog readers/friends. Because I think it's funny. What do you have to do to win? Leave a comment with the number of crowns you have. Pending crowns count.
and that is pure fun.
I will mail it next monday: Sept 27, so comment before then people.

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Grease Monkey


Many greasy things have happened in my life recently. John replaced the alternator in my car today. I think that is pretty brave. Haven't posted in a while. I was sick this week. and my car broke. Who wants to post about stuff like that. Danielle wanted to help a lot and she got her hands pretty greasy grabbing something- I have no idea what.
Danielle sometimes sneaks into the bathroom on the main floor and puts soap all over herself. Like in her hair. We visited a friend and I captured her greasy hair. I wonder if this is part of her master plan to constantly be taking baths. We have to limit her to one bath a day. She also likes to put lotion in her hair occasionally. Today it was really hot on the way home in the Prius and she covered her head with her blanket to fall asleep. Sweat also causes greasy hair. Then the light for the hybrid system in the Prius came on. So we could possibly be able to spend even more money fixing cars.
Danielle is getting better at opening doors. The other day I took Austin to go to the bathroom in the front yard and she dead bolted the front door. She was able to unlock the deadbolt though, which was a good thing since I didn't have shoes on. Or a phone. Now we know she can escape the house at any time.
And I broke my tooth. Possibly two teeth. I guess one tooth a pregnancy so far. Why did I get a white gold crown? Yellow gold is clearly classier, don't you think?

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