Woke up yesterday morning with a raging toothache which had started the night before. Always scary when you get toothache at night isn’t it? When the chemists and dentists are all closed. Took mega meds with some wine and vodka – yes yes I know I shouldn’t but this was an emergency. Managed to sleep but the pain hadn’t gone in the morning. This time it’s over I thought. That tooth at the back of my mouth that’s been giving me jip for nearly ten years has got to go. Tooth I said, NOOOOO!!!!
Lovely dentist!
As my usual dentist doesn’t work Wednesdays I had to see a different one. What a blessing that turned out to be! He was lovely. Really nice and very kind and understanding. And he will now take over my treatment – so turns out to have been quite a mercy. Lost a tooth but gained a much nicer dentist! I’m now on AntiBs to clear up the infection from the abscess but I can drink if I want to with them. And so, hey ho another chapter of my life starts.
Positive
It’s funny though. I’m nearly 60 and losing my first adult tooth hasn’t bothered me in the slightest! The tooth has now been out for 24 hours and I feel okay about it. I hung on in there as long as I could with it but it had to go. When I was 50 and the abscess under my back tooth started, I was desperate to hang onto the tooth! John, my other half, said why bother? What’s the point. But it felt then like I was losing part of myself. It doesn’t now. It needed to go and I’m glad it’s gone. Life just changes as you get older and your needs change too. There is so much to be grateful for health wise. There are people way worse off than me and I could be way worse off too. So I actually feel very positive about the whole thing. Unexpected. A nice surprise.
It’s an age thing
When you get to this age you realise how lucky you are to have whatever health you’ve managed to hang onto. I don’t have Diabetes, Osteoporosis or any other long-term chronic conditions I might’ve developed by now. I haven’t needed knee or hip replacements as others I know of my age have. My hair is still long and luscious despite me being t’other side of the menopause and that was incident free. So I reckon I’m doing all right. Heck I’m even losing weight again!
Weight
Eating has become a trial I try to avoid. I fear food! Not because it’ll make me fat – fatter I should say! – but because it’s so difficult to eat when your teeth are falling out. It’s all about adapting. Eating on one side only, possibly for a while if not forever. And eating food that’s easy on loose teeth. I feel a bit thinner as a result. And it means when I do eat, I often go for calorie-dense food so I won’t have to eat again for a while. A bit nuts, perhaps, though not nuts because they are impossible for me to eat now.
Cake
I have however been eating a lot of cake and chocolate. I think my system was telling me to (my excuse) to get calories into me and also for the stress of the whole thing. Plus the cold weather we haven’t yet shaken off often gives me a sweet craving. And I believe in doing what my body tells me. Not very Paleo but right now all I care about is surviving one day to the next. And trying to hold onto as many of my teeth as I can for as long as I can. Counter intuitive with regard to cake, perhaps, but so long as you brush your teeth well afterwards to remove the sugar I can’t see the harm. My teeth are loose anyway, why not have cake while I still can? Besides it IS my birthday today!
Anyway I have a new dentist which is what I wanted for a while now so though the tooth is long gone, I no longer dread dental visits and the finger wagging patronisation that used to come with them. Heck I might even look forward to them!
Enjoy Spring.
