Better Than Expected

I went to the dentist today.  That wouldn't be noteworthy except for the fact that this is the first time I've been examined or had a cleaning since late summer, 2009.

I don't get nervous about going to the dentist (it's a common source of anxiety for people), there have just been other factor preventing me from going.  First, I was uninsured for years, so dentistry was a financial burden that simply didn't seem worth it.  Once I finally had insurance, I was either trying to figure out what was causing such bad allergic reactions or I was dealing with my newly diagnosed epilepsy.  Then I was uninsured again.  Once I was finally insured, I was busy working at the most stressful job I've ever had, so a healthy mouth was the least of my concerns.  Finally, I got my job at Danfoss and things settled down... until I needed to start work on getting divorced.  After that, I simply didn't think about it for a while.

So, how does a mouth look after nearly seven years of not being professionally cleaned?  According to the dental assistant who cleaned my teeth: "not as bad as [she] thought."  Don't get me wrong, she had to spend a lot of time scraping away plaque, to the point that my mouth got tired from having to hold it open for so long, but apparently she expected it to be much worse.  My secret?  I brush too hard.  I go through a toothbrush in about a month and they're pretty much destroyed by the time I replace them.  However, brushing so hard has made my gums excessively recede.  The doctor recommended that I invest in an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor that shuts off if I press too hard.  I may have to do that because the only way to get my gums back is with painful surgery, so keeping what I have is really important.  What I currently have is livable, just less than ideal.

But I know the real question on your mind; how many cavities do I have?  Again, fewer than expected based on how long it's been since my last visit: I have three cavities, but none of them are very deep.  I have another appointment scheduled for drilling and filling, though not until August; my doctor is the highest customer-rated dentist in the area, so he's pretty popular.

I was expecting a root canal after so much time, so a few minor cavities sounds like a good deal to me.