Dr. Doug (Jansen) and my teeth

In the dentist chair at 9:00 in the morning. Hey, that’s not bad; it’s getting up and being clean at that time. I am more of a later in the day person, not to mention an on my own schedule person.

My teeth are fine; I should floss more but they are okay. Most of them are over 53 or so years old because they are my second teeth – my real ones, in you will – and  I’m 59. They can still wreak havoc on a hamburger, though, and are strong enough for corn on the cob and steak.  Maybe next year I will have some fillings replaced – some of the old, old ones.

I learned my lesson about not keeping watch on my teeth; a filling cracked and fell out of one – bit by bit, or bite by bite – and more decay started, followed by a really painful abscessed tooth. It had to come out and now I have a one-tooth bridge. That is the only tooth I have lost due to cavities. Lucky, lucky in the genetic tooth department, or maybe the fluoride in the water category.

I love my teeth. Is that too strong an emotion? It is not the way they look but what they do for me – such as staying with me and not leaving me to fiddle with dentures that might fall out when I sneeze. Don’t laugh; that happened to Harold Hagerty in the basement of the  Scott Methodist Church when he was on election day duties. Oh, actually, I think everyone laughed at Harold and I know the story was retold a lot. In fact, look, I am retelling it now.