Dentist!

Do you remember Steve Martin's role in "Little Shop of Horrors" about the sadistic dentist? Me too! Problem is, I had dentists like that when I was younger so I grew up with an absolute phobia about dentists. Right after Steve and I got married I had a horrible abscess in one of my teeth and refused to go to anyone I had gone to in the past, so Steve suggested I try his dentist. Let me tell you what - I'll never admit this anywhere again, so take note - Dr. Thorfinnson rocks! He gets the fact that I'm scared, well, past scared, terrified, paralyzed, nearly phobic about dentists. I love it. He's so nice and so gentle. I've never had any problems with his work or with him...

All that being said, almost 2 years ago (I remember because it was the week before Hailey was born) I pulled a crown off a tooth eating my Tootsie Roll dessert from Boyd and Charlie's. Uh oh. I put the crown in my purse and forgot about it. Well... Okay, I didn't forget about it, I did call the office, but I just forgot my appointment. No, really! Then Hailey was born and I was too busy being a grandma and then I became a babysitter and... Well, one thing led to another until - are you ready for this - We took dad to Boyd and Charlie's on Tuesday night and while eating my Tootsie Roll dessert I felt the filling come loose. OH NO!

It didn't come all the way out, so I just kind of pushed in back in place and prayed it wouldn't come out in my sleep and choke me to death or anything. Then yesterday while I was driving Tilley over to meet Kate in Iowa, I stopped for a bottle of water and got a Grandma's raisin oatmeal cookie - and ate the filling. Oops.

It left a gaping hole in my lower right side - ick. So, since the edges were really sharp and killing the bottom of my tongue I called and made an appointment for today at 10:30. Ugh. I went. I was scared spitless, but I went. Well, he x-rayed it (Cool new x-ray technology, Dr. T!) and told me my options - one of which was just leave it alone!!! Oh yeah. No drills, no root canal, no shots! So he filed off some of the sharp edges and let me go! Hallelujah!!!

Then I got home and started thinking. That was too easy. Why did he just give up? Was this some kind of reverse psychology? Did I really win? Just LEAVE it? What if it hurts? He said it wouldn't, because the nerve is gone. But really, there's still some tooth there. It will just rot, won't it? Then my breath will smell like Cookie's, won't it? Oh no.

I think I'm calling tomorrow to see if he can pull it, or see if I need an oral surgeon. Nuts. I think the dentist won...