Dental Devastation

My parents really hammered home dental hygiene from the time I could hold a toothbrush. A crocodile with some scary looking chomps and a toothbrush in hand was framed in our bathroom. My parents referred to him often. He had a nickname that escapes me now. I was educated on cavities, crowns, caps, bridges, and root canals from an early age. When I brushed my teeth, I was reminded to get all of the Cavity Creeps. Remember this?



My dentist was fantastic. He provided extra flouride treatments, and employed hygienists that were passionate about flossing and brushing. When I got my first cavity at 19 I felt like I had failed. So I continued to be diligent with my brushing and flossing all through my twenties. I beamed when the dentist would comment on my nice teeth. I started with a new dentist when I was pregnant with Son2. He asked if I had any dental concerns. "Yeah, if I walk out of here with more than the one cavity that I walked in here with." Total shock that in my early thirties I only had one cavity. A couple of hygienists came in just to take a look in my mouth. No, I was fine. This last visit was totally different.

The hygienist asked if she could take x-rays. Ugh. That's another thing my mom was really cautious about when I was little, unnecessary x-rays. I explained I only had one cavity. Did I really need the full set done? The dentist agreed that I might just need four molar bite wings. Guess what they saw? A cavity in between my teeth, only visible on an x-ray. The dentist came in a little sheepish. He greeted me, and started to explain...and I cut him off. "Are you going to say the C word to me?" Sure enough, he did. My cavity free pride was completely deflated. Truth be told, I have been really lax about flossing since I Son2 came along. I was totally bummed this could have been avoided. I called Hubby on the way home. He didn't get it. I suppose you really won't get it unless you have a super cavity free ego. Maybe my sister will get it. She hasn't gotten a cavity yet.

The next day I spoke with my mother. I shared my dental news with her. I wailed about my second cavity, and she acted like this was no big deal. What? After all of the years my parents were hyper-intense about teeth? I called her on it. Then she rose to the occasion and launched into a whole lecture about how this could have been avoided with better flossing. There, now I felt a whole lot better.