Yanking Teeth

Most people say I have pretty good teeth. It takes a lot of work as I brush my teeth twice a day, and sometimes use mouthwash. I don’t floss, but I try to stay away from eating too much candy. As a child, I had cavities like no other, and still feel the weirdness from my fillings in the metal cast in those spots. I even got knocked in the teeth once, had a smooth root canal, and a tooth replaced because of it.

These days, I always get complimented on my teeth often, believe it or not. Always had a great smile, or so they say. But lately, I’ve had a weird feeling in the upper left part of my mouth, and this is where it gets weird. For whatever reason, whether it’s because it’s twisted back there or because I have a high tolerance for pain, my wisdom tooth is acting up.

And by acting up, I mean the whole left side of my mouth starts to hurt. Tried everything from breathing in and out to taking Tylenol, but this tooth is so steadfast in disrupting my daily flow that it wakes me at night with its nagging. I kept trying to fix the problem myself, but realized all along that I should have followed my dentist’s advice and pull it out. I know I didn’t want to for whatever reason. Maybe it’s because I’m lazy. Maybe it’s because I thought that eventually it’d change its act and chill out. Maybe it’s because I was waiting for the right time to do it.

But when a wisdom tooth gets on your nerves, it’s not your fault really. Sometimes, you just can’t make it work. Maybe because it’s the last teeth down there and it feels neglected. It could also be because it keeps getting pushed back into the inner recesses of my mouth in favor of more prominent and brilliant teeth. You brush your teeth, you rinse your mouth, and you avoid when it starts pulling at your nerve, even when the other teeth keep saying, “Get him the hell out!” I guess the final straw for me was when I went to check on the tooth and indeed, it was rotting. Rotting. I didn’t like to think that anything that comes from my being can be so decayed, but I got enough confirmation from my dentist that maybe it was time to make that happen.

Wow.

Then, I noticed a kid who’s been obnoxious since the beginning of his matriculation was removed from my class. While the class wasn’t perfect, it certainly involved a lot less “Sit down” and “Get back to work now.”

You think I can get all of my wisdom teeth pulled out?

Jose, who wonders if he’s the patient or the dentist …

p.s. – I’m not this guy either.

Isaac Yankem DDS

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