Once in high school, I wrote myself a note to leave school early to go to the dentist. I actually had an appointment. It wasn't just an attempt to get out of class. The funny thing was that I spelled the word dentist, d-e-n-i-s-t. That's the way I said it. So, that's the way I spelled it.The lady in the office would not let me leave. They ended up calling my dad, who had told me to write the note for myself. He verified that I did indeed have an appointment and in the end I made it to the dentist.

It's funny the things you remmber, but that's what I think of nearly every time I write the word dentist. Note to teenagers attempting to skip class, don't do it... but if you are going to, make sure you spell the words in your fake note correctly.

As riveting as that was, it was not what I set out to write about. Today, I made my semi-annual trip to Dr. Bielinski's office. It's worth noting, if you are looking for a good no frills dentist in the downtown Cary area, he's your man. However, it's not like I have a ton to base that opinion on. I just know that I go there and get my x-rays taken and my plaque scraped off by the nice lady, and a quick consult from the doc, and I am on may way out the door with my free toothbrush, free floss, and a card saying come back in six months, having never been offered teeth whiting, night gaurds, porcelain veneers, or platinum grills. </tanget>

So, I go there this morning and the hygenist is cleaning my teeth, and I am expecting her to tell me I have a cavity or at least something bad. She scrapes, brushes, and flosses my teeth. We have a decent conversation about her one year old girl, Elliot, and how we are expecting a baby in July. I say only decent because the conversation was a bit one sided. Being that she had her hands in my mouth, my contributions were limited.

When she finished, she noted that I was in good shape. To this I added that I think one day I am going to come in and they are going to tell me that I have a cavity. See, I have never had a cavity before. It is not like I have worked hard all my life to maintain this status. Growing up, dental hygiene was not a top priority. I can remember brushing my teeth being a big deal when I a little because it happened so infrequently. It was not until sometime in middle school that I realized that brushing was not just about cleaning your teeth, but it also got rid of your funky breath.

The hygenist, I wish I knew her name, said that I may never have a cavity. She said something along the lines of, "I'm not saying that if you stopped brushing and flossing that your gums wouldn't decay and your teth fall out, but you may never get a cavity." She informed me that in order for tooth decay to occur a certain strain of bacteria has to be present in your mouth. She said that some people just do not have it because their bodies are immune to it. Your body fights it of, so it never gets a chance to rot your teeth. She insinuated that maybe I am one of the lucky ones.

I like to think of it like I'm a super hero and my superpower is fighting tooth decay. Maybe I will look into a costume and a secret lair, or maybe I'll hold off on that for six months and see if I can make it through another check-up cavity free.

Labels: indiscriminate