the_siobhan | 48 hours later (Reply)

No house renos this weekend.

the_axel ordered me to take the weekend off.

The "off" part quite possibly included more cooking and fridge-cleaning and less video game playing than he initially envisioned, but it also included beers and darts and a birthday party and watching Dr Who. So I woke up this morning feeling like I have a much better grip on things than I did on Friday.

One of the reasons why I freaked out about this is because I am positively PHOBIC about losing my teeth. Seriously. And I have a major squick around dentures. Axel wears a partial plate and I have to not look at him when he takes them out or when I see them sitting on the bathroom sink. When they're his, I deal. If they were mine... well, I guess I'd have to deal, but it would not be the easiest thing I've ever done. This freaks me out way more than the HPV or the hysterectomy ever did.

The other reason is just that it was so completely unexpected. I deal with my oral health in much the same way I deal with everything else; I let it go neglected for far too long, then I go in to have the mess cleaned up and promise to try and do better next time and then never quite get around to it. But this much bone damage takes years. If I hadn't been to a dentist in the last decade I'd figure it was my own damn fault, but my last X-ray was something like eight months ago. And not once did anybody ever tell me there was a problem until now. I am really not cool about that.

But anyway. I can't grow it back. But I'm going to brush my teeth five million times a day, and I'm going to try out the folic acid recommended by

betonica and I'm going to start being more regular on my calcium intake strictly on the theory that it can't possibly hurt. I have a prescription for a mouthwash with a nasty metallic after-taste, and a bunch of children's toothbrushes that will actually fit inside my narrow head. I'm going to quit biting my nails after a lifetime of trying. I'm thinking I might get a mouth guard for cycling and roller-blading because all my teeth are already really loose in spots and I'd really rather not go to all this effort only to smack them out by falling on my face. I have a referral to a specialist and I'm going to find out if there is enough bone left to do some grafts or something. And I'm going to do the best I can to reduce the stress in my life because I am a chronic clencher and grinder and that probably doesn't help any.

And if none of this works I'll have to get dentures and I'll just have to fucking deal.

In the meantime, you'll recognize me if you see me down the pub. I'll be the one with the toothbrush sticking out of my back pocket.