~Addressing One Of My Worst Fears~

THE DENTIST!

First I want to say that right now I am drugged on Lortab and have been since about 1:30pm yesterday afternoon, so forgive me if anything doesn't make sense :-)

Last week I made my way to a place I dread, the dentist. Yep its one of my worst fears I have (when I get into a dentist chair I tense up so much, my whole body tightens and both my arms and legs are crossed as to not let anybody in). Never the less I had to go because half a filling I had, had fallen out and I was in a lot of pain through my ear area and up the side of my face, plus I could feel a cavity in another tooth and I had put it off long enough. So I go in and after his assistant takes x-rays, I get this whole lecture from a very nice dentist on how most people me included wait to long to come in and get their teeth checked never mind don't go when they don't have insurance and then end up paying more in the long run.

He proceeded to tell me that I was going to need a rootcanal on the tooth that lost the filling. Then he more or less tells me that though some dental insurance pays some , most more or less are useless. That most will give you a limit of about $1,000 a person a year, when it should be updated to about $5,000. He told me what my options were and off I went.

I have to say I was very glad on how upfront he was with me about it all. When I left I got the impression that they didn't do payment plans except for something called CareCredit which I wasn't going to do so I thought my only option was to get the darn thing pulled and then replace the tooth later on. Sunday night I was in the worst pain, it was so bad that I was in tears and my older two wanted to take me to the ER, I declined. I called the dentist Monday morning and told him I wanted it pulled.

I couldn't believe my ears, he was doing all he could to talk me out of it, and to save the tooth which is what I really wanted and said he would work out a payment plan for me if I wanted to save the tooth. So yesterday I started what is going to be a long relationship with my dentist. I went in to begin treatment on the infected tooth and to get my other teeth into better health condition. He took out and medicated the infected area and put a temporary filling in there for now until it heals. Iam now high on Lortab for pain which doesn't completely take care of the pain!!!! Next week he will fill the other tooth and we will go from there.

I can say this I haven't found a dentist I liked this much since I left New York 6 years ago. I like his honesty and of course his willingness to work with me and my financial situation.

I have to say part of my teeth being in this condition is my own fault and some is hereditary, my mom has bad gums and dad has bad teeth and some is from the meds I have been on for the Lupus. What I wouldn't do to turn the clock back some and take better care of my teeth!