Tooth Fairy Please Come

We are born with two sets of teeth. Twenty baby teeth are in a child’s mouth usually by the age of three. Between the age of four to seven, a child will start to lose their teeth. When the tooth is loose, anxiety sets in as the child wiggles the tooth back and forth carefully as they are fearful that the pain of losing the tooth will be too much. Then again, the anticipation of a visit from the Tooth Fairy makes the child want to pull the tooth as soon as possible. Then it happens. The child loses the tooth, goes to bed with the tooth under their pillow only to find cash in the morning in exchange for the tooth. The Tooth Fairy came! It is a rite of aging.

Just recently I was surprised to hear the going rate for baby teeth. I remember putting my teeth under the pillow and receiving coins in exchange for my teeth. That was exciting. In searching through the internet, I find the going rate for the teeth in today’s world is $5 although there are those exuberant parents who over compensate with $20 a tooth or more! What happened to the coins? Twenty times $20…um the Tooth Fairy would be dishing out $400 for those baby teeth!

I have written before of my terrible fear of dentists due to my childhood experience wherein I would get my teeth filled and then suffer severe pain during the night and the next day have the tooth pulled. It was so long ago but I really feel the dentist was not doing something right. Toothache pain is worse than childbirth to me. I had three children naturally and I’d rather do that than have a toothache!

Last Tuesday I was sitting at lunch at work and took my first bite of a soft taco. I crunched on something and thought there was a piece of chicken bone as it was hard. Suddenly I realized that the tooth, my lateral incisor next to my front tooth was missing! I smiled and there I was…Granny Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies with a tooth broken off at the gum line. Panic…fear…horror all shot through me as my boss told me to get on the phone with my dentist, Dr. Lidia Paz.

That day Dr. Paz spent hours with me. She was able to cement the tooth temporarily back into place so I at least looked presentable and then figure out treatment.

Back in the 70’s or 80’s I had a root canal as well as gum surgery on that tooth and it just gave way. I now need an implant and I have severe bone loss in my gums so I first need a bone graft. This coming Monday I will take the day off work and I will have what is remaining of the tooth and root up in the gum pulled and then a bone graft in my gum. Are you acting squeamish right now because I am! I’m sure I will look like a chipmunk for a few days.

It will take at approximately three months to see if the graft does ok before they can begin the implant process and the dentist will once again try to splint and glue a tooth in the front temporarily. The entire thing will take six months from beginning to end with many dental visits. I’m not too nervous as Dr. Paz knows my tremendous fears and I have complete confidence in her work.

The day my tooth fell out all I could say was that I’m over teeth! George Washington had the right idea in getting a set of wooden ones! I have partials due to the loss of teeth in my childhood but I do cherish the few remaining teeth I have but oh boy…they come with problems.

Because of all of this, I have decided that I am going to start a new thing. It will be called, Fairy Tales for Seniors.” Just imagine, “Jack be Nimble, Jack be quick. Jack jump over the candle stick!” At my age, being able to jump over a candle stick would be great! “Mary, Mary quite contrary.” Heck yes, let me be a little contrary at my age.

Finally, I will reinstate the Tooth Fairy for seniors. With the cost of all the work that I need to have done and no dental insurance, I figure a visit by the Tooth Fairy could compensate! I added it up and at today’s rate, the Tooth Fairy already owes me about $400 back pay for my baby teeth (I only received coins) and then for all the adult teeth I’ve lost, surely the amount per tooth must double.

My grandson Jax had a good laugh when he heard I lost a tooth as he has just begun to lose his. I told him I was putting it under my pillow but alas, Jax said, “Grammy you’re too old. She only comes for little children.” Who says I can’t throw a good tantrum and be a child? Remember Mary Mary? This is why we need Fairy Tales for Seniors! I want the Tooth Fairy. I’m putting my tooth under my pillow and she better come or else! Oops forgot the dentist needs to glue my tooth in temporarily!

The Tooth Fairy comes…it is a rite of aging. Right?

Well I’m aging and I want the Tooth Fairy!

Remember… I can be contacted at doris@newsleadermail.com!