Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Bite me

I was at the dentist this morning, for the first time in, oh, fourteen years.

The reason I've never been to the dentist as an adult is that I've never had any problems with my teeth (toothache, teeth falling out, bleeding gum etc) and that it costs money - not covered by Sweden's health service as everything else. Strange in a way, if I get a hole in my head or a tumor I just pay a small patient fee and get it fixed but when it's specifically the teeth, you pay dearly.

But now I'd discovered a cavity in one tooth that I can feel with my tongue and food gets stuck in it, so I made a dentist appointment to have it checked out.

Oh my. There are three or four other fillings that have to be made, plus that big cavity that will probably require a root canal. A few appointments are made for January to have it done. Afterwards, on advice from the dentist, I get a pack of fluoride tablets to suck after meals and will use my electric toothbrush more (it's actually better than a manual toothbrush, it doesn't irritate the gum as much, I believed the opposite).

Well well. "Having a root canal". I think that's a (male?) rite of passage, along other things you have to have done such as:

  • Partaking in a high stakes poker game
  • Get howling drunk on a weekday
  • Drive a vehicle really fast
  • Blow shit up
  • Get stitches
  • Change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. (From Robert Heinlein's "Time Enough for Love")

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