WHO NEEDS TEETH

WHO NEEDS TEETH

A friend recently challenged me to write my story! The day I lost my teeth.

After 7 years I finally had insurance to cover dental. I had a mouth full of bridges, caps and a partial and thought I just needed a simple fix. But much to my surprise my problems were beneath the surface, and pulling all instead of saving a few was the recommendation!!!!

Horror, just the thought blew my mind, and tears would come crashing down. Here I was 71 and in the prime of my life 😅, and then facing DENTURES!

The day came and they pulled them all at one time. I told the dentist after he said some may require some cutting out, that I had prayed and my teeth would just pop out. After the procedure his assistant said "she had never seen extractions come out that easily", well praise God, now I'm toothless!! With new teeth in my mouth, blood running down my face onto my neck and trying to drive home, crying and looking like a blood sucking vampire who just had a meal. Every now and then I looked in the mirror and would wipe blood off my chin and sides of mouth.

 I obeyed the dentist yet these new things in my mouth were my worst nightmare. The pain and the sores they brought in my mouth, having to sleep two weeks in my recliner was no fun. Drinking only soup and mashed potatoes and yogurt.

In church about the second week I didn't put any of the good ole denture glue on my teeth, as three of us were praying before church began, my upper teeth came falling down, clang was the sound 😞 my good sweet friend in her kindness said "Glue those teeth in!" Oh I felt the love 😂. Needless to say I to this day I glue my teeth in place when I go to church. 😍

One of problems with having false teeth is you tend to play with them in your mouth, well at least I do. I can't explain why or really how, but it's something strange and your tongue sort of messes with them and you hear this little clicking sound, now as soon as I get that sound in time with the music, I will be playing a new instrument, or I can try to break that annoying habit.

Here it six months later and I still don't know how to chew!😭 As soon as I master this and one day I will, I am going to start classes on "How to learn to eat again"! If I wasn't such a vain person, I would just gum it and forget it. Since I can't chew if I put something in that requires chewing I keep pushing it to get it under my teeth but I end up getting choked, people start beating me on the back and along with the object so come the teeth out. 🤦 Whether in public or at home I eat only soft foods, you know the kind that just enters mouth, passes by your tongue and enters your tummy. The desire to eat isn't there, but I keep shoving stuff in my mouth hoping I will enjoy it. On the bright side I have lost weight, BUT I MISS MY BACON AND EGG SANDWICHES! 😭.

Today after seven months, I took my precious dentures to the dentist so they could send to the lab, to work their magic, and I get them back on Wednesday. But today is Monday, you know what that means I am now a prisoner in my home, vanity has bound me to my home. But I have this hope, freedom will come on Wednesday and my teeth will magically fit and work as my once old teeth did. 

I continue to remind myself they really look good and natural, and I have lost 17 pounds! YAY!

The clock is ticking it's Wednesday 11:00 I go to the dentist at 2:30. Oh what a moment that will be! To once more put the object of my hate, back into my mouth. Oh the joy I am expecting that they will feel great, and I can eat a steak! Oh I can already feel the pleasure buds in my tongue rising in anticipation of the moment! I will write the last portion when I return with my teeth!

Well I'm back! I must confess they do feel much better. At the same time I have such an unrealistic mindset on what it would be like when fit as they should. What do I mean? I thought they would feel like my teeth but they are not teeth and will never feel natural. But they do feel so much better and tighter in my mouth. Yes I will manage and accept this new Linda.

Words of wisdom from a toothless older woman. Y'all get you some dental insurance, mortgage your house, take out a loan do whatever it takes to keep your pretty smile.

Whatever you do, don't forget to put your teeth in before you leave your house, because when you reach your destination and smile real big, you ain't pretty, I'm sorry there is nothing pretty about naked gums.

One more thing, if I ever have to be taken to the hospital, someone better make sure I have my teeth in, cause if I am going to die, I want to look pretty!

See y'all later. 💋💋💋