B and I are back in Toulouse and I went to the dentist today because one of my wisdom teeth has been bothering me and the little of it I can see is gray-ish.
I'm now used to going to little doctors' offices, but I remember the first time I went to the dentist in France and there was no receptionist. No exotic fish tank in the waiting room either.
I think that's one of the things I've learned in France that could save a lot of money in the States: it's okay if the chairs in the waiting room are a little old, if the paint isn't fresh, and if the napkin the dentist puts under your chin doesn't have a fancy clip that goes around your neck.
I grew up getting cleanings every 6 months, with braces in high school (even though my teeth weren't that bad), and my dentist recommended I have all my wisdom teeth out just to be safe, and I just thought that was how it was. I never ended up having my wisdom teeth out because they didn't give me any problems and when I finally got around to doing it, I wasn't covered under my mom's insurance any more and I was going to have to pay $1,000 (so I figured it could wait). My mom has come to believe the dental industry colludes in order to have lots of patients (apparently the American Dental Association recommends that just about everyone have their wisdom teeth removed as a preventive measure). The first time B came to the states with me he was astonished at the number of dentist offices he saw, and if everyone's going every 6 months, I guess you need a lot.
So today when the dentist looked at my tooth and then took a quick x-ray to determine that yes, I would need it removed, I wasn't too surprised that she didn't offer to scratch off the tartar that was giving the emerging tooth it's gray color. In the States I would have had a cleaning or a look at the rest of my teeth, but just kind of a glance in France (although on second thought, maybe it would have been good to look at the rest of my teeth). I've learned that you don't really need to see your dental hygienist ever 6 months and choose between mint or bubble gum flavored polish.
I have an appointment with another dentist who specializes in tooth removal at the end of the month, so it'll be some time in September when I'll have my two lower wisdom teeth removed. At least being unemployed comes in handy for something.
1 comment:
I definitely don't need to go to the dentist every 6 months. I hadn't gone in like 3 years when I finally went back to my American dentist two weeks ago and my teeth were perfectly fine.
My wisdom teeth grew in straight years ago, and even though my dentist constantly pushed me to get them taken out, I refused. They don't hurt me at all, so why bother? I don't want huge gaping holes at the back of my mouth and to go through all that pain for nothing.
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