The day came. I was warned about this, several times. My dentist, the son of a family friend, would have a bemused look. Another dentist in the office would make the pronouncement.
“They have to come out.”
I get the X-rays and sit as the hygienist cleans plaque off with a hook. For some reason, my summer appointment vanished, into the blip of a computer system. Maybe that was what would doom my wisdom teeth. If I had gotten my usual cleaning, maybe they would have lasted.
It wasn’t a complete surprise. My dentist saying that I should have been feeling the pain. In my defense, I thought it was from clenching. Mouthguards would help with that. In any case, their recommendation was final. The next day, I agreed to do the wisdom teeth extraction the next month, in office. That will happen at 8 AM.
In all honesty, I am scared. I’ve never done a surgery like that before, and it means resting for a few days with drinking soup. My younger brother had all four of his wisdom teeth removed for cavities. A few friends I also know have gotten their extractions done. They said that it’s no big deal.
With that said, I remember losing my baby teeth. They were wobbly, and usually, a purple tooth would push them out, displacing the molars and such. The tooth fairy would always deliver a dollar but she would forget the teeth. If I pulled them out, my mouth would hurt for a while until the new tooth started growing.
Losing wisdom teeth is different. For one, they have to be surgically removed. For another, not all grow that much. A fair amount of people can keep them. I only know a handful of people who get the surgery.
This will be an interesting event. I look forward to seeing y’all on the other side.
Update: They are out. I am resting now.
