Today I got my first cavity filling. Dagum. 22 years strong without one. Now that day has come and gone. Though it is probably common knowledge that I don't take care of my teeth that well, they have always been strong and haven't let me down when I go to the doctor. This time was not the case. I gave the 'ole "yeah, yeah, I know" when they told me to floss more, but to my surprise they said, "uh oh, we gotta fill this one in the back".
Cavities are quite the remarkable little phenomenon. I heard a long time ago that the teeth are the strongest bones in the body. Well, all that sugar, bacteria, and rotting food that just sits in our teeth and wears through the enamel and then all the way to the root. You're really sorry out of luck if your nerve gets exposed. Ouch! I'd rather get the shot of novacain. Amazing that food can do that. It just makes me wonder what kind of dental problems Jesus had. They didn't have any fluoride in the water and had few means of taking care of their teeth. He probably had a tooth ache or two. Simple things like this remind me of his humanity even though he is the fullness of God.
Anyway, novocain is an interesting thing. It pinches when they shoot you with it. Then slowly my face felt fatter, and fatter, and fatter. You have to kill time while it takes effect. While it was settling in I got to tell the doctor how the Nazarene Church came out of the Methodist movement, and that it follows the theology of John Wesley. He just basically wanted to know what I am in school for. After I ran it down for him, I realized the whole left side of my face was gone. Couldn't move it if you paid me. He then started drilling.
The whole thing wasn't that bad of a process. I used to fear the doctor with all of my being. Now, I say, "bring it on doc!" Let's see if that hold up if I get a kidney stone next...
Maybe I'll start flossing more.
