Features 2002 |
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As a lad growing up in this city, much time was spent enduring the Great Depression ... but we did not term it "great" then. One of the memorable things was home-made root beer, which required root beer extract, yeast and a bottle-capping device. Of course, the bottles were saved from previous purchases of soft drinks. These drinks were not items that demanded the vast shelf space of today, nor the frequency of use by any age group.
I am writing of a choice between root and extract, which I faced a few days ago. Just last month when having a cleaning, or as the dentists like to term it, a prophylaxsis, the young lass stated, as I opened wide, "Oh, it is so nice to see an old person who has all of his teeth." I thanked her and smiled with my mouth wide open...not an easy thing to do. However, this week, while sitting in a dentist's chair (or more correctly, a patient's chair in the dentist's office) with a pain throbbing in one molar, I had to make a big decision: ROOT canal or EXTRACT? I've had one root canal, but never an extraction, unless wisdom teeth count as the latter. Considering my age and the cost of a canal job, and at 79+, I might not live long enough to finish the job, I opted, reluctantly, for the quicker, cheaper extraction, and an appointment was made for that afternoon. After filling in forms about my complete health history, I was led to the execution, I mean extraction room. The usual x-ray was made, revealing a crack in the tooth and justifying my decision. Now I realize who designed those vice-grip pliers. He had to be a dentist. He applied this tool to my tooth. I could hear it crunch. He wobbled the tooth, rocked and rolled and pulled at it with all of the strength of his profession. The tenacious tooth teased, taunted and throbbed, but would not give way. Then he rocked back off the arm of my chair onto his heels. "Wow, that's a deep root," he said, as he rested briefly. It was then I had the foolish thought, "I would think a local anesthesia would be used for this, but there was none. Oh well, I can bear it, if this is the way of modern dentistry." With renewed vigor and equal to the challenge, he climbed up onto the arm of my chair again for leverage. With fire in his eyes and blood in my mouth, he puffed, panted and pulled from his precarious perch on the chair until, to the relief of both of us, the tooth gave way at last. He descended to the floor with my #14 molar held high in triumph. "That's a big tooth!" It was bloody and crushed, but I respected his opinion. The needle and thread appeared next to sew up the gap. What are a few needle jabs compared to the previous pains? I am recovering with mushy food while tilting my head away from the cavernous gap. If you insist on sending chocolates, make sure there are no chewy ones ... those can be sent later. Some words of advice for all ages: Do NOT drink milk because you will get big, strong teeth. Furthermore, do NOT eat any vegetables that have roots. These will give you deep roots. February 1,2002
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