It turns out not going to the dentist for a few years perhaps isn't the best strategy. The good news is that I have no cavities! This was only a little surprising because I largely stopped drinking wine and beer, I seldom eat sweets, and I brush and floss regularly. The bad news is bruxism, my tendency to grind my teeth - both while awake and while sleeping - has caused serious gum recession on on the front 6 of my teeth. Now, I recall years and years ago a dentist telling me that I grind my teeth. I never paid any attention to it because the dentist made it seem like this was just a thing that some people do and I should try to stop...even though I do it unconsciously. Sometimes during the day I even do it mindfully, when nervous or focusing. Well, now I need a mouthguard to wear while I sleep and I need to get fillings on the tops of my gums where the roots of the teeth are exposed. All of this will cost me close to a thousand euros I'm sure. For some reason this kind of thing isn't covered by German health insurance. Not so dissimilar to America, aye?
So yeah, that's a bit of a bummer, but what can one do now? Except for getting a mouthguard of course, to help combat future damage. Much like my hairline, my gums are also lost to the passage of time. Time heals all wounds, true, but it also erases the hair and gum line. Let this be a lesson to any of you who might be clenching your teeth as you read this post.
It's surreal, body tension. Like, I can almost guarantee you that your shoulders are tensed right now. Mine always are. There's probably similar tension in your abdomen, almost as though you're always preparing for the possibility you might get unexpectedly punched in the stomach. Relax your jaw, drop your shoulders down, relax your stomach. Now for the hard part: realize you have tension in your anus. That's right, your pooty pucker is clenched up tight. Let. It. Go. Don't worry, you won't shit yourself or shart, you're not in danger. This is how I'm going to conduct my mindful body awareness yoga practice on Zoom later tonight. I've tricked a bunch of unsuspecting prenatal women into signing up for this course by promising a one time free session with no strings attached - a value of $100. Who can beat those savings at a time like this when inflation is so high? People - and businesses - are cutting costs wherever they can.
While writing this post I've caught myself with my teeth clenched repeatedly. It's going to take a lot of mental muscle to break this habit.
There's something dehumanizing about having to wear a mouthguard. I know it's the functional equivalent of the 'cone of shame' a dog has to wear after a surgery, but maybe that's what I'm getting at. These types of protective apparatuses are for animals that lack the sense to not gnaw away at their own flesh. Then there's the heady aspect where you realize I'm using my mouth to devour my mouth - doesn't it seem like that shouldn't be possible? Yeah, we've all heard of the snake that eats its own tail, but isn't there something worse about the teeth that eat their own?
No comments:
Post a Comment