The Oh-So-Wise Wisdom Teeth

So I went to the dentist yesterday for my regular oral check up; as usual I was freaking out. They took two different kinds of X-Rays and then checked my teeth and gums, after every two minutes of which I kept asking if they had seen any cavities. Thankfully, they told me I was keeping my teeth clean very well and that my flossing-mouth washing routine everyday had helped me fight cavities; EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. But then there came the word that I was least interested in listening: BUT.

So she said everything was perfect, BUT .. and my heart sank. Next thing I knew she was talking about my wisdom teeth that had just grown out in the past two years. There was something wrong with them, just as I had dreaded there would be.

She said it was common that people had impacted wisdom teeth, but in my case not only were they all impacted but also one of them was growing from the right side of my mouth, towards the rest of my teeth. The X-Ray she showed me was exactly what the picture above looks like. I was horrified. She said I didn't need to be. I don't think I heard her say that .. I was feeling doomed. I have always dreaded surgery and stitches and thankfully until yesterday I had never required them. I asked her why I couldn't keep the teeth as they were, especially because I was cleaning perfectly and they were not infected. She said, "I can bet all my life's savings these will infect eventually no matter how well you clean, and once they do you'll have to get them removed anyway, so why wait?"

All the happiness that I had felt upon not having found any cavities in my mouth had disappeared; I was going to have a minor surgery and I was sure I would get stitches. She also said that I should get all four removed at the same time instead of going for four different procedures. Thankfully, she said it wasn't urgent ... I can wait until the end of this year (I won't have to worry about it while at school at least! Phew.)

But whatever it is and whenever, I still need to go and have a consultation done at some surgery-clinic type place that she referred me to in the following few days. I'm trying not to think about it but it sinks in pretty bad sometimes and I feel horrified. I'm going to be carrying the weight of this surgery until I finally have it done. I know one thing for sure though: I AM GOING TO ASK THEM TO GIVE ME ANESTHESIA AND PUT ME TO SLEEP BEFORE THEY INJECT MY MOUTH WITH THE NUMBING THING! I can't see the needle entering my mouth, I will freak out, I know! Oh and of course, it would help too if they put on funny masks while operating on me *winks*.

Not cool.

-S. Ali