Mouth Care PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 11 January 2005 00:00

Today we headed to Yaletown for our dentist appointments. After years of putting it off, I was getting a mouth guard....again... and Rick was getting one for the first time. Like many people I grind my teeth in my sleep and the result of this nasty habit besides cracked and fractured teeth, is headaches and a sore jaw. Rick clenches his teeth resulting in tiny fractures of his teeth, which will get worse without some intervention.

Over 30 years ago was when I started working in the dental field, first as a receptionist but later as dental assistant. It was that long ago that I was fitted for my first mouth guard and had I stuck with it, my teeth would be in much better condition now. Back then it was primarily to help me to realign my jaw and learn how to bite more naturally. After several attempts at keeping it in through the night, I would find it somewhere under the covers every morning. Apparently, I would take it out while I slept because it wasn't comfortable. Now, years later, my teeth are wearing down and I am subjected to aching jaws and headaches. Hopefully this latest attempt at wearing a mouth guard will be met with some measure of success and I will be able to sleep through the night with it in place.

Because the forecast was calling for more snow this afternoon, we decided to forgo seeing Makai and we headed straight home after our appointments. As much as we wanted to see him, getting back before the snow brought out the mad drivers was more important today. Besides, I have his picture as my background on my computer, so I can look at him frequently in the comfort of home as often as I like. A live viewing of our little "munchkin" will have to wait till tomorrow!