Health report
Jan. 23rd, 2002 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jchrisobrienDentistry has come a long way since I last paid them a visit. They use some sort of sonic cleaner now, water and vibrations, to shake loose the plaque and tartar buildup. It has a odd high pitch whine to it, she said it sounded horrible as she started to clean them. Considering what I usually listen to, I didn't mind it. The good news is that I have not cavities, my teeth are strong and fierce. The bad news is my gums are suffering little bastards. One more cleaning trip, and a more diligent flossing schedule, should see them as good as new again. I left their quiet, tastefully decorated office and walked by Trinity Church, back onto the T, and began the journey home for my doctor's appointment.
The doctor's office (when I finally found it) was the exact opposite of the dentist's. Crowded, understaffed, fairly ghetto in comparison. I stood out on many levels as I waited for my turn. But once I got past the chaos of the waiting room, it wasn't too different from the offices I used to visit as a child. Lots of health periodicals, the same chair with cheap paper sheets as protection, tongue depressors and condoms and the little waste can with biohazard stamped to it. My doctor asked me lots of health questions, turned my mouth examination into a full out physical. She was rather comforting, even when sliding the needle into my arm for a tetanus shot. I forget the exact name of it, but what I had was a bacterial infection from my split lip. She described the yellow flaky skin that was a symptom (which I certainly did have) and she was going to prescribe an antibacterial ointment, but I already had some. Ironically, it was the one salve I wasn't using regularly. It was receding when I visited her and now I'm just using the bacitrasin. They also drew some blood, to see if everything is as it should be in there. And with that I left, to celebrate my body maintenance by ordering sushi and retaping the Buffy season opener (as I forgot to unpause it originally and lost a whole stretch of the episode). Company would have been nice, but I took some solace in just lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and relaxing.
End note: I suck at flossing, this will take some work.
The doctor's office (when I finally found it) was the exact opposite of the dentist's. Crowded, understaffed, fairly ghetto in comparison. I stood out on many levels as I waited for my turn. But once I got past the chaos of the waiting room, it wasn't too different from the offices I used to visit as a child. Lots of health periodicals, the same chair with cheap paper sheets as protection, tongue depressors and condoms and the little waste can with biohazard stamped to it. My doctor asked me lots of health questions, turned my mouth examination into a full out physical. She was rather comforting, even when sliding the needle into my arm for a tetanus shot. I forget the exact name of it, but what I had was a bacterial infection from my split lip. She described the yellow flaky skin that was a symptom (which I certainly did have) and she was going to prescribe an antibacterial ointment, but I already had some. Ironically, it was the one salve I wasn't using regularly. It was receding when I visited her and now I'm just using the bacitrasin. They also drew some blood, to see if everything is as it should be in there. And with that I left, to celebrate my body maintenance by ordering sushi and retaping the Buffy season opener (as I forgot to unpause it originally and lost a whole stretch of the episode). Company would have been nice, but I took some solace in just lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and relaxing.
End note: I suck at flossing, this will take some work.
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no subject
Date: 2002-01-23 04:54 pm (UTC)I've found that an electric toothbrush, plus mouthwash, gets out most of the crap between my teeth. My gums bleed like a mofo, and floss just makes it worse.
Give it a try. I bet you'll find it's easier than flossing.