Today, another trip to the dentist – this time to get a new crown put on an old tooth. During my last visit, the tooth was prepped and a temporary crown was put on it. The temporary crown stayed in place while I was in CA and OR. It irritated my gums something awful – I was in pain the entire time I was down in America. I kept the gum tissue clean, but this was to no avail.

I was right in thinking that the procedure would involve removing the temporary crown and putting on a permanent crown. I was also right in thinking that this wouldn’t take long. All total, this took 15 minutes. I was right in thinking that this would also be painful. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that

my dentist has small fingers and large palms. Seems like even the most simple of procedures hurt like hell during and after my appointments. I put up a good front, but this time my hands were gripping the chair arms.

I also feared that the dentist would also do something else – she has done this before – but no, she simply replaced the crown. I will have a crown put on the adjoining molar after an oral surgeon determines whether or not I need to have this tooth tended to. I asked (ya gotta ask—this is called being pro-active) and was told that sure, I could have a temporary bridge put in. Why, I wonder, didn’t she tell me this before? This is good news because it means that I will be able to wait on getting and having to pay for a new bridge. Actually, in due time the insurance company will pay for a new bridge.

So I have more dental work ahead.

While in the chair I looked over and noticed that my good friend Patty Rosnell was in the other chair. We yelled back and forth like school kids and with Pete ended up going out for lunch after our respective appointments.

We went to a Hawaiian lunch spot where they were pushing Kava. Kava is like coffee, but rather than get one amped, it does the opposite. We were served this beverage by a fellow, young, thin, with slightly dark skin and curly black hair. I was impressed with the fact that he was very earnest about what obviously was his beverage of choice. His being young and my being middle aged, he did not pay much attention to me. I soon did not care, for the Kava, after kicking in, made me feel near-euphoric. This could have been because (as the kava king said) kava numbs the mouth, so I was no longer feeling any tooth pain. I felt so good that I requested, and was given a second sample of the good root.

Alas, the kava wore off on the drive home, and so I was again in pain. I am hoping that this pain is emanating from the gum area and not from the adjacent molar, which is the one that might have an inflamed nerve. If this turns out to be so, then I will need to go to the oral surgeon relatively soon. I hope to be able to hold off until July 1, when my insurance coverage starts anew.

Well I have again knowingly provided you readers with more information about my dental doings than you wanted, well knowing that because of the subject matter, that is the goings on inside my mouth, that this is one snoozer of a dispatch. Alas, it could not be any other way. If I’d had my druthers, I’d instead have speculated at greater length about the perils of being a kava addict, and as well, my continuing quest to find ways legal and illegal, of supporting my newfound habit.

Next: 147: 6/4/15: Whistle while you Work – or Else