Think-Talk

I need to share this with you all. I forgot about it until I read #K. E. Garland’s post yesterday and it came flashing back!!

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I read one of the WordPress posts from the Reader Discover titled “How to Reverse Tooth Decay – Operation X” in November. The title caught my attention and, lo and behold, it happened to be just what I needed. Please read on. 😊

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Back in November, while having dinner, I felt like I bit on something that was painful. I was eating rice with chicken and broccoli, 😃 but I remembered spitting out a small piece of bone and I thought that must be it. But the following day, I realized that every time I bite down, I felt uncomfortable pain. The pain got worse by the next day. One family member said that it was probably my wisdom tooth and that it needed to be pulled out. Another said that it’s probably a root canal. The thought of either made me cringed. I made an urgent appointment to have it checked.

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The prior year, I was told by my former dentist that I had cavity and should have it filled asap but I didn’t.

Having just relocated, I needed a new dentist. I found one and greatly appreciated that I was given an appointment immediately.

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At the dentist’s office, my teeth were x-rayed. I was expecting to be told that I had a cavity that had deteriorated and needs to be filled. But, no. The dentist started explaining what he thought was going on and how it could be corrected. Though he didn’t use any technical terms, his explanations flew over my head. I did not understand what he was saying! So I enquired again,

Me: “are you saying that I have no cavity; my last dentist said that I did?!”

Dentist: “no you don’t.”

Me: “What?! Really? Not even one?! Did you thoroughly check the x-rays?”

I was perplexed. Now who do I believe? Ain’t dental examinations supposed to be the same across board? And cavities are cavities and cannot be missed? Several thoughts and questions were running in my head.

Dentist: “Mam, you do not have any cavity. Do you want to go ahead with it?”

Me: “does my insurance cover it 100%? If not, let me know how much I have to pay out-of-pocket.”

Dentist: “I’ll get the Office Manager over to check that for you.”

The Office Manager came over and explained what my insurance covered and my co-pay. According to the dentist, eleven teeth (almost half my whole mouth!) were involved and each tooth would cost $200 each! They even offered me the opportunity to split the works in two – have six teeth done now and return in 3 – 6 months to complete the rest.

Me: “if I do these, are there any guarantees?”

Dentist: “no; nothing is guaranteed.”

Me: “okay, thanks. Can I just have my teeth cleaned and let me think about it.”

Office Manager: “will you like an appointment for Wednesday?”

This incident happened on a Monday.

Me: “no; I’ll call you once I decide to have it done. Thank you.”

Office Manager: “how about your 6-month appointment?”

Me: “okay please schedule it. Thanks again.”

I have to share the above details for better understanding of what happened next.

I read the WP post about a week or so after my appointment. The post was a long read. I saved it to read and digest later. On reading it, I mused to myself, “I think this is what my dentist was trying to explain to me.” In the post, the blogger talked about “mineralization,” “demineralization,” “remineralization,” and oral hygiene among other things. The blogger also shared that he uses a few drops of tea tree oil mixed with water as his preferred mouthwash product. So I decided to try out his preferred mouthwash product. Tea tree oil has a variety of uses and I have used it in the past for other purposes. I know that it is a very strong product that needs to be used cautiously. But I was willing to try it out so just maybe it will relieve my toothache.

I bought the tea tree oil. Took a Q-tip and dipped it in the tea tree oil and dabbed it on the aching tooth and over my gum. I repeated it on the other side of my mouth. With the saliva formation, I gargled for about 5 minutes. I repeated this at night.

When I spit out in the bathroom sink, at night, I heard a sound. “What’s that?” I picked it up, felt it and tossed it round about trying to figure out what it was.

Ladies and gentlemen, it was a small piece of chicken bone – about half the size of a tooth! 😱 I can’t tell if the tea tree oil did it or the Q-tip I used pushed it out or a combination of both. But, I was so glad and relieved that it fell out.

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Well, the tea tree oil is now also my preferred mouthwash product; thanks to #Operation X #Dyami Millarson. Can you all imagine that I saved over $2,000 by using a $7 tea tree oil. This is the power of us all. Our blogs are helping one another. I sincerely hope that my blog is helping someone too.

My teeth and the particular one hasn’t hurt me since then!

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After this experience, I was turned between what to do. Should I report the dentist/dental office to my insurance for charging for x-ray but couldn’t detect a chicken bone stuck in my tooth and could have “defrauded” them and me of more?

What would you have done under the circumstances?

Thank you for reading.