@LuckyCharms Said
I thought I would update.
It's really been something of a harrowing journey. I am quite serious when I say if someone can learn from my idiocy, then my post here is well served.
It's been almost six months from my surgeries. I ended up getting a second opinion. I am glad I did. Oh don't get me wrong, I still royally f***ed my teeth. But it wasn't quite as expensive and I didn't need quite as much work. Not that I didn't need a lot. Oysh.
I have spent almost $6000 so far. I will probably spend another $1000 for a gum transplant procedure for my lower front teeth. I spend $120 every three months for the periodontal cleaning. That will happen, as far as I can tell, for the rest of my life. Yay. And I'm glad to have it.
I was diagnosed with "pockets" a few years or so ago. If you are ever diagnosed with "pockets" and your periodontist tells you that there is nothing you can do to take care of it, get another periodontist. I wish I had. More on that later.
For the first surgery, I was in the chair for about 3 hours. Actively being worked on for about 2 1/2. I was not allowed to brush by teeth or do any real dental cleaning work - besides wiping my teeth - for three weeks. The surgery for the next side was scheduled for three weeks later. Another three hours in the chair. That meant for another three weeks I could not clean my teeth.
Which meant I ate nothing I could chew. I drank milk, smoothies and swallowed the smallest bites of meat -usually ham - that I could without chewing. For six weeks. It's a good thing I had weight to lose. Not to be too graphic, but I'm not pulling any punches here, I also got to take a few stool softeners or so during that time because the digestive track must move on. Yay. I also lost half of my hair because of stress and lack of protein. That was its own special fun. Gratefully, thankfully I have my hair coming back in.
I hate milk. Yes I do. I drink it three times a day now. Big glasses. I hate milk. I'm grateful for it and will be drinking it for the rest of my life. It's gross. I need it and want it. I don't like it. In general I am on an osteoporosis diet. Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Potassium, Magnesium.... etc. It's tiresome. But hey, at least I get to have peanuts with breakfast.
Headaches. I have them all the time. I'm doing the impossible they say. They being my periodontist, periodontist technician and periodontal hygienist. I'm regrowing - at least that's what seems to be happening - the bone tissue in my jaw. They don't understand how I am not missing four teeth. *knock every frickin' kind of wood that it stays that way*
Aspirin is my friend. I try not to take it more than a couple times a day. I hope that the regrowth process doesn't take more than a year or so. But I am grateful as long as it is going on. It takes what it takes and I go through it willingly and gratefully.
I used to smoke. I drank pretty decently. I didn't get enough calcium. I didn't take care of my teeth.
I have reversed everything to save them. So far I have been lucky in that I have. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't worry that my luck may reverse. My hope is that there comes a day that I get to keep the teeth in my head and they don't cause me pain or discomfort. My reality is that I'll gratefully take this pain and discomfort for the remainder of my days if it means I get to keep my teeth.
Now to the end of this little tidbit... my boss was diagnosed with "pockets" shortly after this whole affair with my teeth began. He began a regiment similar to mine - a good brush, floss, mouthwash after each meal. He shrunk his 8mm pocket to 5mm and similar results for the lesser ones. When I asked my periodontist if there was anything I could do to help the situation he looked me right in the eyes and said "Nothing." So I went with their prescribed treatment, oblivious to my self inflicted damage. All they had to say was "yes, clean your teeth after each time you eat". But they did not. And I did not.
Brush, floss, swish. So easy in retrospect. So expensive not to.
I don't know if you thought about it but have you tried the protein drinks that muscle builders drink? As I age I drink one of the protein drinks everyday.