Adventures in Dentistry

I have great parents. They've done everything they can to give my two older brothers health, education and opportunity. This, of course, means frequent trips to the dentist. I unfortunately got my father's apparently dominant genes for crooked and crowded teeth. 11 baby teeth pulled in 3 sittings, 4 premolars pulled to make room for my eye teeth which came in high and looked like fangs, 2 years of braces (a horror all their own) and then the coup de gras, the wisdom teeth removed. Now mind you, thanks to all this work I have good teeth now. They are straight and properly spaced. The down side of course is a bit of an aversion to dentists. Enough of one that I haven't been in 13 years.
My partner recently had major problems with a molar that cummulated in getting 2 teeth pulled.
I started thinking...
I have dental insurance...
my parents made a huge financial investment in my smile...
I need to suck it up and go to the dentist.
Thankfully, we happen to know one in town. She's a wonderful person and very good at her profession. So, while the girlfriend went in to get a quick checkup after the extractions, I made an appointment for myself and talked our roommate into doing the same.
The roommate and I went in today for the x-rays and evaluations and for me, I was pleasantly suprised. 13 years and all I need is a good cleaning and 4 very small, shallow fillings.
The roommate wasn't so lucky. At 33, her wisdom teeth need pulled and she needs 3 fillings and she needs a deep cleaning (not a fun experience).
Needless to say, I'm not the most popular person in the house. We all neglected dental care and I seem to be getting off light. My cleaning is Thursday before work (yippee) and the fillings in April also before work. That should be fun, a completely numb face 1.5 hours before a conference call.
I'm still in better shape though and now think it's time to be a grown up and get my teeth cleaned on a regular basis. I don't want to experience tooth extractions ever again.
Next on the list...primary care physician and a chiropractor. I figure I need to be in shape and healthy in order to have a long and interesting (occasionally exciting) future.