Got milk?

So I just want to give a shout out to everyone who told me to drink my milk (or take calcium pills) during pregnancy...you can go ahead and say, "I told you so...!" I'll let you have that, because I now know why you were telling me this. Now, in my defense, I did take calcium pills occasionally. They were huge, horse-like pills, and so some days, I couldn't force them down (and a dosage was two of those huge things!) I did however take my prenatal AND folic acid everday, but the calcium is where I lacked. I made sure to try and eat lots of cheese or yogurt (and by cheese and yogurt I mean ice cream... :) haha) to get my calcium, because I really don't like milk. Occasionally with cookies, definitely in cereal, or maybe after a good chocolate chip cookie or brownie, but other than that, I'm not a milk drinker. Now I wish I'd put my small dislike aside, for my teeths sake.

I finally made it back to the dentist for the first time in, (to save myself the embarrasment of telling you the actual time frame, I'll just say...) since before I was pregnant. I knew it wasn't going to be good. I was always the kid that had cavities...no matter what. I would brush, floss...not eat as much sugar as my brothers, yet, I always had a cavity. I've been told its genetics and I quite like that excuse, cuz it makes me feel less guilty about it. So, needless to say, I've never had a nice little check up, see ya in 6 months, type of visit, which is why I usually am scared off and stay away for a while after my procedures. So, two weeks ago, I head off to a new dentist, and I loved him. His office was great and he's a nice guy. (Jerome Daby, DDS). However, he still had bad news. SIX CAVITIES and I needed a root canal on one tooth, with obviously a crown to follow on that tooth. He said, "Okay, we need to talk about diet...do you drink multiple soda's on a daily basis?" No, not at all. "Do you drink coffee?" No, not at all. "Do you chew multiple pieces of gum daily?" No, not at all. "Do you have acid reflux or throw up a lot?" No, not at all...(is he asking if I am bulemic?) He's trying to diagnose why my teeth are so weak...and of course, he realizes its the pregnancy, lack of calcium thing coupled with genetics. Montana stole all my calcium, and I hardly had enough to begin with. (It's okay...she needed it). So...long story longer, I went and had a root canal last week. I heard it was going to be the worst thing ever...but I figured, it couldn't be that bad compared to labor. And it wasn't. The endodontist I went to was AMAZING...I didn't even feel the novacaine shots...and was hardly uncomfortable. I'd reccommend him to anyone. (Dr. Do of Laguna Endodontics).

The worst part has been the after pain...and not being able to chew on that side. In a week and a half, I go for the crown procedures, and hopefully some fillings, and within the next few months, I hope to have much healthier teeth. I am going to really try to start taking my calcium supplements again, and drink a little more milk (a.k.a. eat more ice cream...), so that I can have my teeth in my head for the majority of my life. :)

I had to share some funny "numb face" pictures...cuz, its just one of those things in life that makes you realize how grateful you are for all the feeling and movement in your body. From the smallest things like puckering up for a kiss....

to the more important things like smiling. (Guess which side is numb?)

HAHA....but just in case anyone was wondering, because I know we all fear this while we're numb, my feeling did come back and my face is not paralyzed. I am now able to smile and pucker up fully once again! :)