Oh dear. I went to the dentists yesterday to have a tooth ground down and a temporary filling put in place in readiness for a cap. The tooth had a root canal job done on it two years ago but was recently found to be cracked. It had also become infected so the dentist removed the cracked bit of tooth, re-did the root canal job and put me on antibiotics. However the gum had started to swell again and instead of the expected preparation for a cap yesterday he said the tooth would have to come out!

It was a great big upper molar tooth too ...my favourite one for munching toast, Porky Scratchings (probably what broke the thing in the first place!) and various other hard foodstuffs. I'm depressed at loosing such a useful tooth. It now feels like there's a space in my teeth big enough to drive a bus through. I've decided I'll drink through a straw for a couple days while the hole in the gum heals up a bit. It's got stitches in it.

I've had good and mostly trouble-free teeth until the root canal treatment needed doing, so it's come as a bit of a shock to lose the tooth. I'm approaching 60 now (albeit a youthful 60 of course! ). In view of that, could this the beginning of the slippery slope towards losing the lot?

<--Take the furthest left tooth away on this smiley and you've about got the picture!

Signed:

Gappy of Great Britain

Dear G of GB, Don't be depressed. It is terrific that you have reached such a great age with no major problems up to now. It seems to me that you differ from the norm, an awful lot of people have a false set by now. There also seems to be a lot of gum disease, more than there used to be. I suppose it is the fault of dietary habits.
Anyway, don't be down in the mouth, I am certain it has not spoiled that winning smile of yours!.