This week started kind of abruptly for me. On Sunday at lunch I broke a tooth. It was the same tooth that also broke twice last summer, and both times I was told it was tricky to fix, as the damage went deep. For the same reason, it may also be tricky to put a crown on it, though. So when I felt part of the filling had given way now, I feared "the worst"...
In Swedish we have a saying "ha tur i oturen" which is difficult to translate to English in an equally short catchy phrase. It basically means "to have a bit of good luck in the midst of bad luck". The first time I broke that tooth (not the very first time, but the first time last year) was on Midsummer Eve (a Friday). I had to get through the rest of that weekend on foods like mashed bananas and yogurt etc, and call the dentist first thing on Monday - when I also had a scheduled appointment for my 2nd covid jab later the same day. Luckily, the dentist managed to fit me in early though, and also to fix the tooth; and I was able keep my afternoon appointment for the covid jab as well. This was also the last week before the dentist closed for summer holidays in July, so in that respect I was also "lucky" that it happened when it did, rather than in July.
The next time that tooth broke (another corner of it) was in August. Then it happened on a Thursday and I had to call first thing on Friday morning, knowing they would be closing early that day. It also turned out my own dentist wasn't there. But luckily, her colleague managed to squeeze me in at the very end of her closing-early day. And again, managed to fix the tooth.
And now, the third time, it happened on the last Sunday of the Christmas holiday season. I decided to wait to call until an hour after they opened on Monday morning. With covid numbers sky-rocketing after Christmas, I guessed the dentist would be likely to get a few cancellations first thing at the start of the first week after the holiday season... I may have been right about that, because when I called at 9 am, the nurse was able to offer me three choices the same day. The first one was at 10:20. That suited me fine... I might not even have to reschedule my booking of the laundry room (starting at 12). The streets were icy, but the weather was okay, even offering a glimpse of sun again after a weekend of dull snow/slush/grey. I was able to walk into town without hurry; the dentist once again managed to do miracles (even if still not able to make any promises how long it may last) and I did get back home in time to get my laundry done as planned. (After all that, I was feeling pretty exhausted in the late afternoon, though.)
Two photos snapped with my phone yesterday, on my way to and from the dentist's. The river calm as a mirror, not really reflecting all my "drama" at all!
Today, we're back to grey. I've been for a short walk to the recycling bins with some stuff + popped into the small neighbourhood shop for some bananas and tomatoes on the way back. And I packed a bunch of Santas/elves/gnomes back into their box for hibernation until next Christmas. What I did with the rest of the day I can't really say!
Tomorrow and the next few days it's supposed to get warmer once again, and rainy. I'm hoping for all the knobbly ice on the streets to be washed away before the next round of snow (which is likely to happen at some point as we're still only in the beginning of January). Tomorrow I'll probably be staying in, packing some more Christmas things to go down to the basement.
"Luck is the phenomenon and belief that defines the experience of notably positive, negative, or improbable events. The naturalistic interpretation is that positive and negative events may happen at any time, both due to random and non-random natural and artificial processes, and that even improbable events can happen by random chance. In this view, the epithet "lucky" or "unlucky" is a descriptive label that refers to an event's positivity, negativity, or improbability." [Wikipedia]
(Feeling any the wiser? Not sure I do...)
21 comments:
I've also had tooth problems in the last year, so I understand all that you've gone through...and have come out with a newly filled tooth, but nothing they can do about a piece of the bridge porcelain that broke off. The dentist has a great attitude, always cheerful. The bridge porcelain can be smoothed where it broke, but they can't add to that kind of material. Fortunately (luck?) it wasn't rough, and being far back in my mouth I don't do much chewing on it. I tend to have the belief that we make our own luck, and my dental visits seem to be going in my favor. I hope yours do too.
I hope this repair lasts longer than the others did! Maybe don't eat anything hard or sticky on that side.
Your Swedish saying is probably the equivalent of the German "Glück im Unglück", which is clearly what you had each time with your tooth.
Is there a Plan B for when it breaks again?
After all that (walk into town and back, dentist's appointment plus doing your washing) I would have felt rather washed out myself!
Thanks Barbara and good luck to you too. Alas tooth problems are likely to increase the older we get and I guess one just has to hope for a bit of luck and be greatful for good dentists and for dental technology having made a lot of progress over the years!
Ginny I feel I've already been trying to avoid hard and sticky food for years by now... ;) It's a tooth hard to avoid using so I guess I'll just have to continue to hope for luck.
Thanks for the German expression Meike, that corresponds exactly to the Swedish one. I think plan B depends on if there's even enough left of the original tooth to fit a crown on it.
I fully understand the meaning of the Swedish saying as you explained to us in English. and that fits your story perfectly. I have often found in hindsight, that bad things happen and hidden in the bad thereis usually something good or we can see that it could have been worse.
Beautiful photos, yes it sounds like your tooth will need a crown.
I think many people here would regard your luck in getting your tooth treated during the Covid crisis as very lucky indeed. Here most people (including me) had a choice: live with it or have the tooth removed. Any procedure involving drilling was virtually impossible to have. My dentist had decided to try and rescue my broken teeth. Then came Covid and I lost two teeth that might otherwise have been saved. C'est la vie.
As always your snow provides lovely photos which I am highly unlike to get here - so I'm lucky in that we rarely get snow.
What bad luck you've had with your tooth - I hope this latest repair will last longer. To be able to leisurely walk through such peaceful surroundings must have cheered you immensely.
Since Covid I have been to the dentist once, and that was from desperation when I lost a filling. That was over 18 months ago and I've not been back for the usual six-monthly check up. Although I know the medical profession take extreme care, I'd really rather not risk unnecessary contact, and would rather wait until Covid is a distant memory. Unless I lose another filling of course!
Sandra, I get what you mean, too. It could certainly have been worse!
You have had more than your fair share of trouble with your teeth! I hope that finally they can get it fixed once and for all for you, and it stays fixed. Apart from pain and inconvenience visits to the dentist are not cheap.
Amy, the problem in this case is that they're not sure that's possible. Should they say that it is, I would not hesitate. I have a few of those already...
That sounds really bad, Graham. Luckily (again) for me, I've had no symptoms of cold coinciding with my dental care visits. I've also had my regular checkups as usual during this period.
CG, I've been for regular dental checkups as well as emergency visits during these past two years. For me they count as necessary...
You're right about that, David.
How lucky you are that you may access a dentist! We have dentists in our city, but the next one is about 350km away. I have private health insurance that assists with the costs of dental care. I can make an appointment easily and my insurance covers most, if not all, dental costs. Otherwise the cost here for a filling is about $300. There is a public dental service that is free. The waiting time for an appointment with them is about two years. Luck? We do not always know what factors allow certain events to happen. I'm lucky because I still have teeth. You're lucky because you write so well. I wonder what factors control our luck.
Sounds like you are lucky with your access to dental care as well then, Louise. We have both public and private dental services here too. The cost is probably a bit lower with the public clinics; but free only for children, not for adults. Part of the costs at both public and private dental services may be covered by various national benefits and high-cost protection limits - the rules keep changing though, so hard to keep up with. I've not been with the public dental services since way back in my school years. For the last 30 years or so I've been with the same private clinic. It was recently taken over by new dentists (as the previous ones retired) but the team of nurses and the way it's being run is basically the same. They're probably a bit more expensive than the public dental care but they've always provided good service and I've always felt in safe hands there. For which I do consider myself lucky :)
Your photographs show the lovely high-latitide light.
I broke a front tooth. Mended, but I have to be so careful now.
Was interested in your comment about Duolingo on Bob's blog. Just got a congratulations for being in a year, trying to get back my schoolday French. Duo is good for reading, but not so good for productive speech. I caught on to the trick of not starting a new week until Tuesday morning when you don't get put in an extra competitive league and get relegated. Have been in Diamond for ages now.
Tasker, I'm still trying not to chew on that side with the newly mended tooth... (easier said than done, though) When it comes to learning languages, I think one needs to be properly immersed in it to get really good at speaking, and also at listening to the spoken language at "normal speed". Spanish I started learning from scratch with Duolingo and I think I've made good progress - but watching Spanish TV series on Netflix, I realize I wouldn't stand a chance in a real life conversation at "normal speed" ;) I'm unlikely to ever find myself in a situation where I'd need to, though! At this time of life, I'm learning for fun and brain exercise - and competing only with myself (having kept up an unbroken streak of 2068 days of practice so far, since I started my acquaintance with the little green owl)...
Yes, we really do need an English expression for "ha tur i oturen" I find it hard to believe there isn't one, it's such a common experience, isn't it? I keep wondering if there is some old folk saying that matches it, but so far nothing has occurred.
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