"Silver and gold, silver and gold," we used to sing to poor Ryan when he was a kid turning the nice little Rudolph the Reindeer song into a taunt. And when the gold and silver chickenfoot tile came up we were merciless. Poor kid. Ryan was cursed with Mom's not so good teeth and usually had a least one cavity whenever he went to the dentist. Just like Brandon got all of my serotonin, I somehow got Ryan's share of good tooth enamel and actually look forward to dentist visits.
I went to the dentist today (good ol' Dr. Mike for you Stewart kids). And as usual I didn't have any cavities. While sitting in the chair, I wondered why I enjoyed dentist visits so much more than doctor visits. At first I thought it was probably the lack of disrobing and embarrassing admissions at the dentist's. But I think the real reason I like going to the dentist is because it usually involves a lot of praise and pats on the back. "Good job Lindsay! Your teeth look great. Keep up the good work." But when I heard some of those words today, instead of basking in the glow, I wondered what other kids, kids like Ryan, hear at the end of their appointments. Ryan probably has much better dental hygiene than I do. I usually just brush twice a day and floss only when I occasionally remember or have something stuck in my teeth.
This whole hygiene-cavities paradox reminds me of how embarrassed I was when I had horrible acne. My skin was pretty clear until my sophomore year in college. Then I suddenly had horrible acne. I did everything possible, tried every cleanser, antibiotic, and cream out there. I washed my face religiously, made sure to sleep with my hair tied back, and never, ever, ever touched my face with my hands. But it didn't matter because my real problem was a hormone imbalance, not a lack of hygiene.
So Ryan, I'm sorry about teasing you about all of your cavities. You didn't deserve it anymore than I deserve all of the pats on the back I got this morning for my excellent hygiene. But I retain the right to enjoy going to the dentist. I mean who wouldn't with the free toothbrush and all?
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