Clean teeth and thoughts about coughing up funds

I have clean teeth.

Before getting my teeth impressions for my night (mouth) guard, my dentist noticed some "potholes" in a couple of molars and patched those ups. You could see a bit of the dentin, which was scary. It was a cost that I wasn't expected, but I managed to have enough in my emergency fund to handle it.

With my nightguard, the office wanted a deposit for $200. I told her that I didn't have that much. Instead, I managed to put down a deposit of $68 dollars. It costs well over $400 for it. I frankly feel that the restorations and cleaning are my down payment, along with being a patient for nearly two decades.

I'm not a fan of paying up first. I frankly feel that the office is making sure that it gets paid immediately and inconveniencing customers. I learned that I don't need to file the claim myself -- that the office still does it. It doesn't jive with the woman's explanation when I pressed her about it last week. She said that the office was short-staffed. Yet, you can still file claims on behalf of your patients. Interesting...

I dislike policies that only make sense to a business and don't benefit patients.

Dental appointment and an emergency fund

I've got a dental appointment later this morning. I'm having routine cleaning and an impression done to get a mouth guard. I grind my teeth at night. My current mouth guard needs replacing.

In the past, the dental office would submit claims on my behalf. During this pandemic, it now requires that I shell out the cost first, and then submit my claim to get reimbursed. It's quite the hardship for customers who don't have the money available. I have been fortunate to have established an emergency fund, so it'll temporarily pay for this cost and I'll put the money back in this account once my claim is processed.

I'd say that nearly two years ago, I never had an emergency fund. I have come a long way.

Dentist, dry mouth, and Internet connection problems... fun!

On Tuesday, I had a dentist appointment at 9 am. I had pointed out to my team that I would be away for roughly 1.5 hours and then would continue working from home.

I typically have a one-on-one meeting with my manager every other Tuesday at 10:30 am. He sent me an e-mail, asking if he needed to reschedule. I said no, which should have been implied that I would make it home in time.

My regular teeth-cleaning and exam appointment has been fairly uneventful for a few years now. Sure, I have had three different hygienists (not my fault), but my teeth not having any issues have been the constant.

Sure enough, my appointment was over just after 10 am. I drove to Starbucks to get an iced black tea, and then drove home. I was home well before 10:30 am.

I have dry mouth. I am not sure whether I have mentioned it in my blog, but I have had it for over a decade. Going to the dentist makes the condition worse for a bit, as you have your mouth open for most of the appointment and the suction tool that is used doesn't make things better! It's the usual thirty-minute wait after you have your fluoride rinse where you can drink anything.

By the time I got my drink, I could consume it. Yay!

Anyway, I got home and noticed that my connections to various servers on my laptop had died. I also didn't have wifi on my phone. Sure enough, my modem-router needed to be rebooted. I knew that I would be down when 10:30 am hit.

I have our corporate messaging app on my phone. I dialled into my meeting that way, so I was on time.

My manager is constantly late. Today, I hoped that he truly was late. Someone was on my side. He was late by fifteen minutes.

I rebooted my laptop. My wifi was up and running. All was well. I dialled in through my laptop, which was essential for me to share information on my screen with him.

My manager finally got to the office and dialled in. He asked again whether we should reschedule. I said no. We could do our meeting in thirty minutes.

The last one-on-one meeting was horrific. He was in a foul mood. Today, he was much better. He said that there should be more employees like me. I took that compliment, as it is rare for him to dish it out. I hope that he stays nice for a while.

X is for Xylimelts

This post is by far the most challenging to write about. It is tough enough to find a word that begins with x that is not scientific. Sure, I could have chosen xylophone. I played one for kicks in elementary school and loved it.

Naturally, since my blog primarily describes my spanking experiences and thoughts, you would think that I would go with x-rated. I just don't feel like it.

Instead, I am in search of Xylimelts. In a roundabout way, this post is about oral health and how I have managed to give blowjobs while suffering from dry mouth. How is that for a blog post!

Years ago, there were anomalies with my blood test results. I ended up being diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome. Despite most people getting such a diagnosis well into their forties, I got mine a decade earlier, in my early thirties. My case is considered mild. My doctor says that many people lead normal lives, with mild side effects.

The only major side effect that I experience is dry mouth. I compensate by drinking plenty of water, sucking on sugar-free candy, and using products such as Biotene that help produce saliva.

The funny thing is that whenever I give my guy a blowjob, I have no issues with saliva production. At first, I thought that the oral flavoured gel was helping me out. However, when I do not have oral gel with me, my saliva production is fine. My guy has never complained that my mouth wasn't lubricated enough.

I recently visited my dentist. The first time was for my routine cleaning. I went back there last week to have a cavity redone. Sure enough, my mouth was dry after both appointments.

My dental hygienist is wonderful. She always keeps me in mind. She recommended trying Xylimelts. You basically stick one of these tablets on your gums at the back of your mouth and it dissolves over time while helping to produce saliva.

She said that I could get it from most major drug stores. I have tried Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, Target, and Walmart, and have not found it. I am not sure whether this product or something similar is available in the States, but I will be there soon to do some retail research. It looks like I can order them online, which I am grateful for.

I am looking forward to giving this product a shot and see how things go.