Saturday 15 May 2010

The Grandchildren and Teeth

Photo Copyright Maggie May

It appears that the grandchildren have come to stay early. They arrived on Friday evening with bags full of their belongings. However their daddy will be here until Monday morning and then they will be alone with Harry and me.
Amber the oldest granddaughter has no teeth in the front of her mouth at all because being seven, that is what happens to the baby teeth. They all seemed to go one after the other and the tooth fairy was very busy for a few weeks. She will look very different when the new ones come through. I always think that baby look disappears when that happens, as they look more grown up.

I was worried about my teeth at the beginning of the week because I hadn't been able to have cleaning or dental inspections while having chemo and for some reason or other, I was convinced that chemo had wrecked them.
My appointment was for Friday afternoon but early in the morning I had a telephone call to say my dentist had to cancel as he wasn't in that day. I wasn't very happy about that.I felt that I'd waited long enough, though it wasn't the dentist's fault.
Anyway, I went along to the hygienist appointment and had them all cleaned professionally.
Although she isn't a dentist, she did assure me that my mouth wasn't full of cavities (as I'd imagined) and she said my mouth, teeth and gums were in good condition. So all the mouth wash I used was obviously a good deterrent against decay during chemo.
I have another appointment in two weeks to see the dentist anyway.
In my last post I mentioned the poem below that was going around in the seventies and eighties and we all thought it was very funny. I hope you have time to read it.


OH, I WISH I'D LOOKED AFTER MY TEETH
by
Pam Ayres


Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth,
And spotted the perils beneath,
All the toffees I chewed,
And the sweet sticky food,
Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth.

I wish I'd been that much more willin'
When I had more tooth there than fillin'
To pass up gobstoppers,
From respect to me choppers
And to buy something else with me shillin'.

When I think of the lollies I licked,
And the liquorice allsorts I picked,
Sherbet dabs, big and little,
All that hard peanut brittle,
My conscience gets horribly pricked.

My Mother, she told me no end,
"If you got a tooth, you got a friend"
I was young then, and careless,
My toothbrush was hairless,
I never had much time to spend.

Oh I showed them the toothpaste all right,
I flashed it about late at night,
But up-and-down brushin'
And pokin' and fussin'
Didn't seem worth the time... I could bite!

If I'd known I was paving the way,
To cavities, caps and decay,
The murder of fiIlin's
Injections and drillin's
I'd have thrown all me sherbet away.

So I lay in the old dentist's chair,
And I gaze up his nose in despair,
And his drill it do whine,
In these molars of mine,
"Two amalgum," he'll say, "for in there."

How I laughed at my Mother's false teeth,
As they foamed in the waters beneath,
But now comes the reckonin'
It's me they are beckonin'
Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth.





26 comments:

San said...

Enjoy those grandchildren, Maggie. May their toothless grins bring you much joy!

And congratulations on your good dental report, and most of all, that your body is healing. Blessings...

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Nothing like grandchildren to perk up the spirits. Have a good weekend Maggie.

Akelamalu said...

Glad to hear your teeth are not in a state.

You're going to have such fun with the grandchildren, they're guaranteed to cheer you. :)

Rosaria Williams said...

Good to know your teeth held up to chemo. Your grands will be very distracting, very tiring, and very cute! Have a great time.

Formerly known as Frau said...

Great poem, I'm glad your teeth look good 'm sure the dentist will agree. Have a wonderful weekend with the GK.

Gone Back South said...

I do remember that Pam Ayres poem. Glad to hear your chompers are hanging in there! I sometimes think my kids eat too many sweets akthough I try to ration them as much as I can - but at their last visit to the dentist (which was long overdue - bad mother I am) they got the all-clear ... so we must be doing something right.

Mimi said...

Very funny, but true!
I always liked Pam Eyres poetry, it's simple and to the point.
Enjoy your week with your grandchildren, and don't do too much.

Dianne said...

Have a great time with the grandkids!!

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Oh, Maggie...that poem is HILARIOUS!!! I think I'll read it to my son...who isn't very thorough with his brushing and flossing ;-) Glad your appointment was reassuring! I just knew it would be! Lovely photo! Have a wonderful time with your grandkids! We'll look forward to hearing all about it! Love, Janine XO

Unknown said...

I am so glad that everything went well at the cleaning! If the hygenist said they looked good I think that is a fabulous sign! Hope the dentist gives you a clean bill of health.

Sueann said...

See...the hygienist said your teeth looked good. So not to worry! She sees lots of bad teeth too, I am sure.
Enjoy the grandbabies...love it when they start losing their teeth. So cute!
Hugs
SueAnn

Robert said...

When I had my accident i had broken legs, with a lot of bleeding, I knew my back was broken, my arm was broken and so were few ribs, but what was I crying about, my teeth, I spat them all out and that was the one thing which really hurt was knowing I had lost all my teeth.

I told the ambulance crew do not forget my teeth, I said they can do things these days, but of course they did not pick them up.

18 years later even disabled after a spinal problem it's my teeth I miss.

Ayak said...

I loved Pam Ayres poems. Have a lovely time with your grandchildren Maggie.
There's an award for you over at mine by the way:

http://ayak-turkishdelight.blogspot.com/2010/05/prolific-blogger-award.html

Rose said...

Thanks for sharing this poem with us, Maggie. I've never read it before; what fun! I take very special care with my teeth--I've had so many crowns put in over the past few years, that my mouth is worth a fortune:)

Have a fun week with the granddaughters!

Suburbia said...

Used to love Pam's funnies when I was younger. My Mum has been to see her on stage a few time in Chelt. However some of her writing can be quite touching.

Hope you enjoy your girls and don't get too tired.

Sx

Unspoken said...

I am so glad to hear your teeth are okay! So much to worry about for you. PLEASE, not your pearls, as I call teeth :).

Jackie said...

Enjoy those "grands" Maggie.
It's fun to me to try and guess the age of children by looking at the 'missing teeth'...They can't
whithel...and that sthmile is thoe cute!
I'm glad that you got a good report from your hygenist...and the the mouth wash you used worked great!
Hugs and smiles from Jackie

SandyCarlson said...

Enjoy the little ones. I am glad you all have each other.

I will be kinder to my teeth as of right now. So much for those caramel bullseyes...

Hilary said...

I'm glad to hear that your teeth were not problematic after all. Fun poem. Enjoy those kidlets!

Mickle in NZ said...

Full sympathy for Amber - I was without my top 4 front teeth for most of the year I was 7. So pleased your teeth are still in good shape.

I can hear Pam Ayres reading that poem in my mind - she has a strong following over here.

Working Mum said...

Thank you for the poem. Brought back happy memories - I can hear Pam Ayres reciting it! Glad your teeth are okay and hope you are having a great time with the girls!

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

She is quite a poet that girl - thanks for the laugh. Glad to hear you are stronger Maggie, hope the quality of your life is improving. Certainly the joy of grandchildren will lift your spirits.

As for teeth, great things when they are working well. A nightmare when they go worng! Glad yours are okay.

Suldog said...

Didn't know that chemo was supposed to wreak havoc with teeth. Learn something new every day! Glad to hear yours are OK, of course.

Casdok said...

I bet it was really reasuring to hear your teeth are ok. Love the poem and have fun with the grandchildren :)

Brian Miller said...

ha fun with those littles, they can wear you out and make you feel young all in the same breath. glad you got your teeth looked after, maybe the poem wont be an omen. smiles.

Brendon said...

Hmmm, I thought chemotherapy doesn't have an effect on teeth. Anyway, it's a good thing you immediately cleaned your teeth. Now you can flash a nice smile to your grandchildren. Continue to fight for your life. You have my prayers.


Brendon Spaziani