Dentures!

My first day back at work went ok, but largely because I was able to start an hour earlier therefore I had enough time to have a coffee and have something to eat before I left. I had a bowl of rice pudding with a dollop of jam, and that kept my stomach satisfied for quite a while. I had a cup of tea in my break and drunk some of my vanilla meal shake, and then at lunch time I drank some more of it and that kept me going until I finished my shift at 2pm. My colleagues told me they looked great etc. My speech was a little laboured but I could communicate with colleagues and customers without any problems. The manager who did my return to work interview asked me whether I wanted any management support and a meeting with the occupational health rep, of course I said yes. Day off today, back tomorrow for one shift (another short one) then I've got a week's holiday before I go back to full hours, but hopefully I'll hear from occupational health in some shape or form before so something can be worked out. I guess I'll not be able to see how a full day goes without trying it, but at the moment I cannot envisage being able to rush to get to work for 7am and to be able to sustain my hunger during a longer shift. I've even toyed with the idea of doing perhaps split shifts for a while lets say four hours in the morning then another 4 hour shift later, but it would be a proper pain in the backside. I do live in walking distance from work, however, it's not really near enough to make it viable, there's not a direct bus service too and from either and I don't really expect OH to keep having to come and collect me and drop me off etc as parking spaces are like gold dust around here and he suffers badly with joint pain. Anyway there's a long way to go and hopefully work will understand the logistics and try and help.

Tooth problems and gum disease was the worst part of my forties and fifties for me. I was grimly hanging on to my upper teeth by a thread. I eventually found a specialist implantologist, the removal was very simple, because they were basically waiting to fall out. I was mildly sedated, but it only really kicked in once I got to the carpark, where my friend was waiting to drive me home, I spotted a large orange cat and proceeded to try to run around after it to give it a cuddle, I had to ask if the cat was real afterward!!!! I spent a year with an upper plate that I hated, and as my gums healed it fitted less and less well. The way I "made" it fit was by using zinc free (anything else made me feel sick) fixative gel sandwiching seabond fabric. The only way I could get that off was by using distilled white vinegar diluted in a little water, regular cleaning tablets were not sufficient. Since then I have had one upper set of implants seated on four screws, that broke twice, the replacement set have a different make up that is more flexible and has been in since before the pandemic with no problems. I found having a full plate dulled my taste buds, I really did not get on with it, but each to their own, I admire anyone who can. Also, I truthfully tell people that I smile with my inheritance, as there is no way I could have afforded it without my share in my parents' savings left between myself and my late brother!

mediastar said:

Tooth problems and gum disease was the worst part of my forties and fifties for me. I was grimly hanging on to my upper teeth by a thread. I eventually found a specialist implantologist, the removal was very simple, because they were basically waiting to fall out. I was mildly sedated, but it only really kicked in once I got to the carpark, where my friend was waiting to drive me home, I spotted a large orange cat and proceeded to try to run around after it to give it a cuddle, I had to ask if the cat was real afterward!!!! I spent a year with an upper plate that I hated, and as my gums healed it fitted less and less well. The way I "made" it fit was by using zinc free (anything else made me feel sick) fixative gel sandwiching seabond fabric. The only way I could get that off was by using distilled white vinegar diluted in a little water, regular cleaning tablets were not sufficient. Since then I have had one upper set of implants seated on four screws, that broke twice, the replacement set have a different make up that is more flexible and has been in since before the pandemic with no problems. I found having a full plate dulled my taste buds, I really did not get on with it, but each to their own, I admire anyone who can. Also, I truthfully tell people that I smile with my inheritance, as there is no way I could have afforded it without my share in my parents' savings left between myself and my late brother!

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Of course I don't know whether it does for me yet, but what I have tried to eat with the teeth in tastes how it should. I don't know about admire, it's more envy I'd say. I do admire those who've looked after their teeth properly over the years and have reached their 50's 60's and above with a good set of choppers! Of course it's not always people's own fault - my friend at work made every effort but her teeth were crooked, discoloured and protruding and whilst they were still "useable" she had enough and got dentures fitted and for her it's been plain sailing all the way and to say I'm envious of her is an understatement! Second shift went ok again but of course the extra time in the morning has been a game changer. Anyway I've now got a week and a bit's holiday so just gotta wait for my referral to occupational health to come through. I shall message my line manager next week as he's away this week to see if I can carry on with the later starts for a bit longer.

You will get there Merryone - it’s just going through the ‘getting there’ that is a pain in the a*se at the moment.

I am sure you will be pleased with the results once sorted.

Take care

Well I have made a tiny bit of progress. After trying literally every denture adhesive on the market and finding none of them all that effective, I found one that when I tried to remove the bottom teeth it wasn't all that easy. I thought hold on, lets try eating next time. Today I managed to gingerly nibble a piece of avocado, a couple of slices of banana and a bowl of soup with bits in it, and the teeth did stay put. Like I say I ate very gingerly and it wasn't perfect as I kept having to wipe my mouth whilst eating the soup and the banana and avocado was cut up into tiny bits, however I feel it's definitely a step in the right direction. Of course I'll keep on practising. Of course with my gums not having settled completely this progress could well be short lived but for now I'm not complaining. It's a bit of a worry that my next appointment isn't until the end of January, but of course they said I could ring them any time in the meantime but of course at this time of the year getting an appointment quick isn't easy but again I feel I've turned a bit of a corner for now!

Onwards and upwards! Today I tried eating a small piece of quiche and yes it went pretty well, I ate it with a small fork like any normal person would, and managed to chew it and swallow it ok with out any slippage so I'm incredibly pleased, however, I can feel some little bits of food have seeped in a bit underneath the back of the lower set, so ideally I need to remove it and give it a rinse so of course this doesn't really solve much of a problem yet. I tried drinking a glass of water to see if it would dislodge any of it and it hasn't really. I mean it isn't driving me mad or anything but the idea of having bits of food hanging around your mouth can't be very hygienic, so of course I shan't be leaving it too long before I give 'em a rinse. Anyway, any progress is good at this stage in the game. The other thing about this particular glue is that I can speak a lot better when I'm using it as opposed to the others I've tried. I'm not sounding like a ventriloquist's dummy any more!

merryone said:

Onwards and upwards! Today I tried eating a small piece of quiche and yes it went pretty well, I ate it with a small fork like any normal person would, and managed to chew it and swallow it ok with out any slippage so I'm incredibly pleased, however, I can feel some little bits of food have seeped in a bit underneath the back of the lower set, so ideally I need to remove it and give it a rinse so of course this doesn't really solve much of a problem yet. I tried drinking a glass of water to see if it would dislodge any of it and it hasn't really. I mean it isn't driving me mad or anything but the idea of having bits of food hanging around your mouth can't be very hygienic, so of course I shan't be leaving it too long before I give 'em a rinse. Anyway, any progress is good at this stage in the game. The other thing about this particular glue is that I can speak a lot better when I'm using it as opposed to the others I've tried. I'm not sounding like a ventriloquist's dummy any more!

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Glad you can see some progress being made, merryone. Hope things improve really quickly for you now.

Nothing's really changed but I'm not complaining at the moment. I'm back to work and whilst it's a bit of a pain I'm pleased to say that for the first time in absolutely years the way things have fallen, between Dec 22nd and Jan 1st I'm only rota'd in to do 1 shift and that's Friday 27th so not too shabby. I have also resumed my love of shopping, of course I needed to buy Christmas presents so I had no choice really but I've treated myself to a few things. I do hope the teeth behave themselves until my next appointment though!