A Diurnal Search For A Nocturnal Guard February 16, 2002 A.H. Schectman

NMB, Florida February 16, 2002 A.H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on Issues, Ideas and Reflections on the Times. Published Now and
Then. Opinions Pro or Con Are Welcome.

THE DIURNAL SEARCH FOR A NOCTURNAL GUARD

I have had this problem with the night guard I bought when I had my teeth
ground down and fitted with caps. I had ground them down all by myself over
the years until little stubs remained. The new caps were teeth to be proud
of. And, they needed a guard to keep them for as long as I needed them.

I brux a lot. That is just the way it is with me. I remember my father
grinding his teeth. Just like he salted his food he ground his teeth and I
copied both of these habits. I gave up salting food with gaining the same
high blood pressure he had but never have I been able to stop grinding my
teeth. Thus, the mouth guard was necessary at night and then, inevitably,
all day.

But, you cannot eat or drink or sing properly with this bulky night guard
in place. I learned to speak with it in my mouth and noted a difference in
the sound of my words. My students never complained and my friends never
said anything about the thing in my mouth. My grandchildren were
immediately entranced with this thing that could go into and out of my
mouth. They noted the problem I had with where to put it when I took it out
in order to be able to sing, eat or drink.

Breast pockets are great places for them. I have tried to buy only shirts
with breast pockets but you know, you see something you like and forget that
the breast pocket was a requisite. I found my watchband a convenient place
to park the thing. Carol does not like this but it has become a habit. It
is also something of a habit to find that my guard is missing and I cannot
remember if I took it out and put it in either preferred place or laid it on
the bathroom counter or if it dropped out of my mouth in my nocturnal
thrashings.

I fell out of bed last night with a terrible cramp in my calf. I could
have lost it then. I have searched and searched but it has not yet turned
up.
Such is the way of life and so it goes. Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.