They Can Only Take Your Teeth, Not Your Wisdom

I am in the waiting room of an oral surgeon’s office as I write this, waiting to get my wisdom teeth pulled. The strips of peeling faux leather on the waiting room chairs, faded posters depicting proper oral hygiene, and bulbous silver hanging lamps scream not so much ‘retro’ but ‘seen better days’. Having gotten up at 5:30 am to make this appointment, I am feeling the same way myself.

But I am also feeling blessed, because when I started having wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of the-night tooth pain, I was able to be seen by a dentist (who determined the pain was being caused by my wisdom teeth) and then an oral surgeon within a week. Most people in the world are not able to do that. As the pain was getting beyond the daily maximum advil dose, I was able to take time off to get my teeth attended to. Most people are not able to do that either, without risking their employment. And I even had the blessing of dental insurance, which covered a significant percentage of my dental appointments. That is nothing short of a miracle.

As my stomach grumbles with morning emptiness, I reflect on the hungry people in the meal line at St. Anthony’s. I wonder how many people in that line began their journey to homelessness because they could not afford an absence at work or medical bills when they or a loved one were ill or in pain, and so they lost their job, got sicker, and one day could not pay the rent.

At home, I have frozen peas, otter pops, and soup ready for me, able to be at whatever temperature I need them to be so I can feel better faster, because I have a kitchen. Most of the people waiting for a hot meal at St. Anthony’s do not.

I know I will feel lousy and feel better again soon. I know this, because I have the luxury and privilege of housing, healthcare, and good employers.

Gil Gross at KGO says “They can only take your teeth, not your wisdom.” That’s only if you can afford to get your teeth taken care of. Otherwise you get compounded “wisdom of experience” and “wisdom born of pain”. The way I’m feeling right now, I’d trade my tooth pain for naiveté any day.