He was pleased with my gums. All this past week, I've been brushing them properly at night - two full minutes - with a faster brush post-breakfast. I've also been flossing and using the prescription rinse (timing the swishing for thirty seconds.) And I used the medium bristle brush. And by Thursday - that is, in two days - my gums were pink and not bleeding. At this point, I can and do brush directly on my gums and there is no blood.

If my gingivitis could make that much progress in just a couple days of proper care, so can anyone else's. Just saying. Although I suspect the prescription rince made the difference.

So today he filled a cavity. He'll probably fill one next Tuesday as well, which means I'll be nice and numb for the family Chanukah party. Watch Aunt Debbie try to eat a latke and fail...

As usual, the worst part was keeping my mouth open. Also - dental technology marches on - he used what I think was a small laser to ... do something to the compound in my teeth. Which doesn't feel metallic.

So. I suspect I'll need at least one more filling, something done to a couple of chipped teeth and a cap over the one that just feel apart. And then I'll finally get that polishing. Somehow, it's far less dreadful than I expected.