Flexing My Dollars on Dental

***UPDATE to this post... my dental work is now complete, my pearly whites are white from front to back... AND I still have FLEX dollars left! The dentist also hopes I don't need further work (and there is NONE he could forsee), as he says my mouth it difficult to manauver... something about my jaw. What the heck does that mean???***

For my past three regular six month dental appointments, my dentist has urged me to upgrade/change out/refill my silver fillings from childhood. At the first appointment (more then two years ago) he suggested the work. At the second visit, he urged me to consider planning ahead for the dental work, and mentioned thinking of my Flex health dollars through my place of work. At the third visit, he encouraged me to do it at my next 6 month visit or before. So, I have one side on my mouth done, and this afternoon I will finish the other side.

Mark and I LOVE the dentist, and take our teeth seriously. We do not go to the same dentist though. He goes to a dentist in Forest Lake he has been seeing for years. I go to St. Paul Family Dentistry, where I have been a patient since a co-worker at KSTP TV recommended me. (It was no longer reasonable to travel to Hector to see my childhood dentist, Dr. Menser... although his daughter, my high school classmate, is now in practice with him.)

After my last 6 month appointment, I decided my fillings had lead a long and good life, and it was finally time for retirement. They have been properly protecting my teeth  for a least 20 years! (Surely a good investment on my parents part, and naturally they instilled my respect for dental health. I just recalled my mom use to get lectured by Dr. Menser. She brushed so vigerously she was wearing the enamal off her teeth.)

So, I am using my Flex healthcare dollars and finishing up the job. Mark and I had dollars left over last year (no ER visits from either of us, no babies, and I didn't end up purchasing glasses), so I got the first two done last month. Today we move on to the left side. Unfortunately, there are 4 over there. This will pretty much wipe out my Flex dollars (in February). Let's hope I don't have any recycling accidents this year. (I know, I know... I should have avoided MORE taxes, and put in more money...)

I will alert you I do NOT recall the last time I got a new cavity. My best friend Gretchen has a good theory we both have more childhood cavities then our husbands, since we both grew up drinking well water with no floride.