If my children wanted to learn from the mistakes of their father, the most important lesson I would offer, would be to take better care of their teeth. Better oral hygiene discipline would have saved me countless procedures and a great deal of discomfort. Today I visited the dentist for my 6 month cleaning. My hygienist is extremely skilled and our common interests makes for good conversation, even if my side is only mumbled. Not so enjoyable was the second phase of the visit with my dentist who addressed issues with two teeth. As has become my standard practice, I opted to forego Novocaine. The procedure is over much more quickly and my mouth and face don’t wind up half paralyzed for hours. Perhaps the pain is also a good reminder to brush after every meal and to wear my night guard to prevent gnashing my teeth while I sleep.