My boys think I’m a fraidy-cat, and they’re not wrong. I have anxiety and c-PTSD, so it’s tracks.
My three biggest fears are:
- Snakes (and basically anything without legs)
- Heights
- Being held underwater
I’ve been afraid of snakes, heights, and being held underwater since I was little. And now, I have a new fear … I’m afraid of my teeth falling out.
It’s not because I have bad oral hygiene or problems with my teeth. And it’s not because I’ve dreamed about it … Although I’m sure I will now!
It’s because I have Sjögren’s disease. So does my sister and my mom. We just learned that it makes us more susceptible to losing our teeth.
WTF?!
Sjögren’s affects the entire body, but most people know it as the autoimmune disease that causes severely dry skin, eyes, and mouth. The dry mouth part is caused by reduced saliva production. Less saliva means more opportunity for tooth decay, gum disease, and infections. All of this can lead to … you guessed it, teeth falling out.
I’ll say it again … WTaF?! As if I don’t have enough anxiety. Now I have to worry about my teeth falling out of my mouth.
Needless to say, I’ve added ‘find an oral medicine doctor who specializes in Sjögren’s’ to my long To Do list. (If any local peeps reading this have recs, hit me up.)
In the meantime, if my teeth do fall out, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, I might be forced to knock your teeth out. Then we can be twinsies.
—LJDT
