I was thrilled, since my dentist's previously vague mentions of "you might consider a gum graft in the future" had recently turned into more sinister warnings such as "you should definitely get this done before you leave for France, as you only have 1mm left of gum tissue on this tooth."
I scrambled to get my insurance information in order before leaving for work, and left with plenty of time to fill out the requisite paperwork. I arrived, handed over my X-rays and exchanged them for a standard (if dental-oriented) questionnaire.
Filling it out went smoothly, but one question made me pause: Have you ever had periodontal treatment?
What all is encompassed in periodontics, anyway? I had had my wisdom teeth removed, and wasn't sure if I ought to mention that. I decided to ask at the counter.
"Does getting your wisdom teeth out count as periodontal treatment?" I asked.
"Oh, no," replied the receptionist, "that's oral surgery."
The two were apparently entirely separate fields, and here I had conflated them the entire time! I guess anyone who cuts open my mouth falls into the same category for me.
"So....what's someone called who preforms oral surgery?"
The receptionist stared at me like I was from another planet.
"Excuse me?"
"You know...instead of periodontist."
"Oh," she said, still looking a little put off. "Nothing, just an oral surgeon."
This exchange made me wonder--have a reached an age where it's unacceptable for me to ask questions? Children's curiosity is indulged, and asking questions is even encouraged, but when an adult shows a desire to learn more about a situation or process, it is frowned upon. Why is that? Perhaps it is seen as showing weakness, but it is foolish to think that we've learned everything there is to know about life, even everyday life, by the time we're in our 20's. It's certainly a shame. I am going to make a concerted effort not to disparage others' questions in the future.
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