Backstory to today’s story.   Quite a few years ago, one of my back teeth broke (no pain.)  And I mean lots of pieces broke.  My dentist sent me to a specialist to extract it (no pain).  Then after a few weeks, I got a bridge.   Fast forward about six years and I was having some discomfort (ok, yeah, pain) and it turns out that the very back tooth of the bridge needed a root canal.  Sigh.  Off to the endodontist for this.  That morning she said she was a bit concerned due a small crack in the tooth but she thought she could make it work.  Easy peasy (no pain).  This was two years back.

Fast forward again to about 3 months ago when I noticed a bit of discomfort during brushing (no pain, just discomfort).  I paid a lot of attention to this because I figured it was the bridge/root canal acting up after two years.  The discomfort really didn’t change so I decided to let it ride until my usual dentist appointment yesterday.

I explained it to the hygienist (Kenzie) and when she poked at the area, there was a little jolt (yes, of pain) and she backed off.  When the dentist came in to do her check, Kenzie said “I saw a little something stuck there”.   I wasn’t sure what in heavens name could be stuck there – I am an every-night brusher/flosser, including under the bridge.  I was prepared this time for the discomfort when the dentist poked about (a smidge of pain).  She mentioned a tooth fragment while she was poking and that gave me immediate thoughts of one of those bridge teeth disintegrating and all those implant commercials I’ve seen recently flooded my brain.  Turns out that the fragment is NOT from any of my current teeth.  It is almost certainly a fragment left over from the initial tooth that was extracted eight years ago.  The dentist showed me a couple of past x-rays and pointed out what she thought may have been the fragment slowly migrating to the surface. 

WOW. Seems like science fiction to me and I probably said “wow” more than once.  And, of course, I was instantly so relieved.   I couldn’t leave the little fragment just sitting there on the dental tray so I convinced Kenzie to find a little sleeve to put it in.  I’m pretty sure I won’t keep it for more than a couple of weeks, but really – WOW.

I’ve never had a souvenir from the dentist before – unless you count floss and toothpaste.  Truly I’m pretty sure I ever want another but for now, this will do.

What’s one of your most unlikely souvenirs? Bonus points if you know where the phrase “little offenders” comes from.