Wisdom teeth woes

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:43:59 GMT

Why wisdom teeth? They are really no use. Roxanne says to make the dentists aid the 'poor' dentits earn a living. Alright? So, why do I need them? Third molars or not, I am not going to a dentist or a doctor alike. So, they are definitely going to benefit from me. Well, my answer to that would be pain you intermittenly and repeatedly so you know the value of food and the same food tastes better.

All my life I have heard how painful the growth of the wisdom teeth can be. I have heard horror stories and how they have had to stay at home or skip night-outs to cover thier 'Hanuman' face.The first time these teeth erupted from the gums, I was 21. Some how, it went without causing much trouble. And I thought, 'Oh! this is what everyone complains about? Come on, I can handle it'.

How mistaken I was? I was just back from Chennai and our dentist tenant was about to vacate the house. That December morning, I woke up to realise my face was puffed. I didn't think much of it when this tenant noticed it. She examined the mutilated tender gums and adviced me to visit the hospital soon or it could get worse. But me being me, I chose to ignore it. And what hell I went through? Over a weeks time, my face just balloonedand then it receded. I gave up on all solid food because even if I tried hard, the food would brush the injured area and I'd feel like screaming. Once I was healed, I ate everything amma prepared without the slightest compaint (for a fortnight :-).

I thought, 'Okay the worst is over. It can only get better'. And no, that wasn't to be. Even now at 27, the pain vists me regulary atleast twice every year. And I have to make great efforts to eat. And you its very intelligent too - every time, it visits a different corner of my mouth. And this time it has chosen the Ugadi festival time. Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

Breathe Easy

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 03:45:50 GMT

This article was first published in the souvenir of Mahila Dakshata Samithi.

Disclaimer: This is not and advertising campaign for BMTC or CommuteEasy.

Do you
- wake up every morning and cringe at the thought of driving to workplace?
- get irritated everytime someone bumps into your bike/car and screams at you?
- get a head ache/get upset with the excessive honks?
- want to breathe cleaner air in the city?
- worry for your kids when they cross the busy road?
- wish your driver’s salary would not burn such a big hole in your pocket?
- feel pained to see so many trees being chopped for build flyover after flyover?
- hope to sleep free of body ache thanks to the innumerable potholes?
- get annoyed when the auto driver in front of you idles in search of passengers right in the middle of the road?
If your answer to any of the above questions is yes, it is time to switch your mode of transport.

I have been using the services of Bangalore Metropoliton Transport Corporation (BMTC, formerly BTS) all my life for my daily travel and I have never faced any problem. When I tell this to my friends, their instant reaction is ‘Oh! You can’t drive?’, ‘You work in the software industry. Can’t you afford a bike?’ or ‘Are you scared of driving?’. And then I get down to explaining why I prefer BMTC to riding a two-wheeler or driving a car.

What is it about public transport that turns people off?
The common complaints I hear about BMTC:
- The buses are so crowded
- It takes longer if I take the bus
- I work odd hours and can’t use the bus
- I can’t read the boards as they are in Kannada
- Its so uncool

A simple solution to the above problem is, (if your job permits) to alter your work timings a little so as to avoud the rush hour. The buses aren’t too crowded then and it takes much lesser times as well. The introduction of Vajra (Volvo A/c) buses has made the commute comfortable and enjoyable. Regarding the language barrier, it doesn’t take too much to remember the bus numbers and the numbers are written in English. Besides, I think Bangalore is one of the friendlier cities, ask anyone and they’d be ready to help you. And for all those who are tech-savvy, BMTC route information is available at http://www.bmtcinfo.com/jsp/.

For me BMTC is a good option because it is an excellent place to network. You see some common faces everyday, a smile blossoms friendship. You get to know people from all walks of life. I also get so much time to read, I have studied for my exams, read novels to newspapers. Havent we seen women tying flowers, knitting sweaters, telling their prayers etc in the bus?

Ofcourse, BMTC might not be a feasible option for all. There may be reasons for you have to drive to work daily. For example, BMTC does not have a full-fledged service near your source or destination. But here is how, you can still help. CommuteEasy (http://www.commuteeasy.com/) is a carpooling initiative in Bangalore. It aims at making your commute easy by connecting you to commuters across the city who share your route. If you have to drive to work and would’nt mind dropping another person enroute, just logon. You’ll find many takers.

Try public transport. It is not so bad and it is certainly not impossible. It does make life much simpler.

Under the Rainbow: Health and wellness

Wisdom teeth woes

Breathe Easy