Pithy bite rot is what I've wrought--
Haven't flossed in a while.
Now I'm scared:
The metal must be dismissed.
To ease gnashing,
Gas for laughing
Makes me smile like a child.
But I meet the teeth-borer with fear.

Silvered shells, silver welds.
It's drillin' time; it's not pretty.
Old filling
Holes drilled sting.
Tooth this way's stripped of decay.

I will eat light
For a fortnight,
Diet mainly codeine,
And my choppers brush, honed,
Not at leisure.

Hear the bone crunch
On phantom lunch;
I could shatter fixed teeth--
I'll be back for bruxism* next year.

Silver shell, silver shell
Out; I have distressed my pretty
New filling.
Ooh! it stings.
Soon for a new bridge must pay.


*medical term for grinding, gnashing, or clenching teeth