Everyone knows about the tooth fairy. She's a lovely blonde woman who wears a pink frilly dress, has sparkly wings and carries a wand. Oh and the kicker is that she leaves money under your pillow when you have lost one of your baby teeth. We like her. She gives us money for something we were getting rid of anyway. Unfortunately when all our baby teeth have gone, she also goes. She doesn't need us anymore because we have nothing for her.

But what most people don't know is that we as adults are not safe from tooth scavenging beings. Unfortunately we no longer get a pretty blonde with wings. Instead we get the tooth gremlin! He is the bringer of all mean and spiteful things like plaque and tarter and cavities! He wants teeth also but instead of wanting nice little ones, he wants fully grown teeth with some form of decay. And he doesn't give us money in place of them. He, in fact, causes us to have to spend more money!

Case in point. Recently I began having trouble with my teeth. I am 26 years old and I'm having my first cavities. But they are not small simple ones. No these are huge ones that have broken through the enamel of two of my teeth. Luckily the first one was a wisdom tooth and since my teeth are smaller than most adult teeth anyway I've never had an issue with crowding and my amazing dentist just went ahead and pulled the naughty tooth right there in the office. The tooth gremlin struck fast and without warning that time.

I thought I was well shot of the tooth gremlin after that. I started taking extra special care of my mouth then. Going to extents I rarely went to before. While I know I've lied to my dentist in the past and tried to get him to believe that I really do floss daily, I'll admit here and now that I didn't floss as I should have, and if I was in a hurry there have been a time or two where a swish of mouth wash was all my mouth got before heading out the door.

But no, he has come back for more of my teeth. But this time I'm fighting back! He hasn't picked out a wisdom tooth that I would get rid of anyway. It may be easier to just have my dentist pull the tooth and be done with it. Heavens knows it would be cheaper. But I'm only 26 and if it means I can't buy the mp3 player I want because I have a dentist bill, then I'll just have a dentist bill. Because the tooth gremlin is not going to get this tooth!

I'm thinking my dentist will be able to fill it, or maybe cap it if it's that bad, since it has broken through the enamel. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the tooth gremlin has not caused so much of a problem in another tooth that I'll need a root canal.

But, if such is the case I hope the tooth gremlin knows what he's up against. I've had the same dentist since I was a little kid and I just think the world of him. And confidence in ones dentist is a secret weapon against the tooth gremlin. See the tooth gremlin thrives off of fear. And if you have confidence in your dentist then you'll be more comfortable letting him do what needs to be done to save your tooth and keep it out of the wicked greedy little hands of the tooth gremlin!

So here's a reminder. Brush, floss and use mouth wash regularly. Have annual visits with your dentist. Or else the tooth gremlin may be knocking on your door next expecting teeth!