So just what is the Chew-and-Spit Diet?
Some experts consider chewing and spitting an eating disorder, while others do not. Regardless, it is a dangerous activity.
Please take a moment to read the comments below which were left on a blog by people who chew and spit, or have a loved one who chews and spits:
"Posted by c dibb July 6, 2007 3:26 PM
Posted on July 6, 2007 15:26
Denise Oliver:
My 23 year old daughter has been chewing and spitting for about 7 years now. Other than all of the other reasons for stopping, here is her real life reason:
Her teeth are corroded, breaking and falling out. She needs root canals in all of them and eventually will require implants or more cost effective: dentures.
Why: Because unlike bulimics, the corrosive acid, from letting the chewed food sit in her mouth, then the spitting, has deteriorated her teeth below the gum line, which is virtually impossible to repair. Also, infections in the nerve and jaw are common.
STOP this self destructive behavior. And remember, if much of the reason for doing this is about your self image, picture yourself with dentures at 23. I beg all of you to stop."
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Posted by Denise Oliver July 11, 2007 3:29 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 15:29
Katy:
I NEED HELP :( I'm only 16 years old. I could relate to everything Brittany said about C/S disorder. (Minus the fact that my mother does not know.) I don't know where too go. I suffer from this horrible chew-spit "disorder." It's become an obsessive compulsive habit and I can't seem to shake it. Help me.
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Posted by DARLENE October 11, 2007 3:59 AM
Posted on October 11, 2007 03:59
sarah :
I have been a chewer/spitter for 8 years now. Former anorexic in and out of eating disorders clinics, never could make myself sick but after getting to a normal weight I thought I'd found a "way" to enjoy the taste of fattening sugary food without getting fat. Wrong.
No matter how hard I excercised, I couldn't get to a size 8 and my teeth are now full of cavities, stained and got missing ones and crowns.
I thought I was the only one who did this till typed it in to Google! I would be mortified if anyone found out what I do, But I can't stop.
I brush my teeth after a big session but still paranoid of not being able to lose weight.Plus I can't afford to keep up my dental care.
I am 29 and am scared to death am going to end up having no teeth and diabetes after reading the articles.
Is there anything long term c/s sufferers can do to reverse damage done?
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Posted by Anonymous December 11, 2007 8:47 AM
Posted on December 11, 2007 08:47
ruthie:
Hi ,I had bulimia for many years. I have it under control now for at least 8 years. I have been chewing my food and spitting it out, mostly sweets like chocolate. It consumes me. I do it every single day .....i was wondering if this can cause hairloss. I was diagnosed alopecia. Now I'm really upset and do this more. I just can't stop on my own . ruthie
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Posted by Anonymous July 21, 2008 11:07 AM
Posted on July 21, 2008 11:07
m.:
I wish I could meet everyone who has posted on this board so far. I really really do. I have been C/Sing for far too long. Finding this huge page with all these comments makes me want to cry. Especially when I realize some of these people are younger, some are older....and all sound as confused and helpless as I feel. :(
The ones on here who are saying it's healthy and that it won't mess up your teeth - YOU ARE WRONG. You either haven't been doing it long enough OR you're lying. Period.
Do this long enough and you will f*ck up your insulin regulation, your insides, and yes, your teeth.
Thank God, all my showing teeth are alright. They're pretty & white and I get compliments on them often. BUT the ones toward the back have started to break/chip and they are PAINFUL.
I'm 28. Have held a lifelong struggle with a myriad of eating disorders, from anorexia to bulimia, compulsive overeating, compulsive eaxercise, laxatives, etc, etc, etc.
All of these things will hurt you in the end. If you live that long.
Anyone who needs a friend, please email me.... I need one, too.
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Posted by Sue September 15, 2008 9:31 PM
Posted on September 15, 2008 21:31
Vivian:
My name is Vivian and I started chewing/spitting while in recovery for bulimia. I now have been chew/spitting for over 11 years and I finally decided it is time to stop. I've been in therapy for almost a year now and I haven't done it in almost two months!
This isn't just a great way to lose weight. In fact, it actually keeps extra weight on you. You are probably swallowing more than you even know, and I am sure of this because I often purged after huge chew/spit binges and a lot would come back up. I have actually lost weight in therapy.
What did I lose by chewing/spitting? First of all my self esteem and like others have mentioned, my teeth are horrible. Almost all of my teeth have 4-5 surface fillings (the back ones) and my mouth still really hurts. I will probably be lucky if I don't end up with dentures.
Don't fool yourself into believing that this is a diet. It's not; it's an eating disorder that accompanies many of the same fears as anorexia and bulima. I have suffered with all three of these diseases and it is not pretty. I am disgusted by those who claim this is just a great way to lose weight. I didn't really even know others suffered from this until recently. I have felt all alone in my disease my whole life. Please stop this before chewing and spitting takes over your whole life. I have two children and I have done it in front of both of them. I used to chew/spit almost all day. Now that I am in recovery, I am able to read books, garden, write and I am getting my life back. Good luck to all of you who are in this struggle as well. I know first hand how hard quitting can be.
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Posted by manda September 24, 2008 7:42 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 07:42
mary:
Wow. So glad to see the truth about c/s is finally coming out. I did a google search about 2 years ago, and nothing could be found.
I've been addicted to c/s for 8 years now. It started w/ small chocolate bars. Now I binge about 2 grocery bags of junk every day. I can't help it. It's something to do, takes my off of things and it comforts me.
I've not been anoxeric or bulimic, just into c/s as a release. It feels good to confess. No one knows about this but my best friend.
My mom knew about it 4 years ago, but she thinks I'm free from it now. I went to 2 therapists for this. One opposed it, but didn't have any good recovery plan, the other didn't think it was an issue. Just a quirk.
I need help. I don't want to hide this any more. I want to stop, but i don't know how to. I've gone through 3 days w/o it, but always have gone back to it.
Now I feel my speech is being impeded b/c my mouth is always sore and dry.
I need help. Can some one give me step by step pointers/instructions? Has anyone recovered from this?
Thanks for your attention to this! appreciate it!
mary
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Posted by Britni October 25, 2008 2:17 AM
Posted on October 25, 2008 02:17
AMBER:
I HAD THIS AWFUL DISORDER ON AND OFF FOR 1O YEARS, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TRIGGERED IT,BUT IT WAS AN EXHAUSTING, EXPENSIVE HABIT.
I COULD SPEND CLOSE TO 30 DOLLARS A DAY IN FATTENING FOODS AND ISOLATE MYSELF FOR HOURS CHEWING AND SPITTING. I WAS EXHAUSTED,GUILT RIDDEN, BROKE, AND DEPRESSED AFTERWARDS. I SWORE EVERY TIME, NEVER AGAIN AND...I THINK I GAINED WEIGHT BECAUSE IT IS SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SWALLOW PART OF THE "chew". IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM SEEK THERAPY,I DID!I'T IS A DISGUSTING, UNNATURAL HABIT THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH AND MENTAL PROBLEMS.DON'T BE ASHAMED ,YOU ARE NOT ALONE.HELP IS OUT THERE.
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WARNING!
http://msmisanthropist.blogspot.com/2005/09/chew-n-spit.html
http://trishagura.com/blog/2007/05/chewing_and_spitting_having_yo.html http://www.dlisted.com/files/winogumglasto1.jpg (photo of Amy Winehouse)
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29 comments:
Thanks so much for bringing attention to this issue in such a well-rounded accurate way. Chew/spitting is extremely common amongst anorexia and bulimia sufferers, and i'm sure it is common in others too. A couple of weeks ago it was suggested in a magazine column!!
There's very little information about c/s and its dangers, and so i'm really pleased you're touching on this issue.
Josie, lovely to hear from you.
To hear chewing/spitting was suggested in a magazine column is shocking. Hopefully, the serious consequences of c/s will strike home with those who are searching for info on it because those consequences are very real.
Again, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and for your very kind words.
Are you kidding me??? This is actually a diet. Do you know this is a behavior that is big in the WLS community. I've done it myself over the years. It was first spoken about to use while cooking--any good cook is gonna taste the food right?? Well we--and I mean WLSers--would taste then spit out. Cause you know every little bit adds up. They even have this acronym ---TBL---taste, bite, lick---you keep count of every taste, bite or lick to add to your calories for the day. Is it any wonder my ED got worse after my WLS.......sheesh....
Bama, I wish I were kidding. It's very real, esp. amongst girls and young women.
In researching c/s, I came across quite a few posts by people who had undergone WLS who practise chewing and spitting. And you're right...it's no wonder your ED worsened after your WLS.
A few young Hollywood "stars" are currently practising this so-called "diet," which to my mind has fueled its global resurgence.
Unfortunately, most who practise c/s are unaware that their behaviour can lead to some pretty serious health issues, including bulimia, anorexia, etc. It's the stuff of nightmares :^(
i thank you for postin this. and it keeps me trapped in ED since gaining weight after anorexia. i overdid and gained A LOT. like now i am really heavier than my beginnings. i dont understand the psychology, whatever chemistry that dwells within chew-spitting, but i swear it consumes my life more than anorexia did. and it made me feel shit, esp when people around think that i am NORMAL and out of ED. at the end of it all, the physical and mental aspects kicked in. and rotting teeth, i now have several hollows in my teeth, i havent fixed them (think abt the money and pain), they look perfectly normal stillon the outside, but yes they are hollowing... and you just feel more alone than ever even if there seems to be people around all the time. i still do this EVERYDAY, i cant help me. thanks for shedding light on this topic, its so often overlooked. :p
(((Krianne)))
I wish there was a magic wand I could wave to make your c/s disappear forever. You have been through SO much. My heart breaks for you.
I hope you seek medical help as soon as possible, hon. It's such a difficult thing to beat, but knowing that you succeeded in overcoming anorexia, I know you have the strength to do this.
Thank you so much for commenting, Krianne. I'm sending positive, healing thoughts your way.
Hugs,
Medusa
Hi,
I just want to share my story. I have a good job, with lots of responsibilities. People describe me as being confident and outgoing, but I don't think they know the real me. I live in my own apartment, and most night I chew and spit. It started few years ago, where I started obssesing about calorie, and exercise, then it progress to spit and chewing every night with combination of bulimia, as sometimes, I go out for dinner with friends, and straight after that I will chew/spit. I fel so lonely, sad, and ugly. I don't think people around me know the real me, small little comment can hurt me really bad, and I will cry and chew/spit at night to release it. Im trying to change, but don;t know how...
(((Anonymous)))
Thank you so much for sharing.
There is help out there...please believe me.
There's a wonderful website called We Bite Back. The members there will help you. I've referred many people there who are suffering from all types of disordered eating and they have all told me the support there is unbelievable. Please check them out and be sure to watch the video on the main page. Here's the link: We Bite Back
Thinking of you and wishing you all the very best. You can beat this thing.
Hugs to you...
*sighs* I probably missed the credit, but where did you find that photo of the skinny blonde girl? Is that more 'thinspiration'? It frightens and disturbs me beyond belief, the way it is made up to look like a professional photograph and so beautiful, but the model looks like a concentration camp victim.
I know that some people are naturally thin and have high metabolisms. I believe that whatever body shape a person naturally has, that's fine for *them*. But I don't understand the desire to look like a person who has literally (and I'm not saying this lightly) been through Auschwitz.
People who use 'thinspiration' and pro-ana and pro-mia websites and message boards as encouragement in their illness live in a prison of their own making. That is the most frightening and saddening thing to me. :-(
When anorexics/bulimics talk about 'Mia' and 'Ana' being their friends, personifying these illnesses, I just want to scream at them to wake up! An illness is not your friend. An addiction is not your friend. A drug is not your friend. An obsessive habit that will steal your health, joy, and satisfaction in life is not your friend.
Genre Geek, the blonde girl's photo is all over Google images if you Google "anorexia." There are many shots of her from different angles, and trying to find the original source of the photo has been unsuccessful for me because of the number of times her images appear in search results.
Again, your comments are so spot on and insightful. You have a wonderful talent for writing.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I really appreciate it, as I know my other readers will too.
Hugs,
Medusa
wow Very interesting. I didn't know this has so many consequences or was a big deal. Years ago I did this. I had been purging up to 8 times a day but never consumed large amounts of food. I would purge water or an apple or bowl of cereal and started vomiting blood. I had torn my esophagus so I resorted to chewing and spitting. I never even told my therapist because it just seemed minor and embarrassing. I haven't done it in years because I just don't get hungry or crave food anyymore at all so no need. Of course I am in recovery and making myself eat so I am on the recovery side now~
I have had extensive dental work though fortunate no dentures or anything like that. I think I had like 20 cavities at one point from the acid eroding.
Thanks for covering it all Medusa! You rock!
((hugs))
Thanks for informing me about this, I don’t really know what to say so I'm going to tell you my story,
around about 4 months ago I would have about 5 good days and then 1 horrendous day where I would feel hopeless and like no one love me and why should I do anything because it wont make anything better and it went on and on and I must have hid it too well because no one noticed how I felt and I just kept thinking things would get better but then I started to spiral down down and it wasn’t my 5 good days 1 bad day it was all the time and days would feel like years and all I wanted to know was when it was going to end and I would be like a zombie and I'd cut my self with knifes and scalpels from my mums surgery and burn my self with matches and all sorts but I still didn’t think I was bad enough to get help but it went on and on and I couldn’t take it I told my dad when my mum was away with work because I couldn’t face her but I wasn’t strong enough to deal with depression on my own so we went tot the doctors and they told me they had referred me to this adolesince metal health team (I know scary name)and that they’d be able to help me but the appointment was so far away Dec the 4th and I cant wait that long and I had this dream where I woke up in my bed with my cousin Emily there beside me asleep and I was bleeding every where it had soaked into the mattress and was on the floor and I could even smell the blood so I got up and went up the stairs and the wall was all bloody because of my hand and when I got to the bathroom and looked in the mirror the cuts were everywhere and I mean everywhere and I could see the bones because they were so deep and my face was so decusting and then when I tried to clean the blood it wouldn’t clean and then everyone got up and they couldn’t see the blood and they started having breakfast and all I was thinking was how can they just sit there like come on how can they act normal and then I woke up and I had to check that I was ok and I keep seeing my face everywhere I looked with those cut and my bones I just wanted to cry but I knew I couldn’t because everyone had tried so hard to help I couldn’t tell them I was hurting because it would hurt them and I'm not worth hurt over because come on I don’t even have a reason to fell this way and now things were starting to get better I've started to fell fat and ugly and I don’t want to eat and if I do it makes me fell horrible and it doesn’t feel bad enough to tell anyone but I don’t wont it to get worst and I don’t want to feel like this but I don’t even know how to explain how I feel and I’m only 13 and I cant stand thinking I’m going to feel like this by my next birthday and I don’t want this to go on and on like it did before and I know I'm not fat but I feel it and I don’t want tot tell my mum or dad or who ever I have problems with eating because they'll be thinking she cant because she's not skinny enough and I don’t have anyone that I know that feels the same but I need someone to just tell me anything but lies like its all going to be ok and you'll be fine in the morning because I know I wont I just need someone that understands how I feel.
Hannah
p.s please reply anyone that knows how I feel or can give me some words of advice cause I need it
thanks.
I did c/s and am still doing. My BMI dropped from 27.4 to 20.8 now. I am exercising regularly, however is unable to resist delicious and favourites foods.
Where the hell can I find this much help to slim me down other than chewing and spitting?
If there is a better way, surely I will do it, but so far I could not find any.
Eating salad and healthy foods all the time is suck.
You said c/s can cause diabetes since it raises hyper-insulinemia. May you elaborate this please, since what I knew is diabetes people has insufficient insulin, instead.
I don't oppose anti-c/s'ers, I just have not found any better method yet.
wow. i regret to say ive had bats with anorexic/bulimic/laxative & other self abusing behaviors, & i've been doing this (on/off) for about 3 yrs now, as a (what i thought would be a safe) form of release from anxiety for controlling my weight. i never knew other people did this too, & i'd be mortified if anyone ever found out, although i think my roommate knows. the side-effects are really gross, & explains why i eat like a bird & am still heavier than my friends. i wondered about side effects but didnt think anyone else did it. i'm going to try to stop before any permanent damage is done. i was thinking about going to a therapist but i'm afraid of losing my sense of control...
as for ways to stop, the only idea that comes to mind is to substitute it with gum or suck on some ice when you're craving, or getting a light snack.
Its sad to see other people also do this... i only done it for one year, but that's all i ended up doing for that year after i decided i hated having to throw up, i couldnt stop it was so strong. the result was nearly death from starvation. My teeth are also completely ruined, and that was after only one year, ive needed countless dental appointments and my front teeth are now ugly yellow with lots of chips in them. I still dont really understand how c&s causes this but i know it must because of what everyone else has said.
I hope you can all overcome this dangerous addiction, it is possible, being an inpatient at an ed unit broke the habit, but it is very hard xxxx
I don't believe the science/research on chewing and spitting is 100% legit. I think its another "800 calories will kill you". 800 calories won't kill someone who's obese, duh......if chewing and spitting does all these "rumors" claim...then isn't gum just as bad?...people have chewed gum for centuries with no health issues and doctors approve of that...I don't see how Chewing and spitting will rot teeth if gum doesn't..that lacks all logical foundation, according to my anatomy/physiology classes...what-so-ever. I'm a nurse and a vegetarian(Irrelevant) and I don't believe this research is accurate or either its just a bunch of medical theories, no facts...maybe if you spit "all" the food out. Then it'd pretty much be anorexia...but you'd have to chew a helluva alot of crap to get some of these consequences...seriously...(I'm not saying its ok to chew/spit, I'm just saying I think this research out there is half done/explained) Just reading this article I've already come up with prophylactic ideas that will eliminate most issues listed here.
I have been starting to chew and spit, I feel great after a big session. But now, whenever I eat even a ham and cheese sandwich or a salad i feel guilty. Sometimes I don't even feel excited to go out with friends because all I want to do is let time pass so I don't feel like I have eaten as much. I love exercising, but I don't have enough energy.
Hello, I am somewhat calmed that I am not the only person in the world who is struggling with this issue of chewing and spitting. This addiction has turned my world upside down and I would be so happy if I could stop chewing and spitting for a week. Maybe after a month, I would feel the strength of recovery. A lot of my motives for spitting and chewing come from my horrible dislike of my body and my weight. I hope to see a therapist, but I am not sure if this will help since it should be out of my own will to quit c and s. Thank you for this post Medusa, it sheds a lot of light on this particular issue.
Hi, I have been struggling with chewing and spitting for about 7 months now and I hope there is a glimpse or a light that will help me stop this addiction. I plan on going to therapy but I am unsure if they will be able to help since breaking an addiction comes out of my own will. I don't want to face any detrimental health effects or insulin resistance but I feel as if I might be developing these effects. Do you have any advice as to how you might begin to quit and what kind of everyday techniques to use to stop your self from secretly schuffling throught the pantry only to see your self in this behavior. I tell myself everyday that i won't do it but it just doesnt do any good. I want so badly to see myself done and over with this addiction. Thank you so much for your post and if anyone out there would like to struggle to get out of this addiction with me then feel free to e-mail me at hungrymunchkin25@yahoo.com
If anyone would like to struggle to break free from this addiction I think it would help me to help with accountability issues, let me know if anyone is interested. Thanks
hey there,
thx for this blog.
I just looked it up cos i have been doing this c/s for about a year or more.
I just came back from the dentist and she said my teeth are suffering. (I didn't say why).
So I like doing the c/s as it does keep my weight down but i really really don't want to ruin my teeth more.
So i'm going to try and stop it.
I think the way try 2 stop is to be brave and think, what is underneath doing this - the reason.And i think it is emotional fear/emptiness etc. which eating sweet stuff takes away for a while.
So i'm going to try and face the emotional stuff. And I'm going to try and eat alternative stuff instead and swallow it! Eating does help me so i'm going to eat really boring stuff like seeds, sesame seeds etc and berries which you can kind of eat quite a lot of for an hour, one and a time and it doesn't put on weight really.
The other thing is to eat a dried prune and suck on the stone for an hour or so after..its quite sweet and tastes alright. Olives and olive stones are good as well to suck on.
I know this sounds kind of crazy but i just thought it might help someone here. (I can see if I don't do sth, this is gonna get worse). I'm going to try it from today. Wish me luck . Good luck to you all
Reading all of these comments was really helpful. I am a 19 yr old student athlete and have been c/s for almost a year now. What started as an occasional bad habit has turned into an obsession. I have tried to quit and have told myself to quit multiple times but i cannot seem to kick this habit. It has gotten so bad that I don't want to hang out with people just so i can stay at home an c/s. I want to stop but a too ashamed to tell anyone. I used to just not eat and lost a lot of weight but when people started to notice i realized I needed to gain some of it back. Being an athlete I also have to stay in good shape so I started eating obsessively healthy and would c/s just to get my fix of sweets. Now it is all i do. And i deperately want to stop
Chewing/Spitting is so dangerous. I lost my sister at age 25 last year due to this. She was a beautiful, smart young woman who wanted to live and didn't think this could kill her. She weighed 57 pounds when she died.
If you are struggling with this please get help.
You only publish comments that are favorable to your blog. How sad. Also, that plus model you say is "healthy" is actually overweight when she is at her higher weight (not naming any names). Not exactly a good role model, is it? How about you promoted exercise and healthy eating instead of obesity?
Also, where is the scientific evidence that C&S causes dental problems? You may as well have made those stories up yourself.
I was searching the web about chew and spit and got a surprise when I saw myself quoted on this blog post:
Ms Misanthropist puts it succinctly:
"You just buy stuff, chew it and spit it out without swallowing, thus ingesting fewer calories. This is best done alone. It sounds gross but it's much MUCH nicer than having your fingernails scratching the back on your throat as you stimulate your gag reflex.
The quote is dated Nov 17, 2008 - 7 years ago. I deleted my blog a long time ago. Now it is Oct, 2015 and I still chew and spit and now it's every single day. I have had bariatric surgery (gastric band), a total thyroidectomy after severe thyroid problems, and have developed type two diabetes. I am obese.
I am so used to doing this now that it's just a part of life. In two weeks' time, I am going to see a psychologist who specialises in eating disorders for an assessment. I definitely wish I had taken the step 7 years ago. I shudder to think how much money I have spent and how much damage I have done to my body in that time.
I have saved some money to pay for treatment. When I think of how much I spend on uneaten food each week, it doesn't seem like too much in comparison. On a recent solo holiday I left a bag of disgusting saliva-filled garbage in my various hotel rooms every day. I didn't know how to dispose of everything like I do at home. It was a wake up.
I know I can change because I used to live in borderline squalor (that was also mentioned on my blog), and now I've had a very clean house for almost a year. I just hope I can do this next step. For anyone reading this who has just started chewing and spitting, I urge you to get professional help or FF seven years and be where I am.
Dear Anonymous, I am so happy you experienced that wake-up call are are going to get help. Kudos to you. Sincerest best wishes on your journey back to health. xo
Hi my name is Ricarda,
and I suffer from chewing and spitting too. I've had it now for about 2 years and I really want to get away from this behavior. I've tried several times but always end up doing it again. Right now I'm trying to stop my behavior step for step. It's going well but I still haven't fully stopped doing it. Does anyone now a good online support group where I can share my experiences, thoughts and tips with people who have the same disorder? I can hardly find anything on google...
Thank you!!
Ricarda, I have referred many to We Bite Back at http://webiteback.com/blog/
They have a wonderful support community in the Forum section.
All the best,
Medusa
I am a man who regularly chews and spits junk food. yes it has caused tooth decay on the inside of my mouth but I do this for one meal nearly daily, not every meal. my first meal is always healthy food while this one is only saturated fat-laden junk. regret it? nope. only one life and you live it how you like. if you wanna enjoy, you're gonna pay for it. I love my slim athletic body and want to stay lean while enjoying junk. I am gonna pay for it in other ways, so be it. there's no way to have your cake and eat it too. the dentist will be there afterwards along with a ent doc to have at you when all is done. that's the cost of doing business, or rather, pleasure in this case.
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