Open Wide and Show Me Those Choppers!
It's time, once again, for my dental check up. I'm supposed to go every six months, but all I can manage is once a year due to my irrational fear of dentists. My other irrational fear is of any flying insect that can land on me and hurt me, especially bees. But, back to my irrational fear of dentists...
I have had a lot of dental work done over the years, but probably my most painful was when I was a child and had to have several teeth removed due to overcrowding. One visit, in particular, went horribly awry when the dentist started pulling my tooth out without first checking to make sure I was sufficiently numb. My resulting scream probably scared the living shit out of every other kid in the dentist office at that moment and was my first traumatic dental experience. Ever since then, I take the maximum amount of laughing gas, relax medicine, and whatever else they offer me whenever I've had teeth pulled or fillings. I even contemplated trying to score a Xanax from someone at work for today's visit (although I'd have no idea who to ask) so that I won't care when they start scraping. I'll tell you this much, if my dentist clicks her tongue at me and says "we must do something about these gums" and then doesn't proceed to tell me what we must do about my gums (this is what my last dentist did), then I won't be making a return visit.
I have had a lot of dental work done over the years, but probably my most painful was when I was a child and had to have several teeth removed due to overcrowding. One visit, in particular, went horribly awry when the dentist started pulling my tooth out without first checking to make sure I was sufficiently numb. My resulting scream probably scared the living shit out of every other kid in the dentist office at that moment and was my first traumatic dental experience. Ever since then, I take the maximum amount of laughing gas, relax medicine, and whatever else they offer me whenever I've had teeth pulled or fillings. I even contemplated trying to score a Xanax from someone at work for today's visit (although I'd have no idea who to ask) so that I won't care when they start scraping. I'll tell you this much, if my dentist clicks her tongue at me and says "we must do something about these gums" and then doesn't proceed to tell me what we must do about my gums (this is what my last dentist did), then I won't be making a return visit.
posted by Notta Wallflower at 4:05 PM
6 Comments:
My mom has a fear of dentists that has gotten worse over the years. She has to take Valium before her visit and gassed to the max during the exam. Her dentist is a really nice guy and tries to tell her everything that he is doing. I respect that and I am glad that he and his staff are understanding and don't make her feel wierd or stupid. Ask your dentist for a script of Valium and have a friend drive you to your appointment, it really works and helps you calm down.
Our dentist just retired and we're trying to find a new one. This is difficult as Z has an overactive gag reflex and needs to be gassed just to examine him or clean his teeth. Some dentists won't do this. :(
Angelique - Just as an update, I had a relatively pain-free experience. She actually used ultrasound instead of scraping my teeth for hours. She told me exactly what needed to be done for my sensitive gums and I have another appointment to go back next week. I feel much better (even without Valium) just by having the experience I did yesterday.
TSHS - I know. I hate trying to find a new dentist. Looks like I may have hit the jackpot. :-)
CONGRATULATIONS!
but all I can manage is once a year due to my irrational fear of dentists.
You're not the only one. I'm convinced that dentists are sadists, who hate the human race, especially kids. They wake up early in the morning and laugh, knowing that they get paid to torture people.
I wonder if dentists fantasize about punching one of their patients while the poor bloke's intoxicated with that magic nose stuff. Bam!
Yup, you know they think about it. And you know that sometimes, they kind of intentionally forget to give you the magic nose, or don't let it set in so they could hurt you. They like to hurt you. They've hurt me.
ZS - When some dentists use the old fashioned scraping method versus the ultrasound method of cleaning, I have to wonder if they aren't sadistic. I went the other day and I was pretty upfront with my new dentist. I told her about my previous experiences and explained to her what I cannot tolerate and that I won't be back if she hurts me or tells me my teeth will fall out. She smiled and began working and gave me a lot of good information. I actually am not scared to go back, for once.
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