I'm writing this post in a series of two days. Hoping it may help me cope with my anxiety. I'm a big baby when it comes to dentistry. I am so afraid to go even though they have never hurt me besides that two foot long needle they use for numbing. Believe it or not I do have a big pain tolerance. I just don't know what it is about the Dentist. I'm embarrassed to admit, my teeth are not in really good shape due to this phobia, not to mention the lack of money and no dental insurance. Even as a child, we never went to the dentist unless we were in pain. But with four kids, I can see how my parents could have never afforded preventive care. However, with my own daughter, I kept her checkups up to date until she turned..., well, until she moved out on her own.
Day One: After several weeks of an agonizing tooth ache. I finally put on my big girl pants and called the dentist. I'll admit, I was hoping the nerve would just die. Well, it didn't and the tooth wins once again. I made an appointment for tomorrow to have it extracted. Yes yanked out because I refuse to get a root canal that I cant afford and besides, the tooth that hurts has already been filled like twice.
As soon as I put the phone down, my heart started racing and the anxiety started. About 30 minutes later the dentist assistant calls, "Lisa? we are going to call you in a prescription for a nerve pill to take one hour before you come". Bingo! Now not only will I be scared, I'll also be a noodle so I can't fight back. Speaking of fighting back, I have been known to get to the chair, then sneak out when the Dentist left the room. Really. So now, my husband takes me and makes sure all the doors and windows are barricaded. ha. I know, I sound ridiculous, huh. Well sorry, but I'm really that afraid of the dentist. I'd rather give birth.
Day Two: I've worked half the day and now I've taken a Valium and sitting patiently in the waiting room of the torture chamber (Id rather be working). As I listen to drilling down the hallway, It sounds like a tire changing station. My heart is racing but i'm keeping my cool. I look tough but inside i'm wanting my mommy.
[Gulp!]. Here she comes....."Hi Lisa come on back".
I'm putting my phone away now and putting my life in the hands of a dentist...................................
....
Ok the phone is back out. I'm all numbed up and waiting. The sign on the wall says "turn off cell phones". Well, I'm a blogger therefore there has to be pictures involved. so hears a quick shot of the place setting before he digs in.........
It still baffles me that with all the new technology now days, the Dentist still use drills and pliers.
....
45 minutes later, I'm done. It wasn't so bad. The numbing needle didn't even hurt this time. I think the ole dentist is getting better at it. Of course, he tried to talk me into having it crowned but I said no and stuck to my plan to have it taken out. After he extracted the tooth he examined it and found two cracks. It even fell apart as he was showing it to me. I think my choice was the right one now. Even he admitted it would have been too weak for a crown.
Its later now and the numbness is gone. I have not had to take any pain medicine besides Tylenol, no bleeding and no swelling. Glad its all over with and can continue as normal.
We didn't have any preventive care when I was a kid either and my teeth were terrible. The old dentist in the town next to ours was fat and had one eye that wasn't straight...or maybe that's just how I remember him.
ReplyDeleteHe would whistle as he worked and even today when I hear someone whistle it makes my skin crawl.
When I was drafted into the Army, Uncle Sam frowns on bad teeth so I had two appointments a week for months. I psyched myself into believing that I enjoyed going to the dentist. That's how I got through those LONG months. I don't think I could have made if if one of them had whistled :)
Hi Lisa, thanks for your comment on my blog.
ReplyDeleteHaving a tooth ache is a good reason to go to the dentist but an abbess can be very dangerous if not treated. The poison can makes it way to the brain as it did my brother in 1977. He was terrified to go to dentist and kept putting it off.
It caused an abscess the size of his thumb to grow in the motor part of his brain and he was having uncontrollable spasms and had to be flown to a special hospital to have brain surgery that saved his life and left him partially paralyzed in one side for a long time. He never regained 100 % of his motor skills in his left side but is doing very well now. That was in 1977.
JB
"I'm really that afraid of the dentist. I'd rather give birth.". Isn't that the beginning of the joke that ends with the dentist saying, "Make up your mind--I have to adjust the chair!!"?
ReplyDeleteHe wouldn't give me the option.
DeleteI love fishducky!!!! What a card. It is terrible that the WORST of situations can create a great blog entry!!!
ReplyDeleteI smile because I, like you and so many growing up, did not visit a dentist until it HURT! The dentist said with a smile, "No problem, we can fix your teeth for $12,000 dollars." My answer was, 'you just told me I needed dentures doc." 'OH NO your teeth are too good to pull'
So to mexico with me, a beautiful lady dentist, and $400.00. Maybe it was $600.
She done good.
BUT NO one likes to visit a dentist, However you make it a hoot! Love from Florida!
I struggled with going to the dentist for many years. I did not know why because I did not have many problems with my teeth but I just dreaded it every single time. And then I switched dentists and I have found this guy who makes all the different. He is amazing and it is quick and easy and painless.
ReplyDeleteJoanna @ Westheimer Dentist