I HATE going to the dentist. I am not even slightly exaggerating when I say that I would rather get a papsmear, a mammogram, and a colonoscopy SIMULTANEOUSLY than go to the dentist. Granted, I’ve only ever experienced two out of those three things, but I still can’t imagine any of them being worse than a standard, typical trip to the dentist.
Today, I went to the dentist, because it had been my normal and customary 3-4 year span between visits. Now, before you’re all “Eeeeew – Mock has gross disgusting teeth” – I will have you know that my teeth, according to my dentist, are “gorgeous.” That’s his word, not mine. In fact, I’m one of those people who he has a hard time lecturing about coming to visit every six months, because even when I only go once every 3-4 years, I always have perfect check-ups. I think it really aggravates him.
Anyway, today I had a hygienist who I despised, not because of any personal character flaw, but because she was assigned to clean my teeth. And she did all kinds of things to my mouth that caused pain. Like floss, for example. When I floss, I am typically much easier on myself. She seemed hell-bent on using the floss to try to slice open my entire face. After each part of the process, I told her, “I hate you and I hate coming here,” and she’d just giggle and say, “Oh – I know – we’re almost done!” in her happy sing-song voice and then she’d pick up another sharp instrument. And I would wince and tear up and drool and bleed, and she’d just happily keep spraying water in my mouth and dab at my chin like I was an infant. It’s all so humiliating.
I know it could be worse. I mean, if I needed ACTUAL dental work, like fillings or root canals or all that other painful-sounding stuff, I’d probably just have to be sedated. Still – I don’t know if I can adequately express how much I hate the whole dental process. But I’m good till at least 2012 now. And to that I say:
Gasp! I love the dentist!
I want to be a dentist, actually.
You should try a sedation dentist. Mine gives me laughing gas & happy pills just for a checkup. Seriously, its like no stress at all. In fact, I rather enjoy the buzz I get from going to the dentist!
I have gorgeous teeth, too — nice strong chompers that always make dentists purr. I love the dentist! I’m looking forward to my visit next month
Sorry, Mockarena — I wish I could commiserate.
Nitrous is goooooood stuff, so check to see if your dr. uses it because it can make all the difference between a miserable check up and a great one.
I have had nearly $3500 worth of work done on my mouth in the last year. In one week, I get to return to have a crown put in. I seriously have a nervous breakdown in the chair. I begin to shake and when they put stuff in my mouth, I start to hyperventilate because I think I can’t breathe. I have to listen to my MP3 player with the music jammed up as loud as it will go in order to calm myself.
Maybe I should ask my dentist about the gas…
I always have a heart attack at the dentist. I actually think they are horrible people who torture you for fun and charge you for it. HATE going, but I go every six months because I am even more afraid not to. How sick is that?
mocki, get the gas, whatever it takes for you to get through it.
i too, waited to go get a check up.
i thought i was doing a pretty good job brushing and flossing.
WRONG!
my gums were in bad shape, thus, the bleeding when they poke around.
close to having to have a ‘deep scaling’ done.
that was 4 months ago.
just went in for another check up and i’m now good to go.
of course, i also go around the house and floss (as my hubby would say,) all day long.
get the gas and make sure that the gums are in good condition.
you don’t want to end up like some of the pictures of people on this web site that have no teeth in front!
Mock, I hear you! I hate it too. My mouth must have cost at least $25,000 and counting, because I have almost no enamel on my teeth. They say you should have no pain after a root canal, but I’d rather give birth 10 times in a row with no epidural than have a root canal! At least when you give birth, you get a prize for your pain! In my dentist’s defense, he’s amazing. First of all, he’s easy on the eyes – a definite must when someone’s digging in your mouth with a sharp object! Second, he isn’t one of those dentists that insist you go with the most expensive fillings, etc. I don’t have dental, and he always tries to help me out that way. I always go the cheaper route, since my teeth continue to rot regardless of what I do. My teeth rot under the crowns and everything. It sucks. I had 2 teeth go bad in one week once. I get the gas when I get a root canal done. I know I’m a baby, but whey I figure I’ve paid for the man’s kids to go to college, and his retirement, I deserve a little pampering!
Seriously, gas is the way to go.
The hygenist at my dentist is a lovely woman, but unfortunately ham handed.
My solution? Gas. Get ‘em to give it to you from the moment you’re in the chair and tell ‘em you like it strong.
Trust me, by the time it kicks in you won’t care.
(And they even detox you with pure oxygen before they let you out of the chair when they’re done…)
Ok, putting my two cents in. About 10 years ago, I called 1-800-dentist and they referred me to a guy who studied accupuncture before he was a dentist. He is the most painless dentist I have ever been to. (I have 2 crowns, and about 15 fillings, so call me an expert in going to the dentist.) He gives me gas, and the novacaine shot I don’t even feel, because he knows where not to put that needle. I have never felt anything with this guy. Maybe trying to find someone who knows accupuncture might be the way to go.
Oh…your post struck a BIG nerve (hah hah…nerve) in me. I’ve had great teeth most of my life. I never really LIKED the dentist, but I could deal. Life got busy and I didn’t go for about 5 years. Boy, talk about regret, even though there is nothing I could have done differently. So now I have a benign tumor growing all over the top right side of my mouthular area, and I will be having surgery soon to remove 7 (7!!!!!!!) teeth and other bony parts of the roof of my mouth and under my nose. Holy crap, I think I will need about 10 valium and complete anesthesia to ever go to the dentist again….so take your pretty teeth and….be happy.