Horrors & Dread In the Dental Chair: Visions of teeth extractions & huge dental bill: Valium??
Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2011
by Fran Larson
http://www.franniesquotes.com/
Hopefully, my daughters are not reading this, as I have always told them to go to the dentist every 6 months without fail and take good care of their teeth. For the first time in my life, I got really careless and did not go every 6 months. In fact, it had been at least 2 years when I finally talked myself into going. Jim and I even have Dental Insurance.
Nevertheless, something told me that I better get myself to the dentist office, so with dread and kind of being in a bad mood, I found myself sitting in the “hot seat.” I only had an appointment for teeth cleaning but last time the cleaning cost me a small fortune, even with the insurance.
The cleaning went pretty good and then the assistant began to “poke around” a bit for cavities and such. I could feel little prickly twinges of aggravation, as I did not want too much exploring at this particular time.
“OK, all done.” Just rinse and I’ll get the doctor.
I reached for the awful soiled “bib” that they put on you, which completely freaks me out (because of the dirty stuff from your teeth- I think I may have a little OCD). I couldn’t get it off fast enough.
“I’ll be right back, Ms Larson.”
After just a brief moment, the hygienist was back.
“She wants to do a complete set of x-rays, since you haven’t been here in a while.”
“OK.”
What could I do? I was trapped in this chair and she probably saw a cavity, as she was poking around.
The x-rays were done quickly and I didn’t even gag (I usually do, because I have a small mouth).
The doctor will come talk to you now. As a matter of fact, she has an opening in her schedule, so you could get all your dental work done today. “
“Well,I,…um…ok.”
I cursed (in my head) and knew the news could not be good. I know what happened. The x-rays showed cavities and they are afraid I won’t come back for another two years, so they have captured me and I cannot escape. Why, on why did I wait so long to come to the dentist? Also, I am going to have a huge dental bill today. Yuk!
As I was waiting for the doctor to come in, I began to hear murmurings coming from the next chair. There was only one thin wall between us; the rest was all open. He must have been hard of hearing, as the voices seemed to be getting louder.
“I know you don’t want to loose your teeth, Mr. Watkins, but they are rotting. I know you have been in pain due to these rotten teeth. I know this because I can see that the decay has reached the root of your teeth and that is extremely painful. It will only get worse. Soon you will not be able to eat at all without extreme pain.”
“Unnn.”
Poor guy can’t answer because she is poking around in his mouth.
“I know you are frightened, Mr. Watkins but the results of keeping these teeth will be even more frightening. Because you had not been to the dentist in years, acid and bacteria have built up, which made your teeth decay and rot. It is too late to save your teeth. The damage has been done.
Oh, no, I have waited too long. I pictured myself getting every tooth in my mouth pulled all in one day. Jim would be patiently waiting in the waiting room. I would come out with sunken cheekbones and blood stains. I couldn’t talk the same; Jim would never look at me the same; we would owe so much money. Then when I got my false teeth, they would be too big because my mouth is small. They would look like “horse teeth.” I would never be able to eat corn on the cob….I….
I braced myself for the bad news as I heard Dr. Young approaching.
“ OK, you are all done until next year. No cavities. Everything is fine. I don’t need to see you for a year.”
“Oh, I….I…well, thanks, Dr. Young.”
“You’re welcome. No need to even stop by the window. Everything is taken care of.”
“But, but, I – last time, I had to pay for a special cleaning.”
“Oh, that was just a one-time thing. You don’t really need that type of deep cleaning anymore. Everything will be taken care of by the insurance. I promise you.”
The lesson I learned was 2-fold: Take care of your teeth and sometimes the things you dread turn out to be "not so bad."
I walked out into the sunlight. It was such a gorgeous spring day. Suddenly, I wanted something crunchy and decided I would have corn on the cob for dinner tonight….
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Hi Fran.
I am absolutely terrified of visiting the dentist. The last time I went I had to have a lot of work done. You'd think I'd learn. Nope.
I have a small mouth too and sometimes my jaw aches for days after a dentist visit as well as getting cut by biting down on the x-ray films.
I am so glad that it turned out so well for you. Now I'll just dry the palms of my hands and read another article. :)
Hugs,
Dianne
Ah, your description is all to familiar. I try to view a dentist trip as a "glass half full". I remember with horror deep fillings and extractions with no anesthesia. The waiting while he ground the silver for the filling was the worst! Good article.
Fran I enjoyed this article and was happy to hear you got the all clear. I have two serious phobias, not fear - but phobia honest, one is snakes and the other the dentist. I have never yet sat in a dentist chair and had treatment carried out. I am always referred to hospital to have teeth out. They wont treat me under sedation because my blood pressure goes sky high when sitting in the chair (because I panic,) so I have to be put a asleep. On my last visit they did a pre-op before I could have general anaesthetic and not happy with the health of my heart, so here I I'm still waiting to run on a treadmill etc before my teeth get done.
Keep well
Kacy
Also, your mouth and the bacteria there-in affects your heart and can cause issues there so it is always good to get those teeth cleaned professionally. Hey, I have told them "no thanks" to X-rays and sometimes they let it go quite awhile. Right now we have a dental hygienist who has her own office and we get cleaned for $69 and only do x-rays if there is a problem - I think I died and went to heaven because we have NO dental insurance....GRIN
Never shown my teeth to any dentist till now in my 3 years of life...and why should I? My teeth are shining...lolNice interesting story Fran...keep entertaining...Regards, CP
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