Sunday, October 3, 2010

DENTISTS--HATE 'EM BUT NEED 'EM




Only five days left before the thing I have been dreading for so long will transpire. I have to have a big ole wisdom tooth pulled! About 57 years ago, Bill had a mavelous dentist that he had gone to almost his whole life. He even had his office on one side of his house in Bill's neighborhood. He filled this tooth for me then and it has lasted this long.



I had always hated dentists from the time when I was a teenager and went to a dentist that should not even have had a license. In those days, most dentist's offices were on the second floor above a store in the downtown area. I shall never forget whenever I had an appointment, I would have to stop at the gas station john and then at the grocery store john and then at the library john before I reached that long stairway that went up to hell. He would call you in and sit you in the chair and start drilling. Yeah, you read right. I think he was the firstproponent of the phrase,"drill Baby drill" and a relative of Sarah Palin. No novocaine, nothing. and he would drill first one and then another and if you made a noise in pain he merely turned the radio up louder. You were done in 15 minutes. I guess he was the only dentist my parents could afford.



After Bill and I were married and I met his dentist. I was always so nervous and one day this man stopped and stood in front of me and said, "I will try my best not to hurt you. I worry about hurting my patient so instead of worrying coming here, just remember I am afraid of hurting you." And he was so gentle and kept asking if I was doing all right and alleviated my fears.



Getting back to this wisdom tooth, this wonderful dentist was drilling a cavity in this wisdom tooth and it was deep and he wondered if the filling he put in would last even a day or a week or just how long. Well, as I mentioned, that was a long time ago and it has been fine ever since. But I was eating something one day last Spring and the tooth broke in half. My present dentist said it would not be feasible to put a crown on it and that it should be pulled.



This is my third attempt to get it done. I think the first time was postponed because I could not sit when I broke my tailbone. The second was postponed for it was scheduled the day Bill died. And so the time has come to face it finally and I am not looking forward to it at all. Although it has not pained me, it has worn down even more and I know I have to do it.



I AM A BIG SISSY AND I KNOW IT AND I WISH FRIDAY WERE OVER. HOPE I DON'T GET A DRY SOCKET OR SOMETHING ELSE.

15 comments:

The Book Nut said...

I hate dentists too, despite the fact that I've had 7 teeth pulled and never had any problems! The thing is that other than my wisdom teeth, I blame the dentists for the other three getting so bad they needed pulled.

Here's why. Growing up we never had insurance and my dad couldn't afford to send us to the dentist. He even pulled one of his own teeth once! I was about 12 the first and only time I went to a dentist and that was just for a cleaning. Well, when I finally got a job with benefits I had to go to get my wisdom teeth out. It had been 15 years since I'd had my teeth touched. They told me that I HAD to get a deep cleaning done to keep my teeth healthy so I figured, "I've got insurance now, so why not?" After they were done they told me how amazing it was that I didn't have a single cavity and my teeth were in near perfect shape. However, within 6 months (mind you, I am a meticulous brusher) I had developed several cavities and in a year I had to have a tooth pulled. Since then I've had two more teeth pulled and numerous cavities filled! I figure that all that "terrible" stuff that they cleaned off my teeth was actually protecting them! Or else they scratched my teeth so bad it damaged the enamel.

So anyway, now you know my feelings on dentists! I even told the last dentist I went to how I felt and she just laughed at me!

Well, good luck on Wednesday!

Deb Shucka said...

I had a very similar dentist as a child. Old Dr. Applegate was mean and scary and I avoided dentists in adulthood until pain drove me past my fear.

Now I've had the same dentist for over 30 years, he's never hurt me, and still I have to make myself go in for cleanings. And reward myself with a shopping spree afterwards.

I'll be sending prayers and happy thoughts your way on Wednesday, and I'm looking forward to reading how it went.

yaya said...

The first time I ever had novacaine I was 23. My childhood dentist was a mean SOB too. He weighed about a ton and scared the heebie jeebies out of me! Dentistry has come a long way but it's still not my fav thing to do. Even with insurance it's expensive. Have you ever noticed that when a Dentist says it will cost a gazillion bucks to do a procedure that people just nod their heads and shell out the moola? If a Chiropractor said that, you'd turn and walk out the door! (I'm married to one!) Ok, one last Dentist gripe...when they put that rubber dam (not damn) thing on your mouth before a root canal, I always panic and feel claustrophobic. No other time do I have these issues. The End... P.S. Don't worry about Wed. appointment, we'll all be with you in the chair in spirit!!!

Jenna @ Falling Letters said...

It's funny that you should bring this up, I just had two wisdom teeth out a few weeks ago! I was fairly lucky, though, it didn't hurt at all (it was weird to think about it when it was happening, however) and I didn't have any problems. Good luck!!

Wanda..... said...

I'm sure everything will go well, Bernie, just think happy thoughts!

whalechaser said...

Focus on all the ice cream and great chocolate pudding you'll be eating for a few days! There's always some in in these things somewhere if we look hard enough!
Hope it is less painful than you imagine.

Anita said...

You can do it Bernie! I'm cheering for you! More importantly, I'm praying for you! :)

Seriously, I believe the drugs will be good, and that you'll not have a problem during or afterwards.

Hang in there, and be sure to give us an update.

Oh...thanks for the good laugh!

Cheryl said...

Yikes my teeth hurt just thinking about it! I'm due for a check up soon, but even though I have a good dentist I still hate it. I wonder why anyone becomes a dentist - must be one of the least liked people in our lives. Hope it is now a distant memory! Love and hugs to you.

Pat said...

Your first dentist sounds like Satan himself! I'm surprised you even attempted to see another dentist!

I wish you the best of luck getting that tooth pulled; seeing how the first time you broke your tail bone, the second time your husband died, the THIRD time has GOT to be the charm!

Joey said...

I don't care for them either...

I had to have oral surgery when I was 34 to get them removed. At least they knocked me out.

But the rest of the teeth? I think it's a racket and I miss the dentist I had. She moved away.

Ash said...

oh what difference a good dentist makes :)

IDOMOV said...

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Bernie said...

Just thought I'd drop in (as I'm wide awake) I wanted to say hello and see how you were doing, now I see I missed another post. Reader has not shown me you had posted.
How did the dentist go? Take care my friend, think of you every day and always say a prayer. Be strong, and be well sweetie.....:=) Hugs

Giada said...

Hello Bernie... I read your words.
I lost my mother when she was 41 years old because of cancer. I think I understand you.
I send you a big hug.
Giada

best comedy videos on youtube said...

going to the dentist is the worst!! you have to pay someone to hurt you real bad! the extraction of wisdom teeth hurts a lot, and the recovery is the worst part.

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