I go through the speech. I don’t know how many times I’ve said it now. Every time I have a new dentist? And he is a good dentist. But he makes me go through it. No, I don’t drink lots of soft drinks. No, I don’t have lots of lollies all day. I just have bad teeth. He’s not sure if he believes me yet, as nice as he is. He will, eventually.
Be not here. I tell myself that as I lie down and tell my brain I don’t feel the needles in my gums. Be elsewhere. This is not your body. You are somewhere else. This is not happening.
And the drills start. It’s just noise, I tell myself. Be not here. Don’t feel that open, sensitive hole. Or the white hot pain from the cold. Be somewhere else. I can’t wait for the drilling to stop. He goes from a fine drill with a high pitched noise to a bigger drill that sounds slower. I don’t like the lower reverberations. And I will it to be over. I cannot wait until I smell the chemical of the polymer telling me that the big, sensitive hole is going to be filled up.
Be not here. How many times have I done this? I guess that I have probably had over 75 fillings done in 10 years. I should be used to it by now. But I remind myself that I’m not here, I’m somewhere else. I smell the chemical stench of the filling and I am so relieved I could cry. The drilling of the empty sensitive hole is done and only once it’s filled will it be drilled again. But I can handle that.
They are curing it now. I wonder if using those curing rods in my mouth is slowly rotting my brain, filling by filling. I wonder if when we finish these fillings if he’ll tell me there are more. Be not here. Be writing. Be swimming. Be outside. Be anywhere but here.
The final drilling and polishing is happening. I stay still, trying not to feel that fine point on my gums. In my mind I am not here, I am already out the door.
He tells me that is it, I can go. My face is still numb but I can no longer feel that gaping hole in my teeth. And I leave knowing that I won’t think about it until it’s a few months before my next check up and then my nerves will kick in again.
I go home. I look at the babies. I wonder if I should be more rigorous with their dental hygiene. I hope that they have their fathers’ teeth and not mine. The adrenalin makes me groggy and a little bit faint. And I return to my body. It’s ok to be here now.
I had 10 fillings apparently when I was 3. I spent my entire childhood not wanting to smile, convinced my teeth were horrific. But I’ve barely had one since. So maybe it wasn’t so bad. I still have some baby teeth.
But Joel’s family – all have bad teeth. Every single male, that is. I don’t know why it’s only the men. I’m hoping my boys get by unscathed. It’s why I have never let them taste juice, cordial or soft drink. Because now they are 5 and nearly 10 and they can’t bear the taste.
I’m hoping it will help, at least a little with the terrible genetic hand they were dealt.
Truly hate the dentist visits- find myself shaking from the minute I sit down. Just can’t control it- have no idea why.And the dentist recounting stories of how some people manage to fall asleep in the chair simply do NOT help!
May try taking the ipod next time. Has anyone else done this and does it work?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would definitely help! I guess they might just have to take out the headphones if they need to speak to you briefly.
It’s a good plan. Mine only occasionally have juice and usually watered down. You might as well minimise the risks, you know?
Honestly, I get more nervous taking Riley than I do for myself!
we have a mantra in our family, let the children have Mum’s teeth and Dad’s eyesight … like you, my husband takes beautiful care of his teeth and they crumble. sadly, Miss9 has already undergone root canal treatment and we have just received the news of an infection, that she will need to see the specialist to start all over again. i suspect the wisdom tooth i need removed will stay there till pain drives me back to the dentist.
and this time, i will try, “Be not here …” xt
Oh how awful for her (and you!)
I had perfect teeth as a child, suspect my substandard diet as a teen and a young adult didn’t help matters!
I need to find a dentist here. I’ve been putting it off, I know I need a filling.
I’ve been lucky though. And one of the good things to come out of my boy’s surgery this eek is the discovery that he likely has a genetic issue. Which sounds bad until you compare it to the original diagnosis that he had no enamel at all in his teeth. It turns out my Mum had many many baby teeth pulled when she was his age, but no huge issues with her adult teeth. I pray this proves true for my little mate as well.
My little girl is growing her 2yo molars at the moment and telling me about it every single night. She is so sad.
Teeth can suck!
The one thing that I’m glad I’ve done over the last ten years is go to a dentist every six months. It means that even though I’ve had a crapload of fillings (and all of my wisdom teeth out) I haven’t had anything worse than that! No root canals FTW
*shudders* I loathe the dentist, I hated the lying down, the vulnerability of it all. I had thousands of dollars worth of work done to my teeth as a teenager and I still ended up losing them all in my early forties. I am still shuddering at the thought of the dentist. Love to you. I am glad you are back
Oh that’s rough going Kim! It is so vulnerable and such a sensitive area. Genetics is such a lottery.
Oh Zoey, I am so understanding this. I hate going to the dentist. Yet I MUST. The alternative (like my poor hub) is full fake teeth & they’re not too great . Just on 60!years ago (I was a little girl of 3) and my dentist vists with pain, drilling with no speed or water, no needles at all made me a very wary dental visitor. At 3 the dentist found I had decay and it wasn’t from anything I had eaten or done. My parents were not sweets people. The teeth ( first one!) had begun their journey when I had high temps at a very young age due to chicken pox. The dentist theory was that did something to the yet to emerge & already emerged teeth. My brother no teeth issues just me. Mum & Dad both had/have own teeth. When my first permanent teeth emerged- 6 y o molars all came up decayed. At 6 I had 4 permanent teeth removed. Seriously by age 8 I was such a “trooper” I was allowed to catch the local bus into Wollongong for dentist vists. Then we moved to Sydney when I was 10. Had to find a dentist. Did so, and when I went for the 6month check up & inevitable fillings were needed he asked “do you want a needle?” WHAT?! I can have a needle for a filling to avoid the white hot, sharp, nerve pain?! My parents had never told me I could have a needle as “we didn’t because we never have had to worry about them” DENTAL pain = DENTAL resistance. Over the years more bad news but I keep on going. Worst ever one was when I was referred to a special periodontist. For the receding gums. The man was a cruel person & I was so upset with his lack of understanding about the hurt & more I ne’er went back. I now have less than a half head of teeth but with two partial dentures I should be ok. My way of dealing with the 6m check up & any ongoing work is to BLOCK it all out. I close my eyes & put the iPhone earbuds in & play a podcast or something that transports me anywhere but there. I know this is a post length comment but I so identified with you. Much respect for 75 fillings …. Denyse x
That is horrendous Denyse! I can see why people often just have all of their teeth removed and have fake ones instead!
I’m with you. I have a serious aversion to the dentist. but thanks to a crappy diet and poor dental care when I moved out of home I am blessed with crap teeth.I’ve got numerous fillings, half a tooth from where Miss K headbutted me and four wisdoms that need removal. too scared to go see the dentist cause I don’t do pain well. this has lead to a swollen face so guess who has to go to the dentist now
lots of hugs to you.
It sucks majorly! The only way I can cope with it is by going regularly so that I know that I might need feelings but it’s never going to be more serious than that. Good luck!
*puts hands over ears* La La La, not hearing anything about needles and drills and root canals, La La La, probably having three teeth pulled out in the next few weeks and scared and HUMILATED to be becoming a toothless wonder.
Highly relatable post. ;-o
No fun! I hope it all goes well. Take headphones.
I just changed dentists a few weeks ago and, god love him, he actually said “if you’re teeth are prone to getting cavities” instead of lecturing me to floss at traffic lights! I feel your pain, I really do.
Isn’t that the holy grail of dentists!
I have to go through the same spiel as well. My teeth are just shocking & sadly our boy has been unfortunate enough to have the same problem, at 7 he has already had root canal, several fillings & two baby teeth extracted. I’m hoping our other two have daddy’s good teeth.