Into the breach once more....

Last week, I went to see the dentist - something that causes me unnecessary grief - and got a long-overdue checkup. The dental hygienist was very thoughtful and kind, and the dentist acted appropriately horrified when I told her about why I was nervous. "That's awful," she said. "Dentistry has come a long way since then," she promised. And it seems she was right.

Nonetheless, tomorrow morning I need to go back for a "very small" filling, and it's tying my stomach up in knots. I'm sure everything will turn out okay. The worst part will be the damned needle and the pressure from the lidocaine under the skin. They're not sadists. They're in this business because they like taking care of people's teeth. Still.

Oh, and I chomped the living hell out of my tongue tonight. Which will be awesome tomorrow morning. *sigh*

Chris

UPDATE: As expected, the hygienist and dentist were kind and professional. They were also quicker than I had expected, and it was nice to watch Mythbusters during the procedure. Unfortunately, they finished before the Rocket Car™ launched, so I don't know if it worked!

I've discovered that nitrous doesn't seem to do anything, though the dentist told me that it relaxes people - because I felt normal, I must have been pretty anxious going in! The cleaning last week was actually much more painful: Those x-ray tabs hurt the mouth! When the lidocaine wears off, I fully expect to be sore, but for now, all's well. See, dental visits can be good.

Into the breach once more....

Last week, I went to see the dentist - something that causes me unnecessary grief - and got a long-overdue checkup. The dental hygienist was very thoughtful and kind, and the dentist acted appropriately horrified when I told her about why I was nervous. "That's awful," she said. "Dentistry has come a long way since then," she promised. And it seems she was right.

Nonetheless, tomorrow morning I need to go back for a "very small" filling, and it's tying my stomach up in knots. I'm sure everything will turn out okay. The worst part will be the damned needle and the pressure from the lidocaine under the skin. They're not sadists. They're in this business because they like taking care of people's teeth. Still.

Oh, and I chomped the living hell out of my tongue tonight. Which will be awesome tomorrow morning. *sigh*

Chris

UPDATE: As expected, the hygienist and dentist were kind and professional. They were also quicker than I had expected, and it was nice to watch Mythbusters during the procedure. Unfortunately, they finished before the Rocket Car™ launched, so I don't know if it worked!

I've discovered that nitrous doesn't seem to do anything, though the dentist told me that it relaxes people - because I felt normal, I must have been pretty anxious going in! The cleaning last week was actually much more painful: Those x-ray tabs hurt the mouth! When the lidocaine wears off, I fully expect to be sore, but for now, all's well. See, dental visits can be good.