Ma Tom Ith Nom
Mi ton ish mun...
My tongue is numb....
Along with half my face, for I was trapped in the Dentist's chair today because of a broken tooth.
I was terrified he was going to pull it.
"Is he going to pull it?" I nervously queried the tech while she swabbed the inside of my mouth with topical freezing.
"Nope. We can save it."
"Are you SURE he's not going to pull it?"
"Don't worry, we would tell you if we were going to do that." I couldn't be certain, but I think I noted a slight smirk under that paper mask.
After the freezing needle, application of that damn mouth dam and metal brackets clamped onto my jaw, the drilling began.
Then after what seemed like too soon, everything stopped.
The Dentist mumbled something incoherant (on purpose, I am positive) and the assistant left to retrieve some X-rays.
When she returned, he asked her to "prepare the dressing".
Now I know he's not American, so I was sure he wasn't asking for celery, onions and breadcrumbs at this point.
Then he left, X-rays in hand.
As she dug into the drawers, pulling all kinds of paraphernalia out of my line of view (on purpose again, I was sure) I began to ponder the term "dressing".
Hmmm. Since I work at a hospital, I couldn't help but picture large slabs of cotton batting...
Holy Crap! He WAS going to pull it! Visions of packing a blood soaked mouth raced through my head.
"Af he gon pwul ma toof?" I tried to ask the assistant through the stupid rubber dam.
"Hmmm? Oh, no, I told you we weren't!" I think she smiled behind the mask, but I still wasn't convinced.....
"Aw u schwere?"
"Yes, I am sure. Don't worry, this isn't bad at all. As a matter of fact, he is also doing an emergency case in the next room at the same time as you that is much worse."
Ah! Thank the Gods it was HER they were talking about!
I relaxed. A teenie bit.
After working on the other lady for awhile, the Dentist returned to my mouth and with the implant of a screw, white epoxy and a weird thing that looked like a blue light hair dryer to set it, my tooth was rebuilt.
Hallelujah! The tooth was saved!
Well.... at least MINE was... I'm not so sure about that other patient though.
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25 People would rather be commenting:
You aren't meant to do posts on dentistry! It does not make for pleasant reading ;O)
The worst part of the whole experience for me is the injection - oh and the conversations they seem to force us to have with our mouths full of metal and fingers!
Oh, you poor stress-out thing! I'm OK at the dentist, even shots. But that's only because I finally got my act together and started going regularly. I have an appointment on Monday. For a cleaning. Hopefully just a cleaning. Pray for just a cleaning.
I agree with Babs. It doesn't make for pleasant reading, with the added ;) that that is part of the fun.
Ouch, and lots of cringing over here!
My tooth hurts now !
Good for you ,Maureen. I'm glad you got to keep you tooth. You didn't say how you broke it. Did you bite down on a frozen donut?
BRAVO! at least you held it together enough to ask questions, albeit Novocaine muddled questions. i just shut down. curl my toes and grip my hands together. white knuckle time
What is that rubber dam thing? Sounds claustrophobic to me. The only place I've ever seen one was in the For Better or for Worse cartoon. Is that some kind of Canadian torture device we don't know about here?
Wow - he was working on two patients at once?? Is that legal??
I would SO not like that happening to me. I feel I deserve my dentist's undivided attention - I can't think why.
Oh yes I can. It has something to do with the huge wads of cash I'm paying him! That and my extreme nervousness.
I'm glad he saved your tooth though!
I had a rotten, cracked tooth pulled a couple years ago, and it was the happiest day of my life. It didn't even hurt -- during or after (much). What was disturbing? The sound. Of pieces of tooth being cracked and yanked and pulled. That is a sound I hope no one ever has to hear.
Glad your tooth was saved!
JD I Do Things
Babs: Sorry about that! Yeah, the needle doesn't really hurt, per se. But yes, the conversations can be painful when you can't respond!
Kathy: It was my own fault. I hadn't been for way too long. And now I am paying the price. I have to go back two more times! Yikes!!! Praying for "just a cleaning" for you though...
Unfinished Rambler: Har! It may have been unpleasant to read, but it was even MORE unpleasant to go through!
Ed: Sorry about that! ;)
Jaffer: Ditto...Man, I never thought my writing could actually cause people pain! My bad.
The Boisterous Butterfly: Har! I can't even remember how the heck I broke it now (I delayed getting it fixed for as long as I could...)
Lady Banana: My condolences. Hope yours goes well. I head back again next Friday too.
Yikes PG! I used to be better, I tense up more now than I used to. Of course that's directly proportional to the severity of the reason WHY I am there in the first place. When I was young, I didn't have to worry about teeth pulling. Now I am getting older, the treatments are worse...
Jeff: You guys don't have rubber dams? It's that piece of thin rubber sheet that gets stretched across a frame to protect your throat from all the crap they are drilling.
Jay: I'm sure dentists do that all the time... but I didn't mind; he had an emergency case, so he was quick with me. I didn't want to linger.
JD: I've had a tooth pulled as well. Luckily, it came out all at once so no awful sounds for me.
And just what part of that isn't completely suffocating? Yikes!
I hate and fear the dentist with a white hot passion. Just reading your post makes me cringe... You are very brave!
Wait a minute, he was working on two of you at the same time???? You know how when you're about to get something amputated (you don't?) they say to write in big black marker things like, "DO NOT REMOVE THIS LEG". I'd be afraid that a guy working on two people at the same time would get preoccupied with how he's late to his daughter's soccer game that I'd have to write on my face, "DO NOT REMOVE TOOTH" just to make sure.
Did you get a sticker on your way out for being a good girl?
There's one over at She Lives for you. Love your blog.
Maureen:
Funny story. Going to the dentist is a scary thing. I know, I've been there plenty of times. They've earned that reputation.
I'm glad you weren't left with a huge gap between your teeth.
Happy trails.
Glad they were able to save your tooth! Sorry for the lady next to you though....
not helping!
hubby's nagging about me needing to go to the dentist... we have insurance for that now. He says it like it's a good thing.
Rubber dams? It's a pity they don't have those in the UK. A dentist dropped his drill piece down my brother-in-law's throat once and he had to go to hospital to get it removed!
This had me shuddering. I hate the dentist. Although not as much as my husband. He literally sweats through shirts any time he has to get a cleaning. He has to bring a fresh shirt to change into when he is done. I used to have to stay in the wiating room to make sure he wasn't going to make a break for it.
Oh glad they saved it! I had one saved & one pulled. The sound was the worst part on the pulling - ICK!
Holy crap that scares me. I hate the dentist!
Ouch...I was feeling your pain the whole time I was reading this. I have so many dental anxiety issues! so glad your tooth was saved.
It's funny how they understand what we're saying, lol.
Jeff: Well, luckily they don't cover your nose. Otherwise, they wouldn't need anesthetic...
Fancy Schmancy: Oh, I am far from brave. I am the opposite of brave. Kinda like the "anti-brave"... okay. I am a coward at heart.
Nanny Goats in Panties: Hahahahaha!!! I think on Friday (when I go back for more work), I shall bring a Sharpie. Just In Case. Thanks!
Carol! I did NOT get anything. Geez. The little girl before me got all kinds of cool stuff. What a rip... waitaminnut... something for me? At your place? Woot! Thank you!!! I shall go pick it up! You are too kind.
Swubird: Yeah, gaps in teeth are no fun to try to chew with. Also, they're not really a great look for those who aren't boxers or late night hosts.
KarenMeg: At least I didn't hear any screaming... other than that voice in my own head that is.
Flit: Ah, yes. The excuse I used to use: Sorry, can't go to the Dentist. Have to pay bills. Crap. I have 100% coverage now so I can't use that tactic anymore either.
Babs: Ew, ew, ew!!! A drill piece down the throat? You HEAR that Jeff? I am insisting on the damn dam from now on.
Vegas Princess: Aw poor hubby! I do think all dentists (and obstetricians, as a matter of fact) should have cartoons pasted to the ceiling. At least you'd have something to read while flat on your back.
Jill: Gah! I would rather be knocked right out... which I was when they extracted my wisdom teeth.
Mom Taxi Julie: I was telling the tech during my cleaning I had just come back from speaking at a conference in Toronto; she told me she would never be able to speak in public; I guess we all have our fears!
Melinda: So am I! I hope my luck holds for the next appointment in a few days...
Drowsey: It must be in their training... some kind of translation course they have to pass I'm sure.
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