Dentistry - Then and Now

I'm finally home after 3 hours in the dentist's chair. And I'm a bit tired. Now mind you, that's a miracle! And I didn't even have to take an Atavan before going.

Those of you in my generation can probably remember the days when dentists were referred to as "butchers." And rightly so! Thank goodness we at least had freezing then, however painful is was to have it injected. However, sometimes the dentist wouldn't wait long enough for the freezing to take its full effect and would blithely start drilling away, ignoring the arm waving madly in the air and the gasping gurgles emanating from our throats. Remember when the dentist would stop for a moment and tell you to "Spit!" You'd take the little paper cup of water, swish it around in your mouth, lean in towards the sucking sink and try - just drool, drool, and more drool hanging from your mouth to the sink. You'd take your shaking hand and try to wipe it away, but it just stuck and wouldn't let go of your trembling lips.

I remember one time when I was in my early 20s getting my teeth cleaned. As my teeth and gums have always been a bit sensitive, I would flinch when the hygienist would pick at my gums - it HURT, damn it!!! Suddenly, she stopped, looked me straight in the eye and said, "If you don't stop that, you're going to get an instrument up your nose!" Well, I was already on the verge of tears from the pain and to have her say that was just too much.

My late husband used to crack us up with his dentist jokes. He'd say that he had the perfect remedy for pain at the dentist's - carry a big stick and with a straight face, say to the dentist, "You hurt me, I hurt you!" Then he'd go on to imitate the "drool process" until we'd be almost wetting ourselves.

When I was a child, there was no such thing as a dental plan, let alone braces. So all my life I've been self-conscious about one of my front teeth that grew in a bit behind the others. When my kids got braces, I asked their orthodontist about getting my own teeth fixed. He could do it, but I'd have to have at least two teeth pulled and go through about 3 years of painful braces. Never mind the cost! Well, with two kids needing orthodontics, needless to say that I never got my own fixed.

Thankfully, I've found a wonderful young woman dentist who made top grades in her years at university, including her dentistry courses. She's up on all the top new procedures, is calm, relaxed, sensitive to her patients, and gives us time to take a breath if necessary. Today, she pulled the tooth out (no pain) and put in a new tooth that makes my smile so much better. Not only does it look better, but it also makes my bite straight. Next week she's giving me (at no charge) a whitening procedure on my front teeth so that every tooth will match. I am so happy I could smile, except that the freezing makes me look like I've had a stroke! LOL Maybe tomorrow I'll get a new photo taken with my beautiful straight smile.

Back then, I was so afraid of the dentist, I once actually fainted in the chair. I progressed to being able to go by taking an Atavan. Now I can go and actually look forward to my visit, knowing it will be pain free and I will look and feel better by having gone.

So what are some of your horror stories from dentistry then? What do you appreciate the most in your dentist today?

A SMILE LIKE YOURS
sung by Natalie Cole

Hmm, thought I’d seen everything there was to see in this world
Now I’m not so sure I’ve really seen anything at all
I thought life could show me no surprises
And then you came and showed me I was wrong
I have seen the bluest skies, rainbows that would make you cry
I have seen miracles that moved my soul, days that changed my life
I have seen the brightest stars shine like diamonds in the dark
Seen all the wonders of the world, but I’ve never seen a smile
As beautiful as yours, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, I thought Id been everywhere
I’ve climbed a mountain so high, sailed the sea, crossed the sky
And still I was nowhere at all, until that day, oh, you came to my senses
And your smile, it made sense out of it all, (I have seen the bluest skies)
Rainbows that would make you cry, I have seen miracles
(miracles that moved me soul) that moved my soul, days that changed my life,
I have seen the brightest stars shine like diamonds in the dark
Seen all the wonders of the world, but I’ve never seen a smile as beautiful as yours
(smile so beautiful) so beautiful, comes one time in a lifetime
A smile this beautiful, (a smile this beautiful) I’ve never dreamed Id ever see, oh
(I have seen the bluest skies) I have seen it, (rainbows that would make you cry)
That would make you cry, I’ve seen miracles (miracles) moved my soul,
(days that changed my life) and days that changed my life
I have seen the brightest stars shine like diamonds in the dark
Oh, I’ve seen the wonders of this world (wonders of the world)
But I’ve never seen a smile (never seen a smile before as beautiful as yours)
Oh, I’ve never seen a smile before, (never seen a smile before as beautiful)
As beautiful as yours.