I had put it off long enough.
Admittedly, I don’t go to the dentist as often as I’m supposed to. I actually had no idea when I had last been in for a cleaning/check-up and I was afraid to make an appointment and have my dentist shake his head at me as he told me how long it had been. Yes, I am 37 and I was afraid of being scolded. Go figure.
But, I had been experiencing an area of pain in one of my back teeth for several months. I realize I was only delaying the inevitable, but I just wasn’t very eager to go into the dentist office.
And so I put it off. In the meantime, I began to avoid a very important food: Lettuce.
There was something about the crunch of lettuce that shot a searing pain from my jaw all the way to…I don’t know…South Dakota? And so, not only did I avoid going to the dentist, I avoided eating lettuce because it is not fun for pain to shoot from your jaw all the way to your northern state border.
I finally decided that I was being unwise, and also a whiny baby…so I made the appointment.
The dentist only gently suggested that I come in more often, then looked and found my painful spot and said, yes…it looks like I have a tiny bit of decay on a back tooth. They had a cancellation the next day. Did I want to come then? Well sure I did. Gulp.
The next day I was ushered back and as I sat down in the special chair, I had this tremendous urge to buckle my seat belt. Am I a weirdo, or what? Apparently sitting in the dental chair made me feel like I had just taken a seat in my mini-van. What, was I afraid I might fall out or something?
They put the cute little bib on me, then the dentist gave me the option: the cavity was so tiny that I may not want to mess with having a shot to deaden the area. Did I want to try receiving the filling without having the area numbed?
As it was a Wednesday and I hadn’t really been looking forward to drooling down the left side of my face during Bible class that evening, I decided to give it a go. But I think I said something like, “If at any point during the drilling I feel like punching you, can I then have a shot?”
Yes, I actually said that…to my dentist. I have got to learn when and where it is appropriate to use my sarcasm.
Thankfully, he understood that I was joking (I think) and said that yes, I could have a shot if the pain was too much to handle.
Then they started to drill. I braced myself for the pain. But it never came. Then they put the composite filling in my mouth and drilled that down and then took off my bib. I was done.
Not only did I never have the urge to punch my dentist, I instead had a very big urge to hug him. Painless dental work, really? And I could still feel both of my lips too? What a deal!
Of course, that night I went home and celebrated with (you guessed it) some lettuce. We’re obviously big partiers at our house.
So yes, today I am SO grateful that I got my dentist appointment over with and that it truly was painless. And I’m thankful that I can eat lettuce without pain. I know that’s silly but I truly am thankful for it. (I suppose I should also be grateful that I didn’t punch the man drilling my tooth. Or maybe he should be grateful for that?)
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Aw, man. It looks like God’s trying to tell me to make that dentist appointment already! Thanks a lot, Laura! ;-) I hate going to the dentist. And my current dentist really likes to lay on the guilt. Booo…
I totally understand your reluctance to go to the dentist. I told ours that I would rather have another baby than visit him. He laughs and says, “That kind of makes me feel bad.” Then we joke from there and really, he’s never hurt me (but I still don’t like his profession :)
Good for you! I totally understand; I hate going to the dentist! I’ve told people and really mean it, that I’d rather give birth again than have dental work done! Labor I can handle, drills and shots in my mouth — not so much! But, I have had to endure it, none the less!
Laura, part of my “Kicking the Habit” blog post is due to a previous post of yours. Thank you :) for your encouragement. Lori
I so understand the reluctance to visit the dentist! I’ve been avoiding it myself and hopefully one day we can get that taken care of.
This made me laugh out loud and then read it to my husband! It just sounds so much like me and what I’d likely say to the dentist, I get blunt when I’m nervous. I’m glad you are feeling better, and that it didn’t hurt. One of these first years I need to get down to the dentist myself. I so hate it. I wish I could go to my kids pediatric dentist.
Have you ever heard of Tooth Soap? You may not want to hear this *after* your dentist visit, but it can actually help you to heal cavities instead of just getting them filled – I should know, because I went to dentist once and was told that I had a small cavity, which was my first and I really didn’t want it filled. Circumstances kept me from going again for three years, but when I went to a new dentist after using tooth soap for a while, I was cavity free!
You can check out the information here – http://www.toothsoap.com/ – but the product can be kind of expensive (though they often have 2-for-1 sales). I’ve just been using Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap diluited by half, and it works pretty well. :) Might want to try using this with your boys, so they can avoid getting fillings.
Love the story Laura. I think I should switch to your dentist, mine was so painful to fill I wanted to punch the dentist myself!
Yeah… I really don’t like the dentist either…. I have a root canal that hasn’t been finished and it’s been there for like 2 years!!! *gasp*
I hear ya about the dentist! I am not a fan of going either. You just never know what they are going to find! :)
Have a blessed day!
I understand completely! There is something about a dentist’s office (or a doctor’s office, for that matter) that makes me feel like hyperventilating. Glad it went so well for you!
Oh my!!! I am on the way to the dentist this very day because of a problem I have ignored for 4 years!!!!! How timely!
Ok, cousin, can I lecture you just a bit??? You, my inspiration to TRY to eat more healthfully, are undoing all of your healthy eating by NOT taking care of your teeth. Being healthy is about way more than just eating well. An abcessed tooth can KILL you…seriously. I know it sounds crazy, but that decay is bacteria that can get into your blood stream and do serious harm. I hope this good dentist visit encourages you to go in regularly. =) Ok, lecture over. Now, if my husband would only listen to my lecture on this subject — hey, maybe it runs in the family, eh? love you!
Yeah, I KNOW it’s dumb not to go in regularly. BUT, that doesn’t mean I’m not taking care of my teeth. I TOTALLY take care of my teeth. In FACT, the hygeinist said that I take such good care of my teeth that if I would have told her I’d been in six months earlier for a cleaning, she would have BELIEVED me!!! And then the dentist told me that since I do such a good job of “home care” I don’t have to come in every six months like they generally recommend, but every TWO years!
So yes, waiting seven years is TOO long, and if I would have waited much longer that little tiny cavity would have been BAD issue…so your lecture is heard loud and clear. I will stop being a big baby. :)
Ok, i’m so jealous! you went to the dentist after years and only had one tiny little cavity?? i go every year and almost always max out my insurance!!! i just recently finished my round of dentist visits that started in JANUARY! argh! i’m with you on dentist fear though… it takes a LOT of prayer to get through them.
Hurray for you! I often ask if I can have something done without a shot, and it has worked several times without pain. My problem is, I don’t like the shots, but when I do get them, they seem to put my whole body to sleep. Shouldn’t have to ask the dentist if your legs should be numb! I am overly sensitive too the shot. Congrats on a pain free visit!
You sound like me! I put off going to the dentist because it’s been a while and I don’t want to be scolded. Thanks for sharing! :)
i don’t like going to the dentist either!! i think i’d rather give birth!! i’m clausterphobic and for whatever reason, i feel like i’m going to choke or suffocate while the dentist is working in my mouth. my dentist is wonderful and many times has asked me if i’m doing ok during the work being done. funny story: one time i was in with my oldest daughter while she was getting a tooth pulled and when i heard the tooth actually being pulled out i loudly gasped and the doctor actually asked me if i’d do better if i left the room. :)
~patty r.
Wow, and here I thought I was the only one who hated going to the dentist and haven’t been in who knows how long! and I TOTALLY agree, I would much rather have a baby (and I have to have C-sections!). The funny thing is, the longer I put it off, the more I am afraid of going- not because of the pain, but because of the dentist lecturing me about how long its been! Its nice to know I am not alone!… maybe I will go make that appointment now. :)
I’m weird. I don’t mind going to the dentist. I like getting my teeth clean and shiny. My dentist and hygienist are so sweet. I love them. I just went yesterday Of course, I’m 56 years old, don’t normally need any work, take good care of my teeth and have easy teeth to take care of. Here’s a tip that has made my teeth better – GUM sells these little green tipped brushes to go between your teeth and “brush” along the inside gum line. I love them. (However, my kids say I “love” everything.)
Painless dentistry – awesome! I have put it off far too long but know our funds will not last through all the work I need plus what to do with my two under two….. Can I nurse through a root canal? Haha!
Thanks for the link-up opportunity!
loved your story!!
i agree with ashley on the tooth soap. i’ve been using it for a couple years now and what a difference. my teeth just feel so much cleaner and my once yellowish teeth are back to white! i use the shreds and it took a little getting used to, but i’m glad i stuck with it. have you done the oil pulling with coconut oil? now that’s a fantastic thing, too!
I just joined the Gratituesday Band Wagon! Whoop Whoop!
I tend to steer clear of dentist also. I was looking at your recipes…What is Stevia? Is it a healthier sugar/sweetener? Where can one find it? I just recently found your site and love reading it.
Now if we could overcome the pain the in pocketbook. That is the part that hurts me the most
Love your story…especially since on Tuesday I have to go have my first three cavities filled. They are really small too, but still, your story is encouraging!