Today I entered the office of doom and……I survived! I really went to the dentist office. I’m not a fan of the dentist and today, as I was trucking along down the highway to get there, I asked myself why?
I’ve never had an overly traumatic experience there, they are always nice to me, and the dentist is legitimate. So why the fear you big chicken?
Here is what my brain replied with:
1 – It smells weird…
2 – BLOOOOOOOOOOOOD! ~ I am a habitual gum bleeder at the DO (dentist office). I bleed a little when I brush my teeth everyday so it’s nothing out of the norm for me. But the second you start jerking my poor gums around they freak out and go into protection mode. But I hate the way it tastes! Oh it’s so nasty..
3 – It takes the lady 2.5 hours to clean my teeth because she has to stop and talk to me.
4 – It’s loud and the lights are too bright…
5 – I told my brain it had to stop or I was going to have a panic attack before I ever got there..
Let me tell you how pleasantly surprised I was today.
I entered the office and was greeted immediately by name. They called me straight back..I didn’t even have time to sign in! Mrs. Judy took my x-rays. I swear those machines were not designed to fit this kiddo! I felt like I was standing on a cliff then I had to lean this way and lean that way. No one was wearing an overwhelming perfume or cologne (I’m very scent sensitive). She took me into the exam room and handed me some Ray Bans.. Holy Cats! You get to wear shades now :) So my eyes are happy they’re telling my teeth to chill out it’s gonna be fine..(my hands at this point have a death grip on the chair).
Mrs. Judy was the boooom to the bang! She got me settled in, told me what she was going to do and hoped right to it. She explained every little noise, every poke, every scrub and confirmed that I did indeed have a hole in my tooth like I thought. (Those dang retainers strike again!). I was in the office at 4:10 and out at 5:45. A new record ladies and gents!
The dentist was wonderful. He was very thorough and I love that. I only get one set of pearly whites in this life. He said I was a wonderful brusher (New Compliment for me at the DO!) and had gorgeous teeth! Not cute, not hot, not adorable….GORGEOUS :) but that I needed to be the “Boss of Floss” from now on. I will confess..this whole topic of flossing baffles me. Is there a right way, a wrong way, too much, too little? {Caveat: I floss in the morning when I wake up and sometimes before bed} So I was introduced to the flossing 101.
Let me break it down for you:
1 – Floss before bed :) Your mouth doesn’t have as much saliva in it at night which is a pH balance for your mouth. So the bacteria chilling in there like to procreate. Aka they are little party animals pooping all over your teeth.
2 – Don’t rinse your mouth after you brush! It’s like giving your teeth M&M’s of Flouride and then sending a tsunami through to wash them down the drain. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo….say your teeth they like their flouride M&Ms :)
3 – Wait thirty minutes then rinse with mouth wash (or irrigate in my case) just to give your teeth a double whammy of protection..one can never be to careful these days.
Why did my teeth improve since last visit? Totally because of better habits and Colgate Total! It makes my mouth feel clean and not grungy :)
After today, I can honestly say that I’m not scared to go to the dentist now…in fact…I’m going to see him again on Monday :)
XOXO ~ Lemon Raindrop :)
Adventures with Kat 