WARNING: If dentistry makes you squeamish, you’d better just stop here, because I’m going to talk about it in greater detail than may be appreciated by some.
I went in yesterday for the final “major” thing I have to do at the dentist. Things have been going pretty smoothly, namely because I found out that I….get ready for it if you haven’t paid attention in the past…really like going to the dentist.
Yeah, I dig it. It’s cool. The chair is comfortable and the numbness is interesting. Those tools that zing and make your head vibrate? Love them. It really feels like I’m getting a face massage.*
I’m not as crazy as Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors. I mean, I’m not going to make unneeded appointments for a little zing. But I was definitely okay with all the work that had to do.
Then I found out I had to have a tooth pulled. That didn’t sound nearly as fun as the rest, and I remembered from past experience that the aftermath of a tooth extraction is pretty painful.
This time around, I was referred to an actual oral surgeon instead of just having the dentist take some pliers to my mouth.** I went in fairly anxious about both the procedure and the cost.***
The procedure itself was fine. I suppose the only part that was questionable was when the tooth made a loud crack when it was yanked, but it wasn’t like it hurt (hurray for the miracle of anesthetic). Much like my husband wants to wrestle a bear, the surgeon seemed to wrestle with that nasty little tooth for awhile before it was all said and done, and then I got a couple stitches, but the whole thing was a lot less dramatic than I thought it would be.
Afterwards I was sore, but not as sore as I remembered being the last time I had this done. I had a Frosty and some painkillers for lunch, then sort of zoned out through the day. I actually knit while I was on the painkillers though. I expected to eventually just start drifting off, but I didn’t. Instead, I found myself fascinated by the sheer act of knitting and purling and the feel of the yarn. ****
With that final climactic procedure, I now say farewell to my fun days in the dentist chair, at least the fun days of grinding and pulling.
But I do still have the zingy little cleaner to look forward to.
*Being able to listen to the TV there helps as well, though I generally tend to doze a little during the procedure and so couldn’t tell you anything that’s ever been playing.
**I don’t think a dentist has ever taken pliers to my mouth, and I don’t want to insult the last place I went. But I was informed by my regular dentist that it’s less painful if you go to an oral surgeon because they have cooler tools.
***Cost is generally a big worry anyway, and listening to the receptionists talk about insurance not covering everything while in the waiting room had unsettled me. Luckily, they weren’t talking about me. My dental insurance is pretty good.
****I’m scared to go back and look at the rows I knit yesterday. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that being stoned on prescription meds actually made me a better knitter. Here’s to hoping.
The Romance Factor 