While browsing Jane's archives (for some reason, that sounds sorta naughty) I ran across her post regarding her perfect teeth.
Guess that hit a nerve (so to speak) with me, because I am still quite mad that I have a cavity (or, if you happen to be three, a CAB-Uh-Dee).
When I "graduated" from a Pediatric Dentist to a "grown up" dentist, no one ever told me the one thing that they did differently. At a "grown up" dentist, you don't get the fluoride treatments.
Yeah, at the Pediatric Dentist after everything was finished on the check-up, you got to pick a flavor. I usually chose grape or bubble gum. Then you'd have to sit with these denture-like plates on your upper and lower teeth with a big sucking tube coming out of them. Usually for 10 minutes you'd just sit there as the fluoride did its thing. Later on, you were not allowed to eat or drink for 30 minutes. Which looking back, at 9 or 10, that 30 minutes seemed like an hour and a half now.
The year I changed dentists I also moved to a town that did not add fluoride to the town water supply. Apparently that treatment, combined with the water, did me a lot of good. Because the first year after I switched dentists, I had cabadees. I was so upset. Still am.
I brushed well, but wasn't at all good about flossing, so I can't say it was totally the fluoride. But I know that played a part.
These days I floss like an obsessive-compulsive. Mostly so I don't have the "watch" areas turn into cabadees, but also so I don't have to be scraped.
Actually, the proper term is being "scaled." Ugh. My dental tech is great, but she knows I cringe when she gets her scalar out. She is also the only tech in the building that uses a baking soda blaster to clean teeth. Oh man, that is a nasty flavor in your mouth! If she wasn't so nice, I probably wouldn't endure that, but she knows her stuff and always is able to distract me with good conversation.
Hang on now, I know I had a point.
Um.
Ah, yeah, Jane....Jane says she never has to endure the scalar at her dental appointments! I am just more than slightly jealous!!!
If I knew what I could do to avoid that, I would. I just thing some folks' mouth calcify things more than others. Lucky me. Could be I need to brush more than twice a day, and floss more than once. But who has the time?
I better stop here, I am starting to sound a little obsessive about this.
And of course, you know I am not obsessive at all. Uh-uh, not one bit. Not me.
How's your relationship with the dentist?
Further Reading:
Dental Drill used to explore surface of Mars
Best misleading website name: www.dont-be-afraid-at-the-dentist.com (leads to a fresh breath web store)
All about sensitive teeth
Who is qualified to do periodontal scaling? and other dental questions at iVillage.
dentist? i've only ever seen one once (except for the times in grade school when they had us checked and stuff)...i was 27 at the time...he scraped (scaled) a little bit, but i have no cavities...i attribute that to the fluoridation of the water in my home town, b/c w/all the candy i ate as a child (and my lackluster dental hygiene back then) i should have had at least 5 of 'em...and i only got tartar after i went through chemo (which is known to ruin your teeth)...so, i don't know what to tell ya...(and no, i haven't been to a dentist since, though i do need to go to get my wisdoms taken out...one of 'em are giving me headaches) :)
The hygiene program at my school includes fluoride before the end of the cleaning. I guess the fact it's free for students doesn't hurt to get one. I need to make another appointment, soon.
The DoD school system in NC made us fluoride every week. However, it was never an ok flavor. It was the dread of the school week, it was so bad.
I'd sooner give birth again without drugs, after throwing up every day for nine months (yes, I really *did* throw up every day and yes, I really *did* give birth without drugs), while hallucinating that the baby is the devil's child, than go to the dentist. That said, I still go - just not as often as I should.
Next time you go to the dentist, ask for gas while you're getting your teeth cleaned. They may look at you funny and tell you they don't do that but tell them you want it. After a bad experience during my teen years, every time I would go to the dentist, I would sit in the chair, white knuckled, gripping the arm rests. A friend turned me on to asking for gas and now I wish I went to the dentist more than twice a year. I am relaxed and actually enjoy it. Try it, you'll like it.