Wednesday 6 July, 2005

Unpleasantness

Last week I booked myself an appointment with a dentist. I've been a really bad girl, as my last appointment was well over two years ago when we still lived in Bishop's Stortford - when we moved to Southsea I just never got around to getting a new dentist. So although I haven't had problems as such (I mean, that little pain now and again, that's perfectly normal, right? right?) I've had a nagging feeling I should go and have my teeth checked, just to be on the safe side.

So I was in the shower this morning when the thought occurred to me that I had something I needed to do today - when I realised that I had a dentist this morning. I ran out of the shower dripping water everywhere to check the time: and it was 10:30, the time of my appointment! So more dripping I grabbed the phone and called the dentist begging for forgiveness and asking if I could come in ten minutes late - which was ok, so I very quickly dried myself off and ran out of the door.

I'm not afraid of the dentist, as such, but it can be very unpleasant. Dr. Huang was very nice, but she had some nasty business to do in my mouth - even so, this must have been the most thorough check-up I've ever had. In UK I've tried two kinds: NHS is just a joke, I don't even think the poor overworked dentists do preventative check-ups, they just treat the immediate issues (and even with that I don't have such good experiences). Then there are the private dentists - they can be nice too, but because many peeople pay for their own dental care they don't overdo it, as prices are high as they are.

Well, Dr. Huang checked my teeth with a magnifying class, back and front and between, and did a full set of x-rays too. Then I got a very unpleasant cleaning - two and a half years... so I've got myself to blame, really - and a polish. Everything lasted for over an hour - and had a bill to match, oh yeah, but our insurance covers most of it so I don't care. Bad news is that I have quite a few small cavities that need to be fixed, but the good news is that I got a new appointment for Friday. I need to put some kind of an alarm for that, otherwise I'll miss it too.

My mouth feels sore, but very clean. This is just one of those necessary evils...

Posted by kolibri at 6 July 13:08, 2005
Comments
# 1 - Jaana-Mari (on July 6, 2005 09:07 PM):

I am afraid of the dentist and have written it all over their questionnaires at my current medical center. This makes my dentist and her assistant blab constantly about everything under the sun, from my handbag to their holiday plans, praising my teeth through the roof and blab blaab. It does help, but still I get all stiff and sweaty and dread their findings. Just did a check-up few weeks ago, had a clean-up resulting in bloody gums yet brighter teeth and got a chipped filling smoothed. Full X-rays for me too, and a chunk off my paycheck, but as you said, a necessary evil.


# 2 - kolibri [TypeKey Profile Page] (on July 6, 2005 10:09 PM):

My gums weren't luckily bloody (this time), but they very much more sensitive than I first thought. I haven't actually eaten anything the whole day as I haven't felt like putting anything to my mouth - it's now over 10pm and I'm finally getting so hungry the discomfort from hunger is worse than discomfort in my mouth.


You can't add any more comments, but if you wish you can email the author.