There was a 7 year period in my life where I avoided the dentist.
Then my brother-in-law became a dentist, and I was OK with him, so I started going again. I even let him pull my wisdom teeth in the mid 90's.
When we moved to Kelowna we were lucky enough to have found Gary Powell and super amazing staff... they have been soooo excellent with our entire family and the kids have no issues with going to the dentist at all. They've never complained, hesitated or cried. Me, on the other hand: I've always got a 50/50 chance of shedding tears at any given appointment.
Here are the reasons I have narrowed down.
1) I've had jaw trouble and start to have anxiety attacks when I have to leave my mouth open for a long time
2) As any control freak will tell you, it's very hard to make yourself vulnerable like you do in the dental chair.
3) I'm a very physically private person, (one day I'll tell you about my trauma in the bra store), so having someone poking around in my mouth makes me very uncomfortable.
4) finally, the vicious crying circle, take this morning for example:
I arrive at the dental office to have a tooth pulled before I get my braces on. The gal up front already knows I'm nervous about this appointment, and starts telling me I'll be fine, it'll be fast, etc. She introduces me to the new assistant, Jill, who tells me she'll be taking care of me... and sweetly escorts me to the back, where there are two other lovely staff ladies, (who have seen me through previous dental experiences---and they know what I'm in for) so as soon as they start reassuring me, I feel myself starting to tear up, but suck 'em back. So I just confess that I'm really nervous, but that I made a deal with myself that I I would treat myself to my fav starbucks chai if I was able to keep it together, and if I cried I would buy myself a new pair of shoes to make myself feel better. I'm no idiot. I know the odds. They suggest I get both, either way.
So, lovely Jill settles me in, gives me the post-extraction care low-down, and as soon as she she lies me back I can't suck 'em back anymore... she hands me a Kleenex and says, "Shoes!" I love my new friend Jill. Then that just leads to the whole being embarrassed about the tears, so more tears, etc. They let the freezing set for a long time and I was totally good, muscled through the actual extraction of my perfectly innocent tooth, and then the second it came out, more tears. Tears of relief. Followed by more tears of embarrassment. It's impossible to hold back tears when you're lying upside down.
So, tomorrow I will drop off cookies or something to thank them for all being so good to me and for bearing with me and to hopefully show Jill my less emotional side.
I sure know how to make a first impression.
side note: why is it that when you are prepared to buy shoes you can't find any? my entire reward for this morning amounted to one small chocolate milkshake from DQ. Inappropriately small, after what I'd been through, but delicious none-the-less!
IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT WHEN I HAVE NICE, STRAIGHT TEETH IN 2 YEARS, RIGHT??
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11 comments:
Rock on fellow dental phobiac! (is that a word? Oh well, it still sounds good!)
I also have a very serious thing about dentists. We will swap stories next time we go for coffee!
Yup, can't stand the bra store neither. The only people that can look, touch, squeeze and maneuver are me and my K. As for the rest of you, get your own boobs!
Sorry you missed out on the shoes. Well, think of it this way;
Not only should you have a reward for going through the whole dental thing but, also for the fact that you also missed out on the reward. Therefore you should have a double whammy extra special reward. (This truly is how I justify purchases to Kurt!) So, I'm thinkin', shoes and a swanky purse!
Keep smilin!
I like you're kinda thinkin' Heather!!
I'm right with you on the tear thing. I almost cried, well, did cry when the dr. and Kerry thought it was my beloved bean salad that had made me sick.
I find as I get older and need things like root canals and crowns, I get more anxious at the dentist.
You definately deserve a special reward or two, and after the braces, I think you might need more special stuff. I'm working on the sushi making day, but your mouth is going to be sore after the braces get put on, so let me know when you can handle soft foods.
thanks for the encouragement to indulge myself! I forgot to mention that I did find some brand new (all tags on) black GAP pants at a consignment store for $25, so I didn't come home entirely empty handed! just empty footed.
Sushi sounds awesome... I should be albe to eat that... I get my braces on the 27th, and I'm away Oct 14-20. Fern gets back on the 12th... maybe we should try to get together in the middle of the month??
middle of september that is.
It is soooo worth it in the end. You'll be able to eat sushi before you know it. That dental office is amazing, Jay & I both go there.
Too bad about the shoes, I'll be thinking about you when I buy my shoes today!!!
Take care!
Dawn, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who hates going to the dentist.
After spending my entire youth in England my teeth were totally neglected by the time I came to Canada.
2 wisdom teeth extractions, 4 root canals, and 3 crowns later (and that's not counting the fillings or the bar on the back of my teeth to prevent additional overcrowding) - I hate going.
My mum always let me have a "treat" after visiting the dentist as a kid in England so I am conditioned to shop after each visit :)
I'm sure there are not to many people who love the dentist! Now if they could just locate the office next to your favorite shoe store!
You've got guts girl to get braces when you feel so strongly AGAINST going to the dentist LOL....
I can only laugh because I too went back to the dentist after about 5 years and remembered why I avoided them so....
I guess I'm lucky, I've never had dental-phobia. But I haven't gotten up the nerve to do the braces thing either so there is a balance!
I'm all for sushi and shopping though! dentist or no dentist... and I'll think of you while I'm shoe-shopping at Bloomingdale's :)
all I can say, is ...
you are awesome...I love your willingness to be honest about that trip to the dentist.
as as for rewarding yourself, I am all about treats and I think that your should keep buying yourself things until you feel that the treat has matched the level of discomfort you have had to endure. and if you are trying and be frugal and responsible, remember the tears and the torture in that chair.
I like the running room for treating myself... a nice new pair of running socks and a shirt to match for fall running will always make me feel better and maybe a matching hat.. oh, but you dont ususally wear hats, but that doesnt matter.. a nice hat might help you to feel better anyways, and then there is the shoes wall...
love you Dawn
Karleigh
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