trip to the dentist

I just had my first procedure at the dentist in over 4 years. Was motivated to go back after working on Nubian mummies in our biological anthropology department. They had lots of sand in their diet and it wore their teeth down fast. There’s no way to explain the horror of looking at an abscess- all discolored and deep, sometimes spreading infection to the face where you see holes that were eaten away by infection. Nasty, it’s so nasty. So decided to think more about my own dental health and start with this recommended procedure. It was a type of cleaning called “scaling” where they go under your gums and clear out the tarter etc that has accumulated. It’s as charming as it sounds.

The dental assistant was Russian and a lovely woman, Ulga. She was very gentle and very sweet, apologetic for all the times she hurt me. After the first polishing, she tried to wipe off the spray of sand-like chemicals that they use on your teeth and distribute around your face with pressurized water. The sweep of her hand was so soft and caring as she called me Frosty the Snowman. Then the dentist joined us. He too was very nice. Seemed a bit dopey but not unintelligent. They renumbed my gums and set to work on the scaling, his tool making the high-pitched noise that one associates with dentist nightmares. It hurt, I won’t lie. The bottom, especially was sensitive and I kept my hands clasped at my chest. Twice the pressure tube shot off the instrument, sounding like a gun and hitting me in the chest. I screamed the first time, but just jumped the second- like an old war hero. He laughed and said it happens all the time. Hehehe. Ha. The whole scaling took maybe 10 minutes, which is apparently a new thing. Used to, before this nice loud tool, that they’d spend 3 hours on the whole mouth. They sure still charge like it’s a 3 hour procedure- $460. Ouch.

At the end, he set my chair upright again and asked if I had any questions. He said I had to start flossing deeper, as Ulga had showed me (yes it hurts) and to wash with salt water for the next couple of days. I pressed the Kleenex Ulga gave me to my mouth to wipe off the spittle and it came back all bloody. Nice. Washed my face and spit repeatedly in their bathroom then headed home. The rearview mirror in the car showed pockets of blood between my teeth- charming, indeed. The numbing is wearing off and the taste of blood is lessening. Going to get soft cheese enchiladas with a friend and stop frowning. New flossing technique and a water pic it is. Don’t care to do this again any time soon.

Lesson learned, and what I am passing onto you. Go to the dentist. Get your teeth cleaned. Regularly. It’s worth it.