. . . not!
Over the last few days I've kept telling myself, "You should be grateful that there ARE dentists. You are very lucky that you don't live in the middle ages when there was no such thing as dentistry. As you got older you would have had rotting teeth with no-one to pull them out except some lunatic at the town fair. [Incidentally, did you know that medieval tooth-pullers would hire musicians to play loud music outside their stand in the fair/marketplace so that passers-by wouldn't hear the screams of their 'patients' having their teeth yanked out! Yeeouch!!] You should consider yourself lucky, my dear, that you live in the 21st century where there are such things as dentists, toothbrushes and dental floss in existence."
Unfortunately, these thoughts were not very consoling to me. I did not entirely succeed in convincing myself that going for a dental checkup was a good thing.
Well, I went this afternoon, and ended up walking out from the clinic alive and well. Don't get me wrong, I like the dentists themselves. Dentists are excellent people. I just don't like the things that they do to you. . .
I didn't leave empty-handed. They gave me a bag of various tooth-cleaning things - toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and two disclosing tablets. These are brightly coloured tablets that you chew. They cause any plaque on your teeth to turn a revolting bright pinky-red colour. The idea is to help you see where you have/have not cleaned your teeth properly. The tablets came with this message attached:
CHEW ONE TABLET AND SWISH AROUND MOUTH FOR 30 SECONDS, SPIT OUT, RINSE GENTLY WITH WATER. EXAMINE TEETH IN GOOD LIGHT. FOOD DEBRIS, BACTERIAL PLAQUE AND POORLY CLEANED AREAS WILL STAIN BRIGHT RED. BRUSH THOROUGHLY TO REMOVE STAINED TEETH.
LOL! Oh that made me smile . . . going to the dentist's was worth it after all. :-)
5 comments:
Every six months we all faithfully go for our dental checkups. Consequently, we all have good teeth....(and the orthodontist have done their part well too I might add)! On my message machine today was the reminder of next weeks scheduled appointments. This dentist has been in our lives before I had children....so he has watched my children grow up. I fear he will retire before Charlotte is grown though. However, I have never tried the plaque chews....yuck! Enjoyed your dental post...my children have always loved the goodies and the toy closet(those lovely little twist rings and such).
Awesome! I never get stuff when I go to the dentist. [Unless getting stickers when I was a kid counts.]
I can also proudly say that I have never had any fillings. How long that will last I do not know. What I do know however is that going to the dentist costs an arm and a leg when you are over 18 in NZ! phew! It's almost enough to make you get your teeth pulled at the town fair!
Thanks, Cathy :) Yes, I think most of my younger siblings like going for their dental checkups - because it's something different and exciting that only happens once or twice a year, I suppose. . . and there are always different toys to play with and books to read in the waiting room.
LOL, my little sisters have certain favourite books in the box of toys in the waiting room, which I read aloud to them every time we have a dental appointment!!
Theresa, good for you!! I'm going to need several tiny fillings. :( They'll be my first fillings. Well, it'll be a good incentive to get me to be more diligent in looking after my teeth in the future. . .
The government here have been giving out free vouchers for teenagers to have dental checkups, which is why my brother and I went yesterday. . . part of a campaign to get teenagers to take better care of their teeth!
LOL When I first read the title of this post, I was like, "Someone who actually likes going to the dentist???" Then, I read the post, and laughed... :P
Those plaque tablets sound disgusting!
BTW, I am See_The_Humor on Blessed maidens.. at least, I was until I changed my display name to Miss Elizabeth M. :P
Hi Elizabeth! Great to see you here. :)
Yes, the tablets are kind of gross. . . I haven't tried them yet, but some of my siblings have in the past.
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