Monday, April 20, 2009

Three Thoughts on Dentistry

Three little things I thought of today while sitting in a dentist's chair:

1. Do they hire Jewish mothers to teach dental hygenists the nuance of the guilt trip? Do they really think that ordering me to floss every day, threatening dire dental consequences if I don't, is going to make me want to come in for my cleanings/x-rays on a more regular basis? Confession: It has been five years since my last trip to the dentist. Yes, my teeth survived. I am the picture of dental health, my teeth cavity free. Woohoo. And yet, the guilt. I'm not in danger of needing a set of wooden teeth any time in the near future, but you would never know it from the way my dentist & dental hygenist were talking. Sheesh.

2. What kind of person aspires to spend all day with their fingers buried in other people's mouths? Seriously. Or podiatrists. What gives a person that kind of passion for feet? Or dermatology. Emergencies & surgeries I get, but the more sedate medical specialties don't inspire any depth of passion in me, so I'm wondering what kind of person is drawn to them? Your thoughts?

3. Lastly, why do they talk to you while there are sharp implements in your mouth? My dentist & dental hygenist are lovely people and marvelous conversationalists, but it's hard to get a word in edgewise when they are poking at your teeth and gums. I bet dentists would be great bloggers. They talk and talk and talk and then at the end, the patient gets two seconds to insert a comment before the dentist takes off on another post. Ya think? Dentists as frustrated bloggers? Yay? Nay?

P.S. What do you think of when you're in a dentist's chair?

4 comments:

Vivant said...

My dentist usually has DVDs playing. Gives you a great way to distract yourself. I highly recommend it! They should teach that in dental school.

Anonymous said...

I get that dental health is directly related to living a long life, but, yeah, what is with the guilt? Same with my vet. If I want to feel guilty, I can go visit my mother.

The longer I wait to go to the dentist, the more I put it off because I know they will shake their heads and tsk tsk tsk me.

Kelly

Kate Diamond said...

I agree about the guilt! And I went three years without going to the dentist, flossed regularly, and went in and had cavities.

Go figure. I finally got an honest dental hygienist who told me, "You just have crap teeth. Nothing you can do about it. Bummer."

I have several friends in the dental profession. For many of them, here was the draw: doctor's pay, but set hours. And now you know.

Vivi Andrews said...

All about the money. I should have known.