The Dentist
Who really wants to go to the dentist? In the past year I have had more than my fair share of experiences with the dentist. As I left each appointment I was happy that they were over.
The dental cleaning and x-rays I don't mind so much. Pretty simple procedures that do not cause a lot of discomfort. Of course they occasionally hit a sensitive tooth during the cleaning procedure which makes you jump and give them a disapproving look.
At each cleaning it seems there is something further that needs attention, and none of it is going to be pleasurable. At a minimum there is a small cavity or an old filling that needs to be taken care of. We all know what it feels like to have the needle stuck in our gums to numb the area before they start drilling. Even if we can't feel the drilling there is that smell - the smell of burning tooth as it's drilled. Once the procedure is complete, we then have to walk around with a numb mouth, and can't talk or eat for several hours.
Not sure how many of you have had the pleasure of having a root canal, but I experienced this last year. Truly something I hope to never encounter again. Not only do you endure the Novocain, but then have to sit with your mouth held open for what seems to be hours as they drill into the root to clean it out. Your jaw feels like it is going to lock up, and you struggle not to choke as debris hits the back of your throat. By the time you are done you pray to God you will never again need a root canal.
As I think about all of this, I wonder why anyone would want to become a dentist. I have to assume that they truly desire to help people preserve their teeth and have a beautiful smile. Let's face it - nobody wants to go see you. It's almost never going to be a pleasant experience, most of the time there will be pain, and it's going to cost you a lot of money.
In spite of all this, I am thankful for the work that they do. Without them we would all have to endure the pain of cavities, or even worse end up losing our teeth. Because of the dentist we can continue to show our pearly white smiles.
The dental cleaning and x-rays I don't mind so much. Pretty simple procedures that do not cause a lot of discomfort. Of course they occasionally hit a sensitive tooth during the cleaning procedure which makes you jump and give them a disapproving look.
At each cleaning it seems there is something further that needs attention, and none of it is going to be pleasurable. At a minimum there is a small cavity or an old filling that needs to be taken care of. We all know what it feels like to have the needle stuck in our gums to numb the area before they start drilling. Even if we can't feel the drilling there is that smell - the smell of burning tooth as it's drilled. Once the procedure is complete, we then have to walk around with a numb mouth, and can't talk or eat for several hours.
Not sure how many of you have had the pleasure of having a root canal, but I experienced this last year. Truly something I hope to never encounter again. Not only do you endure the Novocain, but then have to sit with your mouth held open for what seems to be hours as they drill into the root to clean it out. Your jaw feels like it is going to lock up, and you struggle not to choke as debris hits the back of your throat. By the time you are done you pray to God you will never again need a root canal.
As I think about all of this, I wonder why anyone would want to become a dentist. I have to assume that they truly desire to help people preserve their teeth and have a beautiful smile. Let's face it - nobody wants to go see you. It's almost never going to be a pleasant experience, most of the time there will be pain, and it's going to cost you a lot of money.
In spite of all this, I am thankful for the work that they do. Without them we would all have to endure the pain of cavities, or even worse end up losing our teeth. Because of the dentist we can continue to show our pearly white smiles.
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