Dumb Question for Dentists Here ...

[CCanny]

I'm having my teeth cleaned for the first time in a VERY long time tomorrow. (I had an abcess cleared out with a wisdom tooth pull a few weeks ago and made a promise to keep on top of my teeth from now on.)

I'm very nervous. If I bring a small teddy bear to squeeze when things get a little loud and hairy, will the dentist think I'm crazy? I was really flailing when my teeth were pulled and occasionally squeezing the nurse's arm really helped, but I'd rather let the hygienist have her arms to work.

What would a dentist here think? I'm a 45 year old woman.

 

[vicki]

I'm sure they wouldn't mind; whatever makes things easier for you and them . I sometimes take a squeezy stress ball with me which is in the shape of a pink brain and I've never been laughed at for doing that (and I'm 34).

I'm sure you'll be fine taking a small teddy bear with you if it helps you to feel comfortable .

 

[comfortdentist]

ok with me

 

[kittykat]

I have to bring my weighted blanket, my puff the magic dragon musical stuffed animal, and my fiancé. I play the music on the stuffed animal to calm myself down. A respectable dentist will never laugh at you or make fun of you for doing what you can to cope with the fear.

 

[CCanny]

YAY! It went great. The dentist laughed at first, but when he saw me nearly twisting that bear's head off ala The Exorcist, he said he was glad I brought it.

He was kind of lecturing me a lot, BUT, while sort of painful (the bottom front teeth were AWFUL, holy moly) the end result is THRILLING. After 25 years of not seeing a dentist, I have no decay except for one cavity and a bunch of tartar (which was my fault and I sucked up the pain. I'd earned a little 'zaaaaap' "ouch" to get it taken off. It was a *lot*. Like three layers of it. He called it "The Great Wall of Tartar"

I HAVE BEAUTIFUL CLEAN TEETH NOW. And will have a nice little filling at the end of next week and I can start going to the dentist every six months now like a regular person. I'M SO HAPPY, YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

Two decades of terror was SO MUCH WORSE than the cleaning (and where I thought a front tooth was decaying ... IT WAS TARTAR. It's so clean and white and pretty now!)

Thanks guys, you helped me a lot through this. I have such a weight lifted from me.