No Cavities!

[Velobambina]

Sorry, had to brag. During Open Season '07, I finally took the plunge and signed up for the supplemental dental & vision. Today was my first check up/cleaning in about four years. Very little build up on my teeth, xrays were clear, and NO CAVITIES. I swear that Sonicare Toothbrush, daily flossing, and Act rinse are the secret. Best of all---I didn't have to pay a cent. No copay. Nada. And my dentist is awesome (doesn't try to hit you up for bleaching, etc).

Welcome good news after a spate of expensive, bad luck last week (new computer, new water heater, and some new plumbing). I almost canceled my dentist appt because I was afraid of what she'd find. If the promise of leaving work early hadn't figured in, I would have put off the appt. Now that I'm officially "in limbo" at work, any time out of the office is WONDERFUL. Hopefully, my luck is changing for the better and things will get back on track at work, too.

[SadieKate]

Did you get a lolli-pop, little girl?

[SadieKate]

Wait a minute. I just showed my age.

Are you old enough to remember getting candy at the dentist?

[Velobambina]

I remember getting a lollipop. Quite an irony, given that my childhood Dentist was a brute and a sadist. His hygienist was his sister. First time I ever saw a chick with serious makeup, including painted on eyebrows. Worse yet, her breath could take paint off of a car. Anyway, the brute dentist scared me off of novacaine -- jammed the needle in before pulling FOUR adult teeth. Please note that he had me in a HALF NELSON at the time. For years, I'd have cavities filled w/out novacaine.

Today, I saw some rad stickers, though, that The Awesome Dentist gives to the little ones. Dinosaur with "No Cavities Club" on it and others. Almost asked for one.

[kat_h]

Congrats on the good checkup. I haven't been to a dentist in six years (or is it seven now) and I've been meaning to go but I keep chickening out.

[Blueberry]

Cool

I really like the Act mouthwash - seems to work well.

I'm a total dental phobe. I don't know whether I'm more scared of novocaine or tooth pain (esp since the novocaine doesn't work worth a flip for me). I have to have lots of fillings replaced soon (no new ones, they are just getting old and starting to shift a little), and I'm really dreading it. My last experience was having wisdom teeth pulled, and I woke up (wide awake) in the middle to a nurse saying "pull harder so you get them out before she comes all the way up"). They did put me out for a while, but the novocaine wasn't working.

I'm trying to get up my nerve, and I've tried to talk to my dentist (not the oral surgeon) about it (i.e. novocaine not working), but his response is just "they didn't do it right" and "the new stuff will probably work." I'm a wimp.

[Aggie_Ama]

Wait a minute. I just showed my age.

Are you old enough to remember getting candy at the dentist?

I am only 27, almost 28 and got candy at the dentist as a kiddo. You aren't showing to be too old unless late 20's is old to you like my co-worker who flipped out about turning 25.

[Aggie_Ama]

I personally hate the dentist, I have too many uppity dentists. When I was in College Station I had the best dentist, went to one in Austin who claimed I needed $6k of dental work (much of it drilling out "ugly" silver fillings and fixing a root canal he didn't think was done right). I haven't been in two years. It is only 2 hours to College Station, I think I may just go back to that dentist.

[indysteel]

Both of my parents have gum disease, so I take I go to the dentist regularly myself because I don't want to go through what they went through. That's especially true now that I know that gum disease can cause heart disease. Plus, I'm in year number two of braces, so I'm currently getting cleanings every four months, rather than six. It would make little sense to get my teeth straightened and my bite fixed but neglect the actual health of my teeth and gums.

Luckily, I found a dentist about 13 years ago who is very sensitive to sensitive patients. She sat me down on my first appointment and talked about my anxieties and embarrassment (I was quite embarrassed about my crooked teeth). Both she and her employees couldn't be any nicer.

[OakLeaf]

like my co-worker who flipped out about turning 25.

well y'know, I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with 50 next year, but so far, 25 has been my toughest birthday. "A third of my life is over and what have I accomplished?" Thirty and 40 were a breeze, but I think I cried for days over 25.


....ok, way off topic

[crazycanuck]

I don't mind visiting the dentist.

I do mind being 36 though..AHGHGGHGHG..Ian's going to be 40 next year

I'm old

[shootingstar]

My problem is gums.. whereas I have very few cavities..only 3 in last 25years. Just had to have 1 replaced 2 months ago, where metal filling was wearing out, replaced now with plastic.

And I've increased eating food with sugar in the past decade.

There are times I think a person's body chemistry, more specifically in the mouth, regardless of what they eat, affects probability of cavities.

[Zen]

My problem is gums..

Water-Pik has done wonders for me.

[Blueberry]

Water-Pik has done wonders for me.

My dentist says the electric toothbrushes help with gum health too. DH is a hard brusher, and the dentist says they help because they turn off when he hits too hard...

And yeah - I'm still rather scared. I have to have one of my fillings replaced at my next check up in March, and I'm already having nightmares about it