How Times have changed

[Gerry]

I know for some people the very thought of visiting the dentist sends their digestive system into somersaults and their blood pressure to bursting point. As a child some of the butchers I attended who claimed to be dentists had given me good reason to fear the very sight of that black reclining chair surrounded by trays of the butchers tools.

One particular bad experience I had was going to see this dentist that smelt like a brewery to have a painful tooth on my left side pulled. As usual I climbed into that awful slippery chair and his rough hands held my jaws open as he used these ancient stainless steel syringes to inject some freezing solution into my painful gums. Then he bolted for the surgery in the next room to inflict pain on some other victim.

Once the screaming had stopped next door I knew it was my turn and he bundled through the door and without a word held me back in the chair and lifting what looked like well used pliers got a grip on a tooth on my right side and despite my feeble attempts to complain ripped out the tooth as I nearly hit the ceiling. My blood gushed from the unfrozen gums but I don't think he
even noticed his mistake as he bunged a wad of cotton wool into my painful mouth and chased me out of the room.

Now here I was taken my children into see a dentist and trying to hide my fear from them in case I passed on my phobia to them. As I sat in the waiting room I heard the squeal and recoiled thinking my child had been another victim of a butcher. Before I got to the door to rescue them I heard another squeal from the second child and the third shouting out "Me next, me next". I stopped in my tracks and listened as the laughter coming from the surgery got louder and louder.

This time as the door burst open it was the dentist bundling through but my kids so excited that they had been playing on the dentist's chair that he had tilted up into a perfect slide for them.

From that day on the thought of visiting the dentist was one of joy as their friend the dentist welcomed them into his warm friendly surgery with pop music playing for their regular check up.

How times have changed.

By Gerry Temple
Copyright March 2008

[lindylou]

As a child I was petrified of the dentist. I didn't conquer my fear until I was an adult, even now it's not my favourite place !

[Ged]

Pull the other one!

I was petrified too as a child.The dentist/butcher we had was found out to have taken teeth out,done fillings etc etc without any need.
One day my tooth ached so much that my mum dragged me to the butchers/dentist.He said to me "If it hurts hold your hand up and I will stop".
So there I was with his shiny mirror and scraper in my mouth.He then started to dig deep.It hurt like hell.I put my hand up and he took no notice.
I then grabbed his arm,to which he rammed the mirror down my throat.
I then jumped up,hit him and ran out.
Years later my friend became a dentist.He showed me how the job should of been done,and he said "you should never feel any pain while in the chair,only discomfort".Well that was it.I had much work done.He found out that I shouldn't have had half the teeth I had removed when I was a kid.
There's still plenty of dentists to be wary of but remember...
"You should never feel pain while in the chair,only discomfort".

[molly]

Good One Zappa. I hate the bloody place and even at my age I will not go to the dentist on my own. I need to bring someone with me as I am petrified too.