First time at the dentist in 11 years

Hammer89 · 19-01-2017 08:28PM #1

Let me start off by saying that dental hygiene isn't my thing. It's just not. Don't get me wrong, I brush regularly and although my teeth aren't whiter than Peruvian cocaine, they're not yellow either. But I hadn't been to the dentist in about a decade. I know, mental, but I didn't have a single problem with my teeth in that time so, you know, there wasn't as much urgency.

So I walk in, shake his hand and go, 'Good to see you, Peter. Long time.' I was slightly embarrassed over the lengthy absence, so why not address it straight away. 'Yes, 11 years,' he goes, really deadpan like, but he already had his mask on so I couldn't tell if he was smiling. 'You're joking!' I respond, feigning surprise because I guess it seems more excusable if you play dumb and act like you were there before Christmas or something.

I lie down on his bed thing (no idea what it's called), open my mouth and the first thing I hear is a pretty deep and desperate sigh. If I open my eyes, I'm fairly sure I'd see him and his assistant - who, by the way, was very, very attractive, making it worse - shaking their heads at one another. Midway through the semi-painful scaling procedure I hear him say, 'Christ'. I'm thinking, 'Oh god what's he found?', but he's drilling into my gums and your one is hoovering my tongue, so I'm not in a position to investigate. The entire thing lasted about 20 minutes, and at the end he goes to me, 'Without a doubt that's the worst scaling I've had to do in at least five years'.

I believe him, because I spent the next two minutes pulling tiny bits of black matter out of my mouth. Since leaving, I can't help but run my tongue against the back of my lower teeth. There's lots of sharp edges now, which I can only assume is because there isn't 11 years worth of pizza, chips and chicken plugging the gaps any longer.

Just before I leave, I shake his hand and go, 'See you in 2028, Peter'. He still has that mask on so I don't know whether I tickled him, but I'd like to think so.

What's the point of this? Well between exciting beach stories, and extremely strange stories about hiking in Glendalough, I thought why not make it a hat-trick of mundane tales.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 19-01-2017 08:40PM

That's scandalous. You need you teeth cleaned every 6 months my dentist says. If you do it regularly it's nothing, you barely feel anything

Casey78 · 19-01-2017 08:43PM

I haven't been since secondary school. I'm 38 now.

Allinall · 19-01-2017 08:47PM

Was the appointment at 2.30?

posturingpat · 19-01-2017 08:49PM

So i shouldn't feel too bad about making an appointment 18 months after my last one?

9or10 · 19-01-2017 08:49PM

I bought a "dental toolkit" on Amazon. It had loads of the hooky pointy yokes. I bought it for woodwork and stuff but reading the reviews there were people doing their own teeth :eek:

Pat Mustard · 19-01-2017 08:50PM

9or10 wrote: »

I bought a "dental toolkit" on Amazon.

Is it safe?

mad muffin · 19-01-2017 08:52PM

I haven't been in 34 years. And my teeth are fine. Not Hollywood fine but not hobo bad either. I've seen far worse teeth on people that regularly go to the dentist.

I won't be going unlesss I get a tooth ache or damage a tooth.

MuffinTop86 · 19-01-2017 08:52PM

once ayear is enough for cleaning, they're scraping away the enamel and lecturing you on not regilarly flossing, even if you do!

MilesMorales1 · 19-01-2017 08:53PM

Haven't been the dentist since 2003 :cool:

Hammer89 · 19-01-2017 08:57PM

LexieOnRale wrote: »

That's scandalous. You need you teeth cleaned every 6 months my dentist says.

He would say that though wouldn't he :pac:

Agricola · 19-01-2017 09:00PM

I go every 6 months and hate it. Have this weird problem where the suction thing doesn't seem to work and I end up swallowing every 2 minutes while they are scraping away.

Atari Jaguar · 19-01-2017 09:01PM

If your mouth wasn't completely spotless after a scale and polish your dentist is fcuking ****e mate.

Akrasia · 19-01-2017 09:16PM

Is it wrong to be in your thirties and envy pensioners with store bought dentures?

Teeth are nothing but trouble. The sooner we evolve past needing them anymore, the better for everyone.

sonofenoch · 19-01-2017 09:29PM

Casey78 wrote: »

I haven't been since secondary school. I'm 38 now.

Neither had I till a few years ago, fking nightmare.....looking up like that at a dentist and he had not 1 but 2 fking assistants ....where to ****ing look? look them all in the eye or close your eyes like a big baby as you get prodded at in the most vulnerable position imaginable (for me anyway

)

mickmac76 · 19-01-2017 10:09PM

I have to say I hate going to the dentist. I avoided mine for 18 years at one point but had to go with an awful painful tooth then. Needed one out and two fillings. Have gone once a year since without any problems. Still don't like it though.

19-01-2017 10:13PM

I've to get a cleaning soon as well, appt is booked
Had my first one in a long time last year and it was awful

Widdershins · 19-01-2017 10:42PM

Does anyone like going to the dentist?

LexieOnRale wrote: »

That's scandalous. You need you teeth cleaned every 6 months my dentist says. If you do it regularly it's nothing, you barely feel anything

I'm not an expert but I don't believe him. I'm sure he'd prefer to be getting his 60 euro from each client twice a year.

It shouldn't hurt.

jimmycrackcorm · 19-01-2017 10:48PM

I enjoyed the OP's story, I hope he will soon start another thread. I'm thinking maybe about a visit to Aldi and how funny it was that the till assistant asked him if he was over 18 when buying alcohol.

Cheerful Spring · 20-01-2017 01:30AM

People would be better off just having dentures, just pull them and be done with it.. Some people waste thousands fixing their teeth, waste of time. Nobody is going to care you had nice teeth when you buried and gone.

Surreptitious · 20-01-2017 01:39AM

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

People would be better off just having dentures, just pull them and be done with it.. Some people waste thousands fixing their teeth, waste of time. Nobody is going to care you had nice teeth when you buried and gone.

What about all the years that you're alive with nice teeth? Who wants to look at someone with messed up teeth. They won't take out healthy teeth and give you dentures.

Bambi985 · 20-01-2017 01:40AM

Widdershins wrote: »

Does anyone like going to the dentist?

I do, love it in fact. love the sensation of freshly scaled and polished teeth and I always get compliments on how clean they are when I go in coz I'm fairly obsessive about the aul brushing and flossing.

Teeth are important folks, stop putting off the appointments and telling yourselves yiz are grand! there's nothing worse than poor dental hygiene or neglected teeth, they leave a lasting impression on people you meet and will cause major problems for you down the line.

Atari Jaguar · 20-01-2017 03:50AM

Widdershins wrote: »

I'm not an expert but I don't believe him. I'm sure he'd prefer to be getting his 60 euro from each client twice a year.

It shouldn't hurt.

Well it's good that you're no expert then. It is important to get your teeth cleaned twice a year. Brushing at home can't remove all the plaque and tartar that builds up over time, if your doctor advised having a check up twice a year you wouldn't tell them to piss off you're only looking for easy money :rolleyes: your 60/80 quid cleaning doesn't even count as a drop in the pond when it comes to running a dental practice, it's not all about money, it's a doctor making sure you're getting looked after.

Surely it would be more sensible to let you think there's no need for regularly cleaning and then have your teeth erode into needing fillings or extractions that go from 80 for a filling up to 200+ for a tooth removal...

This is a very Irish thing, "ah he's only codding trying to get money out of ye" never once a thought paid that perhaps they just want you to have healthy teeth and gums. Oh lord no it's all about trying to squeeze you for every penny.. frankly if I was a dentist and wanted to get your money I'd be telling you to come once a month not twice a year.

Surreptitious · 20-01-2017 04:02AM

I agree. The self defeatist attitude on here is scary. Sure you may as well be dead rather than look after your teeth. If you had a broken leg would you say sure what's a broken leg in the coffin. Teeth need to be healthy and looked after regularly or you'll get very bad problems with them. Some people have slightly crooked teeth and that's fine but there are some with broken knashers and very bad dental hygiene and as adults we should be aware of this. Why do so many people get braces? Because it's your face and one of the first things visible about you.

DrGreenthumb · 20-01-2017 04:19AM

Ain't that the tooth

I'll extract my self from the thread after that one

ceadaoin. · 20-01-2017 04:32AM

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

People would be better off just having dentures, just pull them and be done with it.. Some people waste thousands fixing their teeth, waste of time. Nobody is going to care you had nice teeth when you buried and gone.

Sure in that case there is no point in any preventative medicine or exercise and eating healthily? Seems a bit of a weird outlook tbh.

Lots of (most?) people care about having nice teeth when they're alive though? Not looking after them can cause bad pain and a host of other problems. Gum disease is even linked to heart disease and a higher risk of stroke. Why would you want to go through the pain and trouble of pulling out the teeth you were born with and getting false ones. I'm not sure how that is a better easier option than just having good dental hygiene and getting regular checkups?

Surreptitious · 20-01-2017 04:34AM

They don't take out healthy teeth. End of.

force eleven · 20-01-2017 04:57AM

Is it safe?

the_syco · 20-01-2017 05:15AM

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

People would be better off just having dentures, just pull them and be done with it.. Some people waste thousands fixing their teeth, waste of time. Nobody is going to care you had nice teeth when you buried and gone.

You won't care about the money when you're dead and gone.

mad muffin wrote: »

I've seen far worse teeth on people that regularly go to the dentist.

I won't be going unlesss I get a tooth ache or damage a tooth.

I go regularly, as I've a sweet tooth. I'd say most people who go regularly do so for the same reason. In Ireland, went once every 6 months for my free (PRSI) checkup. Get drilled the odd time, or pop in to have a cracked tooth fixed.

Graces7 · 20-01-2017 07:16AM

Akrasia wrote: »

Is it wrong to be in your thirties and envy pensioners with store bought dentures?

Teeth are nothing but trouble. The sooner we evolve past needing them anymore, the better for everyone.

You beat me to it! I was one of the war babies in the UK whose teeth were poor and neglected ,and had dentures early on
.
Totally happy with my pink plastic and never a worry.

Old saying re teeth, "They are a trouble coming and a trouble going."

Deeply glad never to go near a dentist ever again..:D:)

NB I even got mine free on the NHS.

JupiterKid · 20-01-2017 07:32AM

That reminds me that I need to make an appointment with the dentist. I only go when I have bad cavities and toothaches.

I hate dentists.:(

First time at the dentist in 11 years

Comments