Doctor vs. Dentist

I’ve always procrastinated going to the Doctors office, and particularly the Dentist. It’s not that I hate them or am afraid of them, because I know their just doing their jobs and if I’m there, I need them to do their job.

I just don’t like being poked and not knowing what’s going on and the office’s always smell weird.
I’m also ridiculously healthy and hardly ever get injured (from running) (knock on wood) so really the only reason to go is for my annual physical.

I’m not even sick and I have to go!

Then there is the waiting around, even though I filled out my paperwork early, and was on time. The amount of time I sit waiting for the few face to face minutes is tiresome. It’s part of the reason I always have crochet with me. Then I don’t feel like the time is being sucked down the sink of life.
The dentist…I have straight teeth. I also have my mother’s teeth. That means they suck. I hate being told that I suck at something.

Every time I go in, I know there will be something wrong.
Every time.

But I’m an adult, and adults go to the dentist.
(Unless you’re named Dan Perkins).

I got x-rays and my teeth cleaned and yes, there things wrong. I have some cavities but just small ones. I haven’t been to the dentist in 4 years, so it’s not that surprising.

They also found Wisdom Teeth. One was broken so I knew that had to be removed, but they found more hiding in the back of my mouth.

I decided to get them all removed at the same time, because I’d rather only be uncomfortable once.

(It turns out that they haven’t really hurt at all…other than the one that wasn’t bothering me at all.

That one has been sensitive. But nothing where I had to take anything for it. I can chew regular food and everything.)

I also decided that I didn’t want General Anesthesia. Mostly because I didn’t want to pay for it, but also because I wanted to be able to function afterwards. I’m glad I did, because it only took 20 minutes TOPS to extract all the teeth, and that’s counting the time I had to wait for the Novocain to take effect.

I would have been so annoyed to have a whole day shot over 20 minutes.

The dentist told me there would be pressure, and drilling, and vibration in my head and I said I was fine with that. I run marathons, I’m used to discomfort.

I got to see my little teeth!

The wisdom teeth looked just like a regular tooth with stunted roots. I think they might have thought I was weird to ask to see them, but who cares?

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t ask to keep them.
I have no idea what I would do with random teeth.
Put them in a jar?