# My Last Trip To The Dentist.



## T.S.Bowman (Jul 18, 2014)

It's been quite a long time since I have paid a visit to any dentist. My teeth can bear witness to that fact. I have very few left.

Many people have a fear of the dentist and I number myself among them. However, I think I have a pretty good reason for my irrationality.

We were what's known as poor when I was growing up. Not much food on the table, not being entirely sure when the next meal would be. That kind of thing.

Needless to say, for nearly my entire childhood my mom, brother and I lived on public assistance. My mom had no work skills whatsoever when she and my Dad divorced so there was really not much choice. 

Now, I don't know how many folks here are aware of this, but when on the public dole back in the early to late 80's, the medical part only covers the bare necessities like vaccination and such. You are allowed one visit to the eye doctor per year, and one pair of glasses (which can only come from a certain group of "covered frames." You are also allowed a once a year visit to the dentist. On rare occasions, the dentist can request you have another visit if things are bad enough in your mouth. All well and good so far. 

The main problem with this is that there were only certain doctors, dentists, and eye doctors that would accept the public coverage because it was notorious for paying a little less than half of what a doctor would normally charge for any given service. So you wound up with some of the shadier "health care professionals" on the docket.

The dentist I was forced to go to was one of them. The first problem with him was that his office was 40 miles or so from where I lived. It was always an ordeal for my mom to find us a ride there (she has never driven in her life) and find a way to pay for gas money.

But it's the second problem that leads to my fear of dentists to this day.

I had always heard stories from other poor kids I knew who went to this guy, so I was apprehensive in the first place. 

I heard that he never used Novacaine. He was an "old school" kind of guy and went with ether rather than the shot or "laughing gas.

I heard that he never used enough to make sure you were out of it completely.

I heard that he had a bad habit of "missing" the spot he was trying for.

I also heard that, in order to make money, he had to hustle patients through. That way, he could see more people during regular business hours

Last but not least, I heard that he had a habit of taking a shot of whiskey before seeing each patient.

All of those stories wound up being true.

Now, I could handle the pain from not being out of it enough for there not to be any. I am pretty good about dealing with pain.

What I couldn't handle was the fact that y other, in her infinite wisdom, absolutely refused to make an appointment for me during school hours. It was always after school. I would get out at 3:30, get in the car that was taking us by 3:40...and get to the appointment at about 4:15.

So guess what that meant for a kid like me.

It meant that by the time I got there, he had probably blown through the better part of a fifth of whatever shit he liked to drink. 

Not only did I get the full on "poor kid" treatment as far as getting shorted on the gas, but I also got to see him, and have him working on me, in all his all-but-falling-down-drunk glory!!!

There were at least three occasions that I can remember (I believe my brain has blocked out the others in defense of my sanity) that he "missed" and jammed one of the tools into my gum so far that it hit my jawbone. 

I tried telling my mother, but she really didn't pay much attention. She figured I was just complaining for the sake of complaining.

Some people say I am just being irrational and that I would not have that kind of thing happen to me now. 

Ya know what? I don't give a shit. The fact that I had it happen, MULTIPLE TIMES, is enough for me.

I know I really need to go to the dentist. Most of my top teeth are gone, and the ones that are still there hurt. So much so that on the bad days I can barely function.

But that doesn't change anything. Just today, on my way home from work, my girlfriend was telling me about the dentist appointments the kids had today. She was talking about them getting cleanings and how the dentist takes the pick and gets right up against your gums *shudder* and I actually got chills and could literally smell the alcohol wafting in my face.

I think I'll stick with being irrational for just a little longer.


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## Pluralized (Jul 18, 2014)

Sorry for that, TSB. What a crappy-ass thing to live through.

I can totally relate, and have toofus issues m'self. I'll spare you the story, but it's similar. Luckily a few years back I forced myself to get over it and went to the dentist for ten fillings in one sitting and two root-canals. Probably need another one soon. Hate the dentist. Good luck with your fangs, man. 

As to the writing, it's a pretty good bloggy-style post, but I think maybe you could go for more direct language in many places i.e., 

*It's been quite a long time since I have paid a visit to any dentist. My teeth can bear witness to that fact. I have very few left. *- I like how effective this intro is, but there's something about "bear witness to that fact" that seems passive and betrays that excellent last sentence. Also maybe consider putting some specific time to that 'quite a long time' like over twenty years or whatever. For instance, "I haven't been to the dentist in twenty-three years, but if you saw my few remaining teeth, you'd already know that." Just something to consider; take my suggestions at face value.

*Many people have a fear of the dentist and I number myself among them. However, I think I have a pretty good reason for my irrationality. *- Here again, there's something to be said for direct language and condensing the grammar somewhat. The word 'irrationality' doesn't fit, and 'I number myself among them' seems oddly stiff. Relax the writing, condense it a bit. Get right to the point with it. 

Throughout the piece, there are opportunities to tighten. Consider how much you'd miss things like "That kind of thing" and "Last but not least" and "Needless to say" etc. 

Hope I'm not coming off too dickish here -- just trying to help out. Feel for you, man.


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## T.S.Bowman (Jul 18, 2014)

It's cool, Plural...not being dickish at all. I wrote this piece out in the post box and I knew it was a little messy. I went back and fixed a couple of other errors but...well..ya know. LOL

I appreciate the input. I am a pantser at heart and any input I can get on something like this will always help me write better in the first draft.


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## J Anfinson (Jul 18, 2014)

I had all four wisdom teeth pulled and fillings in just about every one a while back, and I know how it is because I have panic attacks at odd times, and especially when I get nervous. I discovered that laughing gas and valium together makes for a peaceful visit. You might see if your dentist is willing to do that.


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## T.S.Bowman (Jul 18, 2014)

I'm looking more for a place that does complete anesthesia. LOL

I can deal with the pain afterwards because I have a pretty high threshold. I just don't wanna take any chances. I know I'm being irrational but I can't help it. :-(


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## J Anfinson (Jul 18, 2014)

Seriously, dude. The dentist could have hammered nails into my forehead and I wouldn't have cared. I felt good.


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## T.S.Bowman (Jul 19, 2014)

Well...seeing as I actually have no dentist at this point, I could just keep looking til I find one that would do that. 

Either that or just get the Valium on my own. LOL


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## Schrody (Jul 19, 2014)

Sorry to hear that T.S., but you're not alone. Here in Croatia, you have a "free" medical service, but you're actually paying for it through your salary. Unemployed and students have it too. Thing is, when you have that kind of medical service, you go to the doctors which we call "social" doctors, and they work in the infirmaries. Some of them (but, of course, if you're lucky, you can find wonderful doctors) are really not doctor materials, their nurses are mean (I better not tell you how they treat a woman in labor; most women don't even get an epidural because they're too lazy, or the anesthesiologist already left. I don't wanna give birth (when that day comes) in a public hospital, that's how bad it is), and bitchy. Last year I needed to go to the dentist, but I didn't have my health card, so I went to the private dentist. That was a shock to me, as she was so nice, gentle (don't change too much), and there wasn't gum picking or scraping 

One thing that always bothered me is, according to the movies, when a child or adult goes to the dentist, and he needs some drilling to do, a person always gets a injection/pain relief without being asked. Here, you need to ask for it, and I never got it (because I didn't know you could get it), and I've got some drillin' in my life. Okay, I'm not that sensitive, and I can take it, but that thing always troubled me. 

I hope you can afford a better doctor now!


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## dither (Jul 19, 2014)

Mr. Bowman,
when i was a kid, we weren't rich/well off or anything but we were fed and clothed, and everything we got came on the nhs, including dental care. I was too young to understand the politics of it all but i had a few teeth removed with the gas, and every time i'd be as sick as a dog for the rest of the day. If you've ever gone out and got drunk, then woke up the next day with head spinning, and throwing up, you might just have the faintest notion of how i felt.
Let me say right now that it riles me enormously that in this day and age i am unable to get teeth pulled with no pain, when i think of the operations that surgeons perform, day in, day out, and i can't get a painless extraction, and dentists wonder why they're so unpopular. Damn them all.
Well, anyway, as soon as i was old enough to make my own decisions, that was it, no more dentists. Time passed by, teeth rotted, and i had my share of toothache. I so wanted to get my teeth sorted out then one day i saw a dentist's  ad. offering sedation and i went for it.
I turned up on the day day of my appointment, was told to drink this small cup of thick green liquid, and a nurse took my into a small room  that contained a small single bed, and she told me to lie on it.
The next thing i knew, i was waking up at home with a thick head. Took my meals through a straw and dosed up on ibuprofen for a couple of days, and that was that, job done. And for many years after, went back every six months for check-ups, a clean and a polish, the odd filling here and there, and it was good. Then on my last visit i was told told that a tooth needed pulling and i haven't been back since. My dentist days are over for now.
There IS  a dentist in Letts who offers sedation but you have to be accompanied, have somebody to take responsibility for you after the treatment, i haven't got anybody.
When i had all those teeth out years ago i was just bundled into a taxi. Can't do that now.
The REAL tragedy of this sad and sorry tale is that i don't mind having injections in my mouth, it makes me so angry.

life eh?

Good luck with your's.

dither


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## Pandora (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh TS I feel for you, I understand and would stay away from the dentist too. I do but for other reasons now. I'm a little angry with your Mama for not listening. Rumors like that and to have them be true, well that dentist should have been laid into good by someone. My dentist as a kid was Dr. Crook . . . ha! And the doctor who birthed me was Dr. Pop . . . another ha! He came to the house, my mother had all us girls at home. My point is some things are getting better over time some not. One thing for sure abuse like you took wouldn't happen today.



My Mom didn't drive either her whole life but we were on a bus line so not so bad. I really liked to ride the bus and did for fun a lot. 

I enjoyed your very personal read, knowing more about your childhood and you as an adult means much to me, thanks for sharing. I got shudders too just reading this, brought back some bad memories from the mid 90's. In my mid 30's I had extensive work done, one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Sometimes we must learn to say no.


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## dither (Jul 20, 2014)

"Say no"?

Two words spring to mind and the second one is off. ;-)


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## escorial (Jul 20, 2014)

very well written piece...kept me bobbing along nicely man


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