A Fresh Start

Raise your hand if you like going to the dentist. What? No hands? Didn't think so. They poke, prod, hurt your mouth, and sadly we pay them for it. Every six months or so we get a little card in the mail, the front decorated in a calming picture or joke, the back written information on the doomed date. I remember being a child and seeing Snoopy on a postcard and feeling the dread trickle down my spine. Now ... I can't complain too much, I have only had a handful of cavities filled (4 maybe?) but that doesn't make me an exception to the fear of dentists.

I can hear you asking 'what is she rambling about?' or 'why start your blog talking about dentists?'. Let me explain.

Yesterday I had a dentist appointment. It was scheduled at 9am (on summer vacation that is considered way too early). I didn't get out of the house till around 9:10 haha they make us wait why can't I make them wait? The short drive there was filled with butterflies in my stomach and thoughts of 'what if I have a cavity? what if they tell me my teeth are all rotten? what if I really did crack my tooth on that jaw breaker last week.' And before you know it ... you arrive. My hygienist was waiting for me (as expected since I didn't walk into the building till 9:20) and I was escorted to room 7 promptly. She started right away getting the x-rays and asking how things were in my life. It makes me wonder if in our little charts they write things down to remember you. I mean they have a lot of customers, I have seen their wall of manila folders, so how do they remember I am going to ISU and will be graduated in the fall? Maybe they guess ... or they really do remember me. Who knows. Anyway, she notes from my paperwork I was in need of a full scan (the one where you stand and the thingy revolves around your head). So we walk down there, she sets me up and leaves me with the warning words "Stand still for 18 seconds or else." Ok, so she didn't add the last part. But she did sound serious.

As the x-ray machine rotated around me I had a strong desire to wiggle around just to see what it would look like. The little kid in me wanting to come out. After the x-ray we walked back to room 7 and she started the cleaning. I don't remember most of it but I do remember watching Good Morning America. Normally I don't watch tv, but it was on when I got there so I enjoyed a little morning news.
After the short cleaning she told me she would get the dentist to do the final check, handed me my little plastic bag of goodies, and left.
This is where karma kicks in. Remember what time I said I had arrived?
Anyway, the waiting began. But this time I got to wait with a green bib and Good Morning America, which turned into Regis and Kelly rather quickly.
I waited ...
And waitied ...
And waited ...
About 20 minutes later the dentist shows up all smiles ready with his cavity finding tool.

Let me rewind a bit in life.

About 2 years (3 dentist visits) ago I was told that between my two molars in the far back on the left side I had a soft spot. It wasn't a cavity ... yet. I still had a chance to turn it around. So when I got home i flossed everyday for about ... a week. Ha like I was going to keep that up. It took too long to floss really and when I was already 10 minutes late to my morning classes I couldn't spare the time. And when I got home at night it was so late. So I decided brushing would suffice.
(2 dentist visits ago) I heard again I had a soft spot, this time from both my hygienist and my dentist. I believed them, I could feel the twinge (I'm sure it was just me making things up. I usually didn't feel it unless I was thinking about it, or the dentist). So I decided to turn it around, I would floss every day and brush twice a day. And I did ... for about three weeks. Again I laughed and thought 'it takes too long' and moved on with life.
(1 dentist visit ago) I wasn't reminded about the soft spot. But I knew it was still there. The dentist clicked his tongue and shook his head, probably thinking 'silly girl why don't you fix this?' Still I went on my merry way.

This is where I formed my plan.

Around my second dentist visit I was booted off my dads insurance. Meaning from that point forward I was required to pay for my own dental visits. Which made me wonder about that little soft spot, but like all things that bother me I promptly forgot about it. That is until I was added back on his insurance due to some wonderful person out there who believes college students really are poor. Now being back on his insurance, and having a soft spot I tried to think of the only reasonable thing to do. I wanted that cavity to grow. I wanted to to get big so he had to fill it, I mean come on ... I have one just like it on the opposite side, so if it was filled my mouth would be symmetrical again, and I wouldn't have to worry about it turning into a cavity because it would no longer be a problem. Good plan. So after this last visit I didn't bother flossing, because I wanted it to turn into a cavity.

Now lets get back to the story.

The doctor is poking around looking for cavities, leaving the soft spot for last. I waited patiently listening to Regis butcher his own quote. When he finally got around to the left side he only poked it once and turned around to look at the x-rays.

I want to know if it is just me ... do dentists not like you looking at your x-rays? Every time I glanced over he would put himself between me and the screen. Very annoying. I want to see too. Even if I don't understand anything on it.

So after a failed attempt at looking at them I went back to my tv show and waited for the bad news of a cavity.

Here went out conversation:
Dentist: Well Ashley ... your teeth look good.
Me: Really?
Dentist: Yeah, except ... (here i waited for those four little words) there is a soft spot.
Me (thinking): WHY HAVEN'T YOU TURNED INTO A CAVITY! ITS BEEN TWO YEARS!
Dentist: It looks like it has spread to your other tooth and there might be a small cavity but it hasn't eaten through your enamel so you can still turn it around. I want you to buy ACT Restoring Mouthwash. If you do this and floss everyday you can turn that right around.
Me (defeated): Ok. Thanks.

Four dentist visits with the same soft spot. I have since changed my views on it. I ran out and bought the mouthwash, I floss, and I brush twice a day. We will see how that changes things.

But knowing my luck this will cause the cavity to grow and I will have wasted those precious minutes flossing. Oh well, life goes on right? At least I can say I fought a good fight this time.

Vida, Vini, Vici