Second Opinions - Dentist Edition

This is probably really random, and no one will really care about this post or read the entire thing but I needed to write about it just so I can move on and stop thinking about all of it. And this is the closest thing to a Journal I have other than my lists. So I picked a dentist here in town to go to and get the regular 6-month check up because it had been like 9 or 10 months since the last time I'd been. (And I started having dreams where my teeth fell out. So I figured I would go to make sure they were firmly intact.) So I went to this guy who said he would give me free x-rays and an exam for being a new patient. I didn't want all my vacation money being used up on the dentist so I took what I could for free. Well it turned out that I had like 5 cavities! I've ever only had one other one in my life. In my mind the dentist told me pretty much I had a year to live. Okay, so that is a bit dramatic but seriously I hate when anything goes wrong in my mouth and requires extra attention. I just don't like visiting the dentist if I can at all help it. Anyway, back to the story. I thought 5 cavities seemed a bit extreme and when he offered to sedate me for free just so I would come in and have them taken care of all of them at once, I thought something must be up.

So with very little persuasion from Justin, I went and got a second opinion from the dentist he goes to. He told me that there were only 3 cavities that needed attention and the other "two" could be taken care of with a mouth rinse, and he even rubbed some cool jelly stuff on my sensitive area that numbs the pain/shock when I drink cold water. He sold me right then and there. No dentist I have ever gone to has done that for me or even told me about the "miracle"jelly. So I talked with the receptionist and they gave me a mock copy of what the bill would look like if I went through them to have the fillings done. Whoa! Soo much cheaper with all the same extras. So I booked an appointment right then and there for them to take me to the "House of Pain" as my father calls it.

When I went in for the appointment later that week, I was so nervous I could barely stand it. Justin practically had to drag me there and promise to stay in the waiting room the entire time. I got back there they gave me the remote for the TV and promptly started numbing me and giving me the laughing gas. I was content to sit and watch Friends and laugh and giggle every now and then with the show and didn't even realize the Doctor was there to give me the shots and then later start grinding away. That noise by the way is the most dreadful noise ever but it didn't even bother me while I was watching Friends. And before I knew it I was done. My entire mouth was numb and felt weird since the shots were in 3 of the 4 corners of my mouth. But I was doing good. I was also able to convince them to get my night guard rushed a little so I could pick it up and fitted before we leave to California in a week.

Over all...it wasn't too bad of an experience. I still didn't like it, it wasn't the best thing about my summer, but it was made bearable all with the help of Friends. So I've decided that whenever I need to make a trip to dentist for things other than 6 month cleanings...make sure Friends will be on while I'm there. :)