Dental Health and Scold Fillings

It's that time of the year again. Dentist time. Time for trauma, pain, discomfort, a small dose of radiation, and a big scold for not flossing. Then I have to give them money for it.

Through the years dental care sure has changed. As a kid I was told to brush hard to prevent cavities. At age 30 I was scolded for brushing too hard, because it was making my gums recede. "Why did you do that?" they asked. ("Because that's what you told me to do?")

Later that decade I was scolded because I had the wrong kind of fillings. "You'll need to have those removed and replaced with porcelain, Ma'am. Those silver fillings contain mercury, which is bad for you. Shall we schedule an appointment now?" I told them I'd do it 'later.' (Perhaps 2025? By then they'll discover porcelain is bad... maybe I'll get gold.)

As a white-knuckle patient, I appreciate 'laughing gas,' a.k.a. nitrous oxide. It doesn't do much for pain, but it is relaxing. Alas, I asked my previous dentist for it, and he told me, "No." I felt like I'd been scolded for requesting recreational drugs. I yelped and whined through the whole cleaning process. He might re-think his policy in the future if he gets more patients like me.

The x-ray ritual has also changed. They used to put you in a lead poncho and fire away with the x-ray machine while you tried not to gag on the cardboard bits they stuffed in your mouth.  It's less awful now, but they still take x-rays. I'm careful never to move. I don't want a scold.

These days, parents are required by state law to take their child to a dentist before kindergarten. I was fortunate with my teeth in younger years and didn't need many visits. I was more fortunate with my parents. They were perfectly capable of knowing when their kids needed a dentist without the state scolding them.

Growing up, most older people had false teeth. In my middle years, dentists actually asked patients if they planned on still having their teeth in old age. I said, "Of course," wondering who would say no to that. Then I overheard the guy in the next cubicle saying, "No way." These days they don't ask. It's assumed you'll keep your teeth if you possibly can.

So I'm off to do what I can about keeping my teeth. It will probably be the same routine. The cleaning process will grate on every nerve, and I will whimper and whine. I'll come home determined to floss every night so it won't be so bad next time. There's probably a nightly reminder app I could install, but it would probably scold, and I've had my fill of that.