Novocaine

Before formally beginning this post, I must apologise to Duncan, who will be most disappointed that I have actually written something that has nothing to do with my reasons for blogging. Sorry Duncs, but I had to start somewhere...

The topic of this entry concerns my trip to the dentist today. Despite the fact that my dad is a dentist, I have not been to see a dentist in almost 3 years. I have made multiple visits to the maxillo-facial surgeon, but I haven't had my teeth checked since I was in first year. I think this is because my family don't tend to do "annual checkups". My dad likes to wait until something is really, seriously wrong and then consider having it looked at. It would appear that the Schneider's like to suffer. Either that or my father has some sort of professional pride which deters him from making dental appointments...

In any case, my teeth have been feeling a little weird of recent. Not toothache, but definite sensitivity which seemed to be indicative of something (and probably not a good something). Add to this the enormous gap since I last saw a dentist, and you can understand why I walked into the surgery with very little optimism today. I was about 80% sure that something was going to be drilled and filled. I had accepted that I would be painfully prodded and poked, injected, filled, sanded and then sent on my way. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I was fairly sure it was on the cards. So, I waited in trepidation as I prepared for my consultation.

I was a little thrown by my new dentist (he is about the 8th dentist that I have had. No one is good enough for my dad's standards in dental hygiene) - he looked like a comic character: tall, skinny, greying curly hair and glasses. Very strange, in a mad scientist kind of way. Nonetheless, I was seated, and he took a look. And found.... NOTHING! There is nothing wrong with my teeth! They are fine (as my dad smiles proudly in the background). All the dentist could do was to polish them, which was somewhat traumatic (because my jaw was a little tense after the stress of this week) and involved water and horrid fake strawberry flavour gunk on my teeth. And that was it! The weird sensations are apparently inexplicable...

Truth be told, I'm relieved. I doubt that anyone looks forward to fillings or any dental procedure in any case. But my visit was rather anticlimactic, although my teeth do look nice and shiny now... *smile*