Monday, February 11, 2008

Look Mom, No Cavities!


I always have really pleasant experiences at the dentist. Going to the dentist is kinda...fun. The drill (no pun intended) is always the same: a little scraping/polishing and they comment on what a good brusher/flosser I am. Tell me to ease up on my right side - receding gums. They ask me if I had fluoride treatments (Colorado fluoridates their water - thank you, Colorado!). They ooh and ahh at what a difference it makes, and then they ask if I had braces, to which I answer "no", resulting in more oohs and ahhs. Then they call in the Dr., and he repeats the same questions, comments, The End. He gives me a new toothbrush, pats me on the back and sometimes lets me choose a sticker from the "treasure chest". Then I proudly walk out of the office with nice clean teeth and excitedly report to my mom,

"...and I didn't have ANY cavities!"

With nine children, you can imagine that this news was always received by my mom with much praise, gratitude and relief. I knew it was a big deal, and I wore my sticker like a medal of honor.

Today I went to the dentist for the first time in over two years. I was nervous. I felt like I was going into an exam that I knew I would fail. I couldn't imagine that they wouldn't find at least five cavities with all the strikes against me: Two babies, more than two years between visits, lazy brushing habits, an increased love for sweets, etc! I nervously confessed my sins to the hygienist, and she reassured me that they would take care of me. There was scraping and polishing, poking, prodding and even some pictures taken ("cheese"). She showed me my film on the flat-screen TV that was mounted in the ceiling (Is this a new thing? I thought it was so cool! They even had cable.). I held my breath as she looked over the film. When she pronounced, "NO CAVITIES" I couldn't believe it.

The Doctor looked over the film and my teeth and said, "You go home and thank your parents for their good genes and teaching you to take great care of your teeth!" I would call my mom and dad if I could find my cell phone, and since they don't read this blog, you get to hear it:

"...and I didn't have any cavities!"
Am I too old for a sticker?

3 comments:

laurenthequeen said...

I'm so glad that your experience was better than mine! I would be happy to give you a sticker - a REALLY big one.

I know I have to go back after the baby comes and I'm scared to death of what they'll find.

Sarah said...

Congrats! It has been a LONG time for me too. I am happy for you that the hurting tooth didn't turn into anything big. I am sure that the 'healthy' cookies posted below are a help :) They look yummy and will have to be given a try!

Ed Hochhalter said...

Ask your dentist, maybe you'll get a sticker and a prize, haha. Seriously, it's always excellent to hear the magic words "no cavities" during a dental appointment. Congrats to ya and your teeth!