I did something yesterday I hadn't done in 12 years. I went to the dentist. When I told the dentist that I hadn't been to a dentist office since '95, he asked what happened in '95. I told him I was still active duty Air Force and it's required to go to the dentist every year. Once I got out of the service and no one was making me go, I didn't go back.
Some people go to the dentist once a year. Some people go twice a year. I was on the once every dozen years plan. Apparently, a lot of us choose that plan.
I have several excuses (yes, excuses) why I didn't go back. First of all, I went to the dentist once a month EVERY month when I was growing up. I had braces three times. And when I didn't have braces, I had this thing called an appliance in my mouth. No, not a refrigerator or stove. An appliance is a retainer that pushes your teeth OUT instead of IN. On top of that, I had a root canal when I was only 12 because my sister did a front walk-over while standing in front of me and killed one of my two front teeth.
When I joined the service, they had to redo my root canal because there were air pockets or something in there. GREAT. Another root canal. On my front tooth. Lovely. But to sweeten the deal, they covered it with a veneer so it no longer looked gray. The AF dentist also told me that I had the shortest roots of anyone he'd ever seen before. In fact, at one point there were half a dozen dentists looking at my x-rays. Being that they were all officers and I was just an airman, I was too chicken to ask them what they were gawking about. But after it was just me and my dentist, I finally got up the nerve. He then told me that the roots on my teeth were so short he wouldn't be surprised if they started falling out of my head by the time I was 30. Lovely.
So, the dentist office is definitely NOT my favorite place to visit.
But it wasn't only that. Once I got out of the Air Force, it was a financial issue. I didn't know if I could afford to go to the dentist. I had a dental plan at work, but that's no indication as to what my costs would be for a visit. So, I avoided it. My son got cleanings, but not even annually. Shame on me. And I didn't go at all...until yesterday.
I told the dental hygienist, who is also a dear friend of mine, that coming back to the dentist after so long was like going to confession in the Catholic church. I was totally ashamed. I mean, I guess no one looks forward to it. But I was even more concerned that my teeth would look really bad and I'd have a dozen cavities. But no, one broken tooth (the only reason I made the appointment in the first place) and one cavity. She told me that it was amazing how good my teeth looked considering no one had looked at them in a dozen years.
So, I felt pretty good after that. And I made an appointment for six months down the road. I decided I'd rather not be on the 12 year plan again.
By the way, I'll be 37 in two weeks and none of my teeth have fallen out yet.
Some people go to the dentist once a year. Some people go twice a year. I was on the once every dozen years plan. Apparently, a lot of us choose that plan.
I have several excuses (yes, excuses) why I didn't go back. First of all, I went to the dentist once a month EVERY month when I was growing up. I had braces three times. And when I didn't have braces, I had this thing called an appliance in my mouth. No, not a refrigerator or stove. An appliance is a retainer that pushes your teeth OUT instead of IN. On top of that, I had a root canal when I was only 12 because my sister did a front walk-over while standing in front of me and killed one of my two front teeth.
When I joined the service, they had to redo my root canal because there were air pockets or something in there. GREAT. Another root canal. On my front tooth. Lovely. But to sweeten the deal, they covered it with a veneer so it no longer looked gray. The AF dentist also told me that I had the shortest roots of anyone he'd ever seen before. In fact, at one point there were half a dozen dentists looking at my x-rays. Being that they were all officers and I was just an airman, I was too chicken to ask them what they were gawking about. But after it was just me and my dentist, I finally got up the nerve. He then told me that the roots on my teeth were so short he wouldn't be surprised if they started falling out of my head by the time I was 30. Lovely.
So, the dentist office is definitely NOT my favorite place to visit.
But it wasn't only that. Once I got out of the Air Force, it was a financial issue. I didn't know if I could afford to go to the dentist. I had a dental plan at work, but that's no indication as to what my costs would be for a visit. So, I avoided it. My son got cleanings, but not even annually. Shame on me. And I didn't go at all...until yesterday.
I told the dental hygienist, who is also a dear friend of mine, that coming back to the dentist after so long was like going to confession in the Catholic church. I was totally ashamed. I mean, I guess no one looks forward to it. But I was even more concerned that my teeth would look really bad and I'd have a dozen cavities. But no, one broken tooth (the only reason I made the appointment in the first place) and one cavity. She told me that it was amazing how good my teeth looked considering no one had looked at them in a dozen years.
So, I felt pretty good after that. And I made an appointment for six months down the road. I decided I'd rather not be on the 12 year plan again.
By the way, I'll be 37 in two weeks and none of my teeth have fallen out yet.
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