Ah, getting your teeth cleaned. You lay in the chair, arms on the arm rests, hands hanging limply over the ends. Calm, relaxed, this time it is going to be different. She starts up the cleaning device and places it against the first tooth. Body tenses as I vibrate out of the chair onto the floor.
Oh sorry, she says, I didn’t see the note saying don’t use the cleaning machine. She takes out the cleaning pick as I climb back into the chair.
Calm but not quite relaxed I sit while she flicks and scraps at some offending piece of plaque. With each flick a facial twitch. I can only hope that the twitch doesn’t become permanent.
Sssccraape, and I see an explosion of colours behind my closed eyelids. Ah, she says, we will have to let the dentist check that spot. I wipe away a tear from the corner of my eye.
In time she finishes the ordeal and I feel as though I ran a marathon. I am sure I lost five pounds sitting in the chair.
She smiles and says “see you again in four months”. I shudder… then smile… and I leave, knowing the joy of dental health care.
:rolleyes: