Toothy Tuesdays: No fear!

Let me tell you, I am the biggest hypochondriac ever and counter-intuitively I avoid going to the doctor to get things checked out because I'm certain they have never seen something so awful before or they will tell me I am not going to make it. This is how a lot of people must feel about going to the dentist, so here on Toothy Tuesday we are here to tell you that it's really not that bad!

I have lots of patients that cover their mouth and want to rinse out before I'm allowed to get my paws and eyeballs into their kissers. Trust me, I have seen/smelled some serious funk and you probably don't have it. I've had friends tell me they are embarrassed to show me this HUGE problem they have, but it always turns out to be nothing and they are so reassured they schedule a dental visit right away. I guess it's the not-knowing the degree of the problem that makes people fearful to seek help, which ends up against you in the end.

As for the creepy noises and tastes, lots of dental offices these days are making definite advances in making the dental visit a more pleasing experience. As for the pain, in 2010, you should not feel any pain once the anesthesia has kicked in. If you do (really do) feel discomfort, don't hesitate to let the dentist know and he or she will probably be glad to give you a touch more anesthesia. The worst decision you can make is to avoid going to the dentist because you are afraid of what they might tell you.

Honestly, the longer you wait, the worse the problem may become. What may have started as a teeny/tiny cavity that could possibly be reversed might turn into a huge blowout costing you a tooth. Amazing advances in tooth-replacement therapies are being made (i.e. prostheses and dental implants), but nothing is as good as what is natural. Please, please don't let things get too far out of hand. Make sure you brush and get your wisdom teeth out if you have been advised to! This is another thing people like to put off. It's much easier to get this surgery taken care of at a younger age and in many places you can be totally knocked out for it. I got my wisdom teeth taken out the day before Thanksgiving when I was 18. I had a great time and ended up slurring, "no wonder why people take drugs. I feel sooooo good." At which point my mom quickly got me out of there, into the car and I was eating turkey the next day with the best of 'em.