My Time in the Big Chair

Well, believe it or not, I survived the three and a half hours in the dentist's chair today. Yes, it was nerve-wracking, but then it always is. Not the dentist's fault by any means, because he is a lovely, caring person who goes out of his way to make it as pleasant an experience as possible.

Let me tell you of some of my experiences from an early age sitting in the "Big Chair".

I think possibly I may have gotten off on the wrong foot, so to speak, with dentists. My first memory of going to the dentist was when I was about six years old. I had a tooth that was hurting me, and so my mom said to dad, " Well, Jim, I guess you had better take her to the dentist." So my Uncle Oney came over and took us in his car to the dentist's office.

We got to the Medical Arts Building in Knoxville where the dentist's office was located. We went up in the elevator (my first ride in one) and I was already nervous from that experience. My stomach felt like it didn't come up with us. Then on into the dentist's office where I looked around and didn't see any friendly faces. I did hear a kid hollering "no, no, no," from another room. I looked up into my dad's face, and he just smiled at me.

Into the dentist's office we walked in a few minutes, I with great trepidation. He ushered me over to the big chair sitting in the center of the little room. It had a tray with all kinds of stuff on it. He asked me to open my mouth, and I did (because I was a very obedient child at that time).

The dentist then reached into my mouth and felt around. I looked up at him, and saw that he was looking out the window. I said, "You are not even looking into my mouth!" He told me in no uncertain terms that he knew exactly what he was doing, and didn't have to look in there. Well! That was it for me. As far as I was concerned, he was a smart alec. He then put some stuff on my tooth, and pulled it. That finished it--I decided right then that no more trips to the dentist.

Ha!

Several years later, when I was the mother of a six year old, and a 3 year old, (age 25) I had to go to the dentist when we lived in Warsaw, Indiana, and begin having jaw teeth pulled that were rotten. I guess I showed that dentist when I was six that dentists were not on my priority list. Unfortunately, it had its own effects.

The dentist in Warsaw, informed me (as he was extracting wisdom teeth in pieces, drilling and prying them out) that he really enjoyed that kind of work. I said, "I'm glad someone is enjoying it, I certainly am not." It took several trips to have that work finished and fit me with upper and lower partials. I have been wearing partials for fifty years now, and have had one of them replaced with a full upper set of choppers.

I have had other dentist experiences, some good (well as good as they could be, since about 30 years ago I developed an allergy to some of the anesthetics that are used in dentistry). The allergy is one reason that I so much dread going to the dentist these days.

Well, enough of my anecdotes for today. At least, now you know, and I thank God, I survived my time in the Big Chair today.
God Bless you all and may His grace and love rest on each of you this evening and tonight.