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Dental Crush

I had a dentist appointment first thing this morning, which is a great way to start off a Monday.

The dentist has never freaked me out. Only time I was ever a little skittish is when my dentist in Homer -- the one I had seen since I was 9 -- thought he could do "one quick filling" without anesthesia.

"It won't hardly hurt!"
Ha. Yeah, don't believe that EVER.

The last time I had seen a dentist was the summer of 2000. I got x-rays and a cleaning and requested I get my molars yanked out. The reason? I would soon be out from under my parents' dental insurance. The oral surgeon didn't appreciate my frank honesty about that, but he pulled the teeth anyway.

Seven years of no dental coverage, no dental care.

Seven years of brushing my teeth only when I showered (yes, I brush my teeth in the shower and yes, I know that it's weird, but it's efficient and otherwise I wouldn't brush at all so let's just leave it at that).

Seven years of only flossing when something got stuck between my teeth (usually a piece of fingernail) (oh man I chew my nails so much it's not even funny).

Seven years and I was expecting the worst.

Growing up we didn't have the most stringent of dental habits, and as such my first few dentist visits resulted in many (8? I think?) fillings. Which were no fun, but it never freaked me out.

But these last seven years? Have resulted in approximately zero cavities.

The hygienist cleaned all of my teeth and shoved so many metal tools in between them that they still, 12 hours later, feel like she attached traction weights to each and every one of them to pull them apart.

The dentist that saw me (not the one I made the appointment for because he had gotten stranded out of town due to the heavy wind and rain) was extremely attractive from the viewpoint of lying on my back (ahem). He told me that I had a very pretty smile and needed to floss more.

But honestly.
I think he says that to all the girls.