Hollie Grimaldi Flores: Dental trauma, repaired at last

I had my six-month checkup and cleaning at the dentist this week.

I am not a big fan of the dentist. It is not my dentist’s fault.

The fault falls to one Dr. Rose — a general dentist who has presumably long since left this world since he was ancient in my memory when he first ripped a tooth out of my mouth when I was about 7 years old.

I am not sure why I was at the dentist.

Regular dental care was not a normal part of my childhood, but I must have been having some issue for my mother to have made the appointment.

My eldest sister took me to the visit — I can only guess my mother was at work.

My memory — admittedly somewhat embellished after so many years — is that I was taken into a treatment room and left to sit in the dental chair for quite awhile and all by myself.

Finally, Dr. Rose appeared, armed with nothing but a giant pair of pliers. Without much fanfare, he tore a tooth from my tiny unprepared mouth.

I remember feeling completely taken by surprise and determined to be stoic until I was released to my sister in the waiting room where I immediately burst into tears.

I never wanted to go to the dentist again.

Dr. Rose was more well known for halitosis then dental genius.

I spent the next several years avoiding trips to the dentist at all cost.

I was a firm believer dentists became dentists only to inflict pain.

That was a notion reinforced when “Little Shop of Horrors” hit the big screen.

Steve Martin’s character, the sadistic Dr. Orin Scrivello, reiterated my beliefs: “You’ll be a dentist. You have a talent for causing things pain. Son, be a dentist. People will pay you to be inhumane.”

Once I entered adulthood, I began to take a responsible approach to my dental care.

As you can imagine, years of neglect meant multiple dental issues.

I would give a dentist one to two visits to win me over. The slightest bit of pain sent me back on my quest.

It took about 20 years, but I did find my ideal dentist.

The outer office was full of distractions and looked a bit like a castle.

The minute you were taken in for treatment, the dental assistant placed a bubblegum-scented mask on your nose and started pumping nitrous oxide into your system.

While you reclined in the chair, another assistant directed you to the overhead screen and gave you the option of picking one of dozens of hit films.

It was the best dental experience ever.

Unfortunately, it was not my dental experience, but that of my children.

Try as I might, the dentist refused to treat me! All of her magic tricks, from singing along to Disney as she worked, to stealthily inserting a needle into a patients gums without it ever being seen, was saved for the young set.

Pediatric dentistry is where it is at!

I think there is a niche for the pediatric model, resized for adults.

Who would mind spending an hour in the dentist chair?

A little relaxation gas, a movie and even a trip to the prize closet for good behavior! Oh, the possibilities!

I am a big fan of being gassed if I have to be in the chair. I don’t necessarily want to be sedated — I want to know who is doing what where and when while in the chair — but I would like to feel good with a devil-may-care attitude while there is any sign of a needle, pick or drill.

My current dentist is a very nice man.

I am not sure how long he has been looking inside the mouths of various members of the community, but he did mention someone we know in common who has been coming to him for 30 years, so at least that long.

We have that awkward attempt at conversation while he works. He asking questions, and I try to answer with the suction hose resting in the corner of my mouth.

I continue to go to him because he has never hurt me. He is incredibly competent, patient, kind and understanding.

He does not mock my white knuckle grip on the chair.

Instead he is working hard to undo the long-term effect of that one traumatic childhood incident.

He fills what needs to be filled and cleans what needs to be cleaned.

And when I leave, we both manage a beautiful smile.

Source: http://www.theunion.com/entertainment/19418443-113/hollie-grimaldi-flores-dental-trauma-repaired-at-last

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