Teeth, or more specifically, the lack thereof
I had a root canal. It was terrifying. And then I met the guy doing it and he gave me a fist bump. "We're not hand shake people," he said, "we're knuckle people." And in that moment I knew we were going to get along swimmingly.
He worked well with my dental phobia. Cracked a lot of jokes. Told me I had beautiful teeth and while he probably says that to all the girls, it worked on me. About halfway through the procedure, just in the moment I felt my chest tighten and my hyperventilation begin, he offered to sing for me. "Uh uh," I managed to grunt from beneath my dental sheath.
"Probably a good call," he said. "I don't normally sing to patients and I'm not sure you would find it very soothing if I did. I'm not sure why I even offered. I must really like you."
That was appointment 1 and I'm actually kind of looking forward to appointment 2. Maybe this time I'll ask him to sing.
Grace
Grace had 6 teeth pulled at her last ortho appointment. 6! They were hollow and ready and the doc was just popping them out easy, easy. Until the last 2. One was tough and one was really tough and I gave him the kill sign. "I think I'm done anyway," he said.
"Oh, I know you're done," I replied.
"Your mom is so tough," he joked with Grace.
And he only knows the half of it.
Grace got $10 and a lovely farewell note from her tooth fairy. She promised to come back and take care of Grace's kids.
Brynn
Brynn lost her two front teeth and it was a prolonged, dramatic and horrifying experience. I wanted to say "come one now, I had a root canal and I didn't cry this much," but I resisted not very grown up to go tit for tat with a 6 year old.
Ultimately, Aunt Annie (dental aunt extraordinaire) pulled out one of the teeth and Brynn pulled out the other. What is so great is how it has changed her whole look and given her this darling "I'm missing my two front teeth" lisp. I love it. It's about as cute as they come.
Brynn got $2 and a note, in which the tooth fairy resisted the urge to tell her to buck up next time and take the tooth pulling like a man and instead sweetly complimented her bravery and tooth brushing skills.
He worked well with my dental phobia. Cracked a lot of jokes. Told me I had beautiful teeth and while he probably says that to all the girls, it worked on me. About halfway through the procedure, just in the moment I felt my chest tighten and my hyperventilation begin, he offered to sing for me. "Uh uh," I managed to grunt from beneath my dental sheath.
"Probably a good call," he said. "I don't normally sing to patients and I'm not sure you would find it very soothing if I did. I'm not sure why I even offered. I must really like you."
That was appointment 1 and I'm actually kind of looking forward to appointment 2. Maybe this time I'll ask him to sing.
Grace
Grace had 6 teeth pulled at her last ortho appointment. 6! They were hollow and ready and the doc was just popping them out easy, easy. Until the last 2. One was tough and one was really tough and I gave him the kill sign. "I think I'm done anyway," he said.
"Oh, I know you're done," I replied.
"Your mom is so tough," he joked with Grace.
And he only knows the half of it.
Grace got $10 and a lovely farewell note from her tooth fairy. She promised to come back and take care of Grace's kids.
Brynn lost her two front teeth and it was a prolonged, dramatic and horrifying experience. I wanted to say "come one now, I had a root canal and I didn't cry this much," but I resisted not very grown up to go tit for tat with a 6 year old.
Ultimately, Aunt Annie (dental aunt extraordinaire) pulled out one of the teeth and Brynn pulled out the other. What is so great is how it has changed her whole look and given her this darling "I'm missing my two front teeth" lisp. I love it. It's about as cute as they come.
Brynn got $2 and a note, in which the tooth fairy resisted the urge to tell her to buck up next time and take the tooth pulling like a man and instead sweetly complimented her bravery and tooth brushing skills.
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