19 Jun 2008, Posted by Cat in News, 15 Comments. Tagged dentist

smile!

A bit of my tooth chipped off the other day while I was flossing. My regular dentist was booked out so I took the one they had available for the soonest appointment today. Her name was Anna and I swear to god, she looked all of twelve years old.
Turns out I need a filling replaced so she shoots me up with painkiller and begins to drill. I tell her I can still feel the nerve. This is quite commonplace for me — I usually need 2 shots of numb stuff, the unfortunate side effect of which is that the whole side of my face, eyeball included, is usually dead and rubbery for hours afterwards. Oh dear, says Anna. Perhaps we should wait a minute longer? So we wait and then she starts up with the drill again. I can’t feel a thing. She gets on with the job, chatting to her assistant with her gentle voice, politely saying thank you when the assistant hands her something. Anna operates with the delicacy and precision of a sparrow hopping about in my mouth. Whenever Anna is going to do something I’ll be able to feel, she warns me.
Above on the ceiling in my line of sight is a Simpsons poster featuring all the characters from the show. All of them. Jeez, I thought I’d be able to recognise every single one but I don’t. Anna’s assistant is telling her how she’s gonna take her kids to see Disney on ice & I’m wondering who the hell that guy standing beside Ned Flanders is, then hey presto, its all over. I sit up. My face is no number than it needs to be and an hour later I’m drinking a cappuccino without dribbling it down my front. I’m also realising that every other time I’ve been given that second shot of numb stuff has been completely unnecessary. The (male) dentists just weren’t prepared to wait an extra minute for the painkiller to kick in.

FEMALE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS — OH YEAH!

PS Rob’s out tonight so guess what I’m having for dinner? Savignon blanc and a tin of wasabi peas. Now thats what I call a balanced diet!