Raise your hand

Sitting, waiting in the dentist always fills me with anxiety. I once read that pain is increased if you are tense, so if I can relax then the pain endured reduces. I’m not even certain why I think I’m going to experience pain, as I’m just having a check up and maybe a clean. But it’s an association I’ve always had since a young age, that going to the dentist means a painful experience. I think it’s because my dad, and his dad, both hated the dentist and seemed to have a bad time of it.

For now though I’m just waiting, whilst Brian has gone in for his clean and check up, and to tell the dentist he has recently broken a tooth, and he has started experiencing some sensitivity. Me, I just need to stay calm and have happy thoughts.

Brian calls out to me, ‘Jo can you help me with the translation’. That’s the other thing that adds to the anxiety of the situation, do we actually understand what is being said? I go to help, wondering what’s happened. Relief, Brian looks happy, and not like he’s just been through an horrendously painful experience. He says ‘I’m missing some of the words, do you understand?’. I listened to the dentist repeat what he was saying. ‘He’s going to give you a prescription for a mouth wash, twice a day for a week’ . ‘Excellent’ he replies. He explains it’s for the sensitivity in his gum. ‘But what about the broken tooth, do we need to come back?’ I ask tentatively. ‘No it’s all done!’ ‘Blimey, that was easy’. Brian gave me a huge smile, ‘look’. I couldn’t even tell which tooth had been repaired, it all seemed so simple.

My anxiety started to lessen as I settled into the chair and started to think about sunny places to help relax me for my simple check up and clean. The dentist asks if I’ve got any issues or is it just a clean. We establish just a clean. He’s very gentle as he whirrs round inside my mouth with the little cleaning tool. Its all a bit uncomfortable, but nothing else. He then says, in perfect English ‘If you need a break, just raise your hand’. What had I been worried about?