I'm one of the millions of Americans who hates going to the dentist. It's not just the pain endured, it is the amount of money you have to pay the guy who inflicts it. That just seems so wrong. But even before I had to pay my own bills, a visit to the dentist caused me great anxiety. Growing up, the dentist was a friend of the family. If he would come to see my Dad, I would run screaming into the house. At his office my Mom said I would cry so loud that she would just sit in the waiting room pretending I was someone else's child and not hers. I can still remember every detail of that office I visited so often as a result of my poor teeth.
Besides the pain, I have one other gripe with my old dentist. Somewhere around the age of 10-12, I was no longer allowed to go to the toy drawer and pick a prize. I deserved a prize after putting up with that kind of trauma. I personally think today my current dentist should be offering me a free manicure or pedicure after every visit. Lord knows I have paid for several of his vacations so it seems like I should get a little reward. The physical pain is easier to manage now than when I was young, but the anxiety level has increased ten fold. I gladly pay the $25 extra for the laughing gas. So why not charge me an extra $25 bucks on that $900 crown and let me pick from a treasure chest of adult themed goodies like jewelry and spa services. However, the real key seems to be trying to avoid going at all. I need to do whatever is possible to not need to visit the dentist.
As a result of my extreme couponing challenge, I managed to snag a Sonicare Electronic Toothbrush for next to nothing. My dentist has recommended them for years, but as he also sold them I was unimpressed with the endorsement. Prices have come down considerably and they now have an economy model. Target had it on sale for half off awhile back and with an additional manufacturers coupon I got it cheap. It was time to enter the world of hi tech teeth brushing. Then it sat in the box on the counter for well over a month until a tooth started hurting me. I made an appointment with the dentist and broke open the package.
The toothbrush is nothing like the electric toothbrushes of my youth. Those just did the brushing for those who were truly lazy or wanted a novelty. This uses ultrasonic vibrations of some kind to clean your teeth. Think of an electric toothbrush as a robin flapping it's wings. The Ultrasonic is like having a hummingbird in your mouth. Because of it's intensity I thought it might give my gums trouble, but it is gentle as it cleans around the gum line. In fact, it is gentler than my soft bristle manual toothbrush. In the couple of weeks since I have been using it, I had a root canal and a temporary crown, then had the root canal finished up a week later and permanent crown put on. Through it all this tooth brush performed like a champ. It leaves my teeth feeling cleaner than a regular toothbrush. I like it a lot.
I'm hoping this new appliance can cut down on a few trips to the dentist over it's lifetime, unless of course they start offering that treat chest filled with goodies I can choose from...
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