Just Like Novocaine

I am feeling a little better today from my post on Monday.  I still don't know much about my job situation, other than we're all just waiting.  Last I heard was that the information was coming down from headquarters by the end of this week, then it will trickle down to our managers.  Then . . . well . . . we'll see. 

However, I've been surprisingly busy this week.  So, that helps to keep my mind off of things looming overhead.  Kind of like a numbing effect. 

Speaking of numbing, I went to the dentist this week.  It was a new dentist for us since we moved across town.  The office is located in an older house that was transformed into a dental office, complete with a screen porch (Heaven!).  I got there 45 minutes early because I over-estimated the time needed to get there.  Being used to waiting 1-2 hours at my endo appointments, I was content to wait.  But I noticed a sign in their window that said, "Please inform us if you've been waiting longer than 10 minutes from your scheduled appointment time."  Pssht!  My endo's office has a sign that says, "Due to the volume of patients in our office, your scheduled appointment time may be delayed."  In other words, "Grab a magazine and park it." 

They called me in less than 15 minutes after I arrived, so a good 30 minutes before my scheduled appointment time.  I would like this place already, except that I truly believe that dentistry is the most evil profession in the world.  Seriously.  The hygienist showed me into the torture chamber chair room and directed me to drop off my things in the corner.  We debated about doing X-rays, but since it had been less than a year since my last dentist appointment, we weren't sure that insurance would cover them.  So, we decided to hold off until my next appointment. 

Then, the torture began.  Like I said, it had been about a year since my last appointment.  So, the scraping and poking were intense.  She asked me if I had been flossing to which I said "Ah ha" with my tongue sticking out of my mouth.  I really have been flossing with one of those flossers on a stick.  And using fluoride rinse.  But I suppose there are some things that can only been gotten off with a minature hook (devil profession). 

After scraping off my build-up and I'm sure 50% of my gums, the "polishing" commenced.  I've never heard it called polishing before, but it certainly does tickle in not a fun way.  The sound itself makes my skin crawl.  It's like someone scraping a blackboard with finger nails and rubbing styrofoam all at the same time (soundtrack of the devil?).  The only time in the world I wish I were deaf. 

Finally, flossing.  Honestly, I'm a gentle flosser.  But I think the hygienist have a bet going on who can get more blood to spew from their patients (again, devil's profession).  After flossing, some fluoride rinse, it was finally over.  Forty-five minutes of torture finally done. 

I meet my new dentist.  I don't think she took a breath the whole time she was there (a.k.a. she talked really REALLY fast).  I talked to her about my jaw popping and how it starts to hurt if it's been popping awhile.  She basically told me to try to avoid really crunchy food, don't grind my teeth, and wear a night guard.  Surgery is an option, but it's not a guarantee that it will fix anything. 

I set up my next appointment and leave.  I didn't receive any novocaine (as my title suggests), but I'll always take some.  My gums were so swollen after I left that even attempting some juice was painful.  I know it's part of good health management, but I dread my dentist appointments.  Being diabetic doesn't just mean watching our blood sugars; it also means maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle for an already compromised immune system. 

But I still claim, it's the devil's profession.  How else do all the devil pictures show him with a perfect smile?