Thursday, December 08, 2005

Pearly Whites!

I went to the dentist today! In case you aren't so impressed with that, I should let you know that the dentist is one of my top five fears, right between #2, drowning, and #4, losing my temper and doing something violent. Fortunately it's the only one of the top 5 I actually have done and have to keep doing. (For you curious Georges, #1 is going completely insane and #5 is being close to rats). And today marks the end of a year of dental work including 2 root canals, 3 crowns and 5 or 6 fillings! How did I get so lucky? A combination of non-flouridated water growing up, having 3 babies in 4 years and weak dental genes, I guess. But now my teeth are clean and sparkly! Thank heavens for dental insurance and a husband who just says "you're worth it, baby," when the bills come! Thank heavens for laughing gas, too.

I think it's good for me to do this every so often. It builds a sympathy in me for the compassionate use of medications for anxiety. I work in women's health, usually unmedicated childbirth, and it's easy to get jaded and even judgmental about women making the choice to have medication to feel more comfortable giving birth. I mean, having anesthesia isn't good for you--that's just a known fact. Our nerves weren't meant to be turned on and off. But really, knowing that some women feel about childbirth the way I feel about dental work (I HATE IT! I mean, it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I'm getting tense just imagining it--ugh!), I understand. Having a baby should be a wonderful experience, whatever that means for you. For me, it means feeling every powerful nuance of my body and baby working together. For other women, it means being anesthetized. Fair enough. I truly enjoy the fact that I can divorce my mind from my body when I'm having dental work done. If having a baby makes some women feel that terrible, then by all means, they should have epidurals available to them. And everything else, too--doulas and hypnosis and water and whatever they want.

Ah, I'm so glad to have it done with! (BTW, if you're looking for a good dentist, Dr. Mark Mackley in North Ogden...he's the best!)

Posted by Sarah Jean :: 4:05 PM :: 0 Comments:

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