Wednesday, March 3, 2010

the joy of dentist appointments

(only 2 days until free stuff! enter the giveaway here.)

i went to the dentist last week. and it was awesome.


not because we found an awesome coupon and saved a ton of money.

and not because i have no cavities! (and considering i haven't been to the dentist in at least 3 1/2 years, this is a big deal. especially in light of the fact that pregnancy and nursing can wreak havoc on your bones/teeth, what with those little babies sucking all the calcium out of your body. and since i feel like i've been pregnant or nursing for the majority of the last 5 1/2 years, i was prepared for massive cavities. so, i was pleasantly surprised when she said my teeth looked great.)


and speaking of my teeth looking great, she said they were the best she had ever seen, especially considering i haven't had braces.

and yes, of course she was telling the truth and no it was not false flattery.

(i sense, right now, across the miles, that my sister just might be rolling her eyes. that poor girl had a horrible time with dentists, braces, etc growing up and i never did. and she spent far more time than i brushing and flossing. i remember the sores in her mouth, dreading her orthodontist appointments, painful cavities. it doesn't seem fair.)

(however, her children are far calmer and way better sleepers than mine, so just maybe it does all work out in the end. 'cause i'd pretty much rather have a root canal than repeat the first year of mason's life.)


anyhow...

the greatness of this visit also did not come in the fact that this awesome dentist didn't see the need to lecture me on flossing. she asked if i floss (because that's what dentists do) and instead of lying and saying sometimes (as in at least twice a year or anytime i have corn on the cob) i said no. and that was that. finally, a dentist that recognizes that if a grown adult is not flossing, no amount of guilt-tripping/lecturing/threatening is going to make them change their ways.

i was a little concerned about the effect they might see of all my teeth grinding. because i grind those things something fierce. this seems so weird to me. isn't sleep supposed to be the most relaxing moment of ever? why on earth would i grind my teeth like i'm trying to chew through leather; so bad that my jaw is sore the next morning? the dentist asked, "are you under a lot of stress?"

ummm..... let me think about that:
yep.

so anyhow, if you are still reading this boring post all about me, the real reason the dentist trip was so fantastic had to do with the ridiculously long wait between x-rays and the dentist making her way over to me. because while i waited, i was reclined in this comfy chair, looking at the gorgeous mountains out the window...

and i fell asleep.

it was awesome!
one of the best naps i've had in a long time. and i wasn't even concerned if someone "caught" me sleeping. i felt so rested by the time i left there.

so yeah, i have to go to the dentist to get some decent sleep. something is seriously wrong with me.

7 comments:

Heather said...

I LOVE this post! Girl, you crack me up on a (not daily, but "postly" basis, as in, everytime you blog a new post).

Anyway, coming from a fellow tooth-grinder, I know where you're coming from. And yes, it is sad that a trip to the dentist is considered "me-time" for mommies, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Glad you got a good nap :) And found a non-harassing, non-judgemental dentist. They're hard to come by!

veterankindergartenteacher said...

Stephanie,

This is too funny. I have done the same thing after an exhaustive day in the classroom. The only difference is....I snore....ack! Well, since you were honest, I felt like I had to be too! lol

debby94 said...

That's funny Stephanie! Last week I donated blood for the first time. I actually wanted to close my eyes. I really enjoyed the peace & quiet!! It's funny what us moms consider relaxing! Who would have ever thought going to the dentist or giving blood would be a treat!

Aubrey said...

ah! I love it. This was too funny! I remember falling asleep at the gyno after my first was born and thinking this is the best afternoon i've had in a long while ;)

Heather said...

ok, so you must be a good writer, 'cause it was so gripping to me to find out what was so good about the dentist! I am with you about the whole nursing thing. I nursed all 4 of my kids for over a year each, and Osteopenia is the result for me. (even though my teeth are great). That's how important it is to take care of ourselves. Especially when 2 bodies are in need. Anyway, I'm so glad the dentist was so pleasant for you!

legendswife said...

hehe...It's amazing the places I don't care that I'm "caught" sleeping at.If there's even a reply to my nodding,sleeping,and drooling:), I just look at the person and say "wait just second. And then I show them a food stain on my clothes,from one of my children using me as there napkin.The animal cracker crumbs in my purse. My checks with crayons scribbles. The list could go on, and I tell them that too! They back off quickly:)lol. Hope you can get some sound sleep (possibly in a bed).

God Bless

Nicole @ WhenDidIBecomeMyMom.com said...

Oh sweetie you must have been soo tired! Isn't it amazing what a nap can do?