Trapped by a Hygienist

A Dental Experience.

As I was brushing my teeth this morning, I could feel my electric toothbrush losing it’s spin strength. If you’ve never used an electric toothbrush (wft you waiting for?), when the batteries are fresh, it’s like using a power tool to clean your teeth, a plastic brush, rather then a wire wheel. Some peeps might need that wire wheel though.

The last two trips I went for my semi-annual cleaning, I had the same hygienist. Don’t get me wrong, she’s super nice. She is just gifted with gab. While I was in the chair, mouth hanging open, head tilted appropriately, she told me all about her niece. I didn’t have much to reply to. It was pretty one-sided with fingers and tools in my mouth.

What I did find annoying is she would stop working, to speak. I wanted her to speak and work, so this would just be over asap. When she stopped talking, I guess I was expected to say something, but I didn’t always know how to respond, because I had begun listening to the client and hygienist in the next room.

Their conversation was much more interesting as the patient was telling how she had lived in a commune (sounded cult like) and how she hadn’t seen to a dentist back then. I don’t know how the hygienist was even getting this ladies teeth clean, she talked so much. I strained my ears to hear over my chatty tooth scraper, to hear stories of commune living. It was an escape, but only in my head, not my body.

I was trapped by my hygienist, and the one next door, was trapped by her patient. Until that dental floss goes through my teeth and I’m told the dentist will be in shortly, I am stuck in an uncomfortable position, with a strangers fingers in my mouth, poking, prodding, and scrapping. The process should go quickly, and stories do not need shared.

When she was finally done, I could barely contain my excitement. The dentist came in next and gave my teeth a clean bill of health. I was ready to roll. Except, my hygienist was now busy talking to her co-workers and had not gone to get my teeth whitener. I had to wait another 10 minutes, even though I asked her twice. Once before she cleaned my teeth and once after.

It must have slipped her mind in the seconds, after she left the room and began speaking to someone else.

I’m glad I only need to torture myself with this twice a year.

Here’s to pearly bright whites!!

Pattie