Thursday 27 November 2008

Dental Flipping Mental

Can I have a bloody good moan? I've just changed nhs dentists. First one I had outside London was an Evil Man who considered my face in need of punishment. He used to spend all appointments trying to squash my face in to shape, so much so that I used to have to use my hand to grab his and force it away. Sometimes he'd apologise, and sometimes not. I think he genuinely used to like to support his weight on patients faces whilst operating. So I have binned him.

Now I've found a new dentist, who seemed nice, kind, caring even, and on the nhs too. The only worrying thing about the surgery was the speed in which they can offer you an appointment (two weeks). However today they, her and her assistant that is, have really really upset me. It all started off ok, I needed two fillings, went to the appointment on time, sat down, exchanged pleasantries etc etc. Then the dentist got out a GIANT needle, and just jabbed it in to my gums three times. It really really really hurt.

Then the assistant did the suction thing, obviously with the giant injections one half of my face was paralysed. But not my tongue. She bashed it with her tube thing so many times, I got so tense, I simply reached out grabbed her wrist and pushed it away saying; 'Stop it now'. She did stop, but it was all rather embarrassing as could not explain self until another ten minutes or so had passed. We both apologies to each other, me for being a little harsh, and her for hurting me.

Then I left. But have to go back in two weeks. Surely this is all wrong though? My first lovely London dentist in Crouch End promised me he'd never hurt me, and never did, think he used to just wipe no pain something on my gums before an injection. Trouble is, he used to be private but said his charges were the same as nhs, course they were not.

Then second lovely London dentist (ok - I know this is getting a bit City-centric but really they are kinder!), was nhs and private. He was really good looking, irrelevant of course, but most importantly never hurt me, ever. And he was in Wanstead. But he was nhs, and most of my treatment with him was completely free, as spent many years either pregnant or year after having baby. (Nearly four now I come to think of it - Jesus, no wonder I fancy a drink more these days!)

So, is that it then? If you want nice kind pain free dental treatment you have to go to a lovely area, and find a dual nhs/private dentist? But where is that here? Tenterton? There's no dentist in the Old Town which would usually qualify as loveliest area in Hastings.

I wonder if I can bring myself to ask current dentist, who apart from pain issue I like, if she has some anti-hurt wipes? Suspect she thinks I am biggest wuss patient ever already though, and don't want to offend her.

Mouth still not right now, at end of day, after early treatment. Tried to drink coffee but it is as though as have had stroke on left side of face. Managed to eat a pot noodle like a elderly person without teeth though.

4 comments:

Grey Area said...

my dentist in Hove is first class so good that I kept the same dentist when I went I was living in Liverpool and would travel back when I needed a check up - and I'm still with him now - I have no problems traveling an hour to see someone I trust who treats the patients with respect. The dentists in Liverpool wee like abatoirs.

Grey Area said...

- sorry, I meant 'were' like abatoirs...the way I wrote it sounded like something from Friday the 13th....

Anonymous said...

I'm laughing at the weeing dentists. Yeah, maybe I should call up Lovely Wanstead Dentist - although it is a good hour and a half away, and I guess twenty quid in petrol. Or just bravely ask dentist for some special treatment as a Nervous Patient or something. Did nearly cry at tounge bashing though.

Anonymous said...

could try changing to Rex Muller opposite the Shar. Very good, I hate needles and am a blooming awful patient but he is great, takes time and never does a bad job