Dentistry

[Odalisque]

I read Candy's post about the dentist and tried to reply to it -- but the site wouldn't let me. So I've started a new thread.

I hope that Candy's tooth is now less painful. Dentists are a horror.

I once had a dentist try to pull out one of my teeth before the anaesthetic had taken effect. That hurts every bit as much as one would think it does -- and perhaps a bit more.

There was a thing on television last night that my housemate wanted to watch. (I certainly didn't!) It was about an Irish woman going to live with a tribe on the edge of the Kalahari. The tribe in question had a practice of knocking their children's lower front teeth out. The explanation was it's part of our culture. How can you justify torturing your kids with it's part of our culture?

[bendk]

Quote Originally Posted by Odalisque

There was a thing on television last night that my housemate wanted to watch. (I certainly didn't!) It was about an Irish woman going to live with a tribe on the edge of the Kalahari. The tribe in question had a practice of knocking their children's lower front teeth out. The explanation was it's part of our culture. How can you justify torturing your kids with it's part of our culture?

The phrase "cultural heritage" is increasingly used to justify irrational and barbaric behavior. Depending on the culture, everything from genital mutilation to killing whales falls under its insane umbrella. I detest the phrase. It doesn't justify anything.

[candy]

Thanks Odalisque, My tooth feels much better now!!! When I posted about it, I posted in the Social group Alcoholics Nemonomous(probably spelled wrong sorry). In order to reply to the message you have to join that Social Group. I am sure they would be happy to welcome you into the group!! I have always hated dentists and the tooth ache I had the other day didn't help me to start liking them. I am the same way with doctors.

[Odalisque]

Bendk -- I think you're entirely right about "cultural heritage". No one says that giving a bunch of flowers to their mothers is part of their cultural heritage.


Candy -- I'm glad your tooth feels much better now.

Like you, I dislike and distrust doctors as well as dentists.

I see about alcoholics noodle-nonny-mossy-moodle-puss (or whatever it is). I haven't joined because I drink very little these days. Though, I did get squiffy on my birthday night, recently. ;)

[Odalisque]

Of all the threads I've started, this one has the least posts. Feeling sorry for it, I decided to bump it.

I hope that Candy's teeth have continued to feel better.

My former dentist nearly killed me.

[Dry you eyes, Messrs Campbell and Roden.]

He erroneously injected an andrenaline-based anaesthetic into an artery which nearly precipitated a heart attack. I turned ice cold, my extremities tingled, and I experienced shock. Sweating profusely, he told me there was no cause for alarm, and quitely exited the room.

Unbeknownst to him, my work colleague Debbie was in the next room. He burst in and told his fellow dentist that he thought he might have killed a patient. They feverishly discussed my situation and decided to wait to see if I went into cardiac arrest.

I didn't. I only discovered the true story after overhearing Debbie telling somebody about her curious trip to the dentist.

After 30 minutes of feeling odd, I felt better. They let me go home, but the dentist left that same week.

Don't let my experience deter anyone from going to the dentist. Let it terrify you.

JK

[Steve Dekorte]

Quote Originally Posted by Odalisque

How can you justify torturing your kids with: it's part of our culture

In our culture I think we call this practice "education".

[Mamatas]

I avoided the dentist for fifteen years but after losing much of a tooth had to go. I shopped around and found an excellent dentist who worked hard and saved the tooth in a nearly painless exercise. You definitely have to search around, find other scardey-cats, and get a recommendation that way.