I went to the dentist last week for the ritual quarterly cleaning (don’t ask). And I have to say that I always come away from there feeling a little blue.
It’s not because of the threat of pain, lying in the prone position with the TV volume just a shade too low to hear over the whirring machine, or having a hygienist chip away at my teeth for what seems like an eternity.
No. It’s because no matter what I do to take care of my molars, the dental establishment always wants MORE.
Case in point: I have learned how to brush, rinse and floss over the course of many years of oral hygiene. And these are rituals I practice on a quotidian basis. Yet each time I visit the dentist, they tell me: I could be doing a better job; I’m not doing it right; I should be brushing without toothpaste first; I should brush in a circular motion (versus up and down); I should … The litany is endless.
Dental professionals, believe me when I say I’m listening to you and I’m trying. I really am.
Just once, I’d like you to ‘build me up buttercup’; but you, as the song says, just ‘let me down’.
How about a little positive reinforcement for a change?
And while I’m on the subject, why do they continue to give me a regular toothbrush when they keep trying to get me to use an electric? Just asking.
Martin, your blog is right on! I have the exact same experience all the time. Last time I had my teeth cleaned, I had two molars that bled and the hygenist went off on me like a pinata! She was practically screaming at me … I don’t clean well enough, I should floss more, I have to buy an electric tooth brush, I should have my gums massaged more often .. omigod! I felt like a child. I hate going to the dentist. Why can’t dental professionals be more like PR people, start with the positive, add constructive feedback, but always end on a high note!