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February 21, 2012 in Features
The Slice: Let’s take the stress out of trip to dentist
Sorry, “Marathon Man,” but that’s not the dental work we’d like to imagine.
(Full-size photo)
I have an idea that might help those who fear dentistry.
But first, let me make clear that I am not making fun of people who suffer from this anxiety. The truth is, I’m practically one of you.
This wasn’t always the case. I used to take getting a filling in stride. No big deal.
But over the past 10 or 15 years I have turned into a big baby about dental drills. I’m not sure why. It’s not like I’m scarred by some horrific experience.
OK, there have been one or two attention-getting twinges. Nothing of any duration, though.
And I trust my dentist. She takes my anxiety seriously.
Still, we aren’t always rational creatures. Which leads to my idea.
I think those frightened by dentistry would do well to consider how horrible mouth medicine used to be long ago.
And to that end, I recommend watching film or TV depictions of nightmarish dental procedures before your next appointment that involves anything more than just a cleaning.
Admittedly, that might strike you as counterintuitive. But here’s the thing. If you see scenes of some ham-handed barber yanking a throbbing molar in the Old West or watch depictions of medieval gougings that look more like enhanced interrogation than a therapeutic extraction, you arrive at a useful point of reference.
You can ease back into the dental chair and silently repeat to yourself, “Whatever happens, it won’t be as a bad as that.”
You know, compare and contrast.
But I could use some help compiling a list of movies and archived television shows that depict stressful dental procedures. I know I have seen many such scenes over the years. I’m just having a hard time remembering specifics. “Deadwood”? “Cadfael”?
So if you have a nominee, pass it along. I will share.
Let’s agree in advance to skip 1976’s “Marathon Man.”
I’m trying to help people appreciate modern dentistry, not scare them out of their minds with scenes of drill-induced torture.
Today’s Slice question: Has your dread of dental procedures turned you into a hyper-diligent flosser?
Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Of course, none of this compares to the problems of those who cannot afford decent dental care.
The Slice: Perhaps something smells fishy 
BarbChamberlain on February 21 at 10:24 a.m.
The do-it-yourself dentistry scene in Castaway, when Tom Hanks knocks out his own abscessed tooth, haunts me still.
dkmiles on February 21 at 1:41 p.m.
Little Shop of Horrors is the definitive dentist movie
arliacne on February 21 at 2:59 p.m.
Little Shop Of Horrors - the 1986 version with Steve Martin as the sadistic dentist and Bill Murray as the pain freak.
As I tremble in the chair these days I reflect on some 56 years of dentistry and marvel how the world has changed. Rockets into space, instant communications, computers which fit in your pocket, the demise of print media, The Simpsons …. and I marvel how dentists still jam a steel spike in my mouth just like they did all those years ago.
greenlibertarian on February 21 at 11:55 p.m.
Nitrous Oxide is your very good dentistry friend.