Dreading the dentist’s drill
Do you ever feel anxious? Anxiety is strange phenomenon defined as “a natural, future-oriented emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like a racing heart.” Another definition says it is the body’s natural response to stress.
I never thought about anxiety being the body’s response but rather my mind’s response to something and, therefore, an emotion or response that I should be able to control. Mind over matter and all that. I was pondering all of this while trying to ignore the sound that I dread: the dental drill.
I’ve always had good teeth and good overall dental health. I brush and floss regularly and haven’t had to endure a root canal. Probably the most extreme dental procedure I’ve had involved an overnight hospital stay back when I was in high school to remove impacted wisdom teeth. The resulting puffiness of my cheeks wasn’t fun, but I did enjoy getting to eat ice cream and mashed potatoes as my main foods for the following week.
I have had my fair share of cavities in my molars starting when I was a kid, and that meant drillings and fillings. Eventually, that led to my needing a few of the molars crowned and that wasn’t a fun experience. Nothing has ever really been painful, but I can’t say it was enjoyable either.
My dentist recently told me two of my crowns were old and deteriorating to the point that they needed to be replaced. Ugh. I scheduled the appointment and went in ready to face that sound I dread. The first part involved firing up something that I imagine looked like a blade they use to cut ceramic tile and water being sprayed the whole time to keep it cool while cutting my old metal crown enough so that it would pop off the tooth.
Of course, my dentist numbed my jaw in both spots with some good old novacaine, but that didn’t stop my mind from becoming overly anxious. When the sound of the drill started, I was convinced that it would strike a nerve at any moment and I would go through the roof.
That never happened. In fact, I didn’t really feel anything thanks to the numbing medicine. When I left, my shoulders and neck were so tight from tensing up during the drilling that I nearly gave myself a headache and all for no reason.
I have a great idea for a new invention: a silent dental drill! Wouldn’t that prevent fear and anxiety if we couldn’t hear that sound? Maybe noise-canceling headphones might be a solution.
I can see the appeal of sedation dentistry if major work is required and why dentists used to use laughing gas in the old days.
For now, I’m glad my crowns have been replaced and hoping I won’t have to hear the sound of the drill again anytime soon.
Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.