d.d.s or reversed, super dreadful dentist

Yesterday was one of those days that are just physically as well as mentally painful. I just wanted to stay in bed but naturally, with two kids, I can't. I woke up with my son's cold, that I've been fighting off for a week now --i didn't catch the last one, and also had a dentist appointment that I have been dreading. In between that, I attended the 'harvest festival' at the local church, because my son's school was putting it on, and he was singing! It was sweet, don't get me wrong, but head throbbing -baby on lap, I really wasn't up for it.

So the dentist... I made the appointment because I know that I have at least two small holes at the outer base of two bottom teeth--where they meet the gum, and its really been worrying me. I'm not a white teeth fanatic, but I don't like the idea of it going dark at the gum line, I start dreaming about all my teeth falling out into my hands.

And this is England. My husband laughs at his own country and lack of proper dental hygiene, but there are private and NHS dentists to choose from. The trouble is, the private, just like in America, are expensive. The NHS ones, are hard to get..all the ones within a 5 mile radius of our house were filled and not taking any new patients..this is a puzzling policy to me. But I was 'lucky' enough to find one, not so far, that was accepting new patients. Since I've just had a baby, I'm given free care for one year, which is very nice indeed. BUT, I dread the dentist on any good day, and going to see a much joked about NHS dentist was not top of my list of enjoyable things to do.

I was in and out within 30 minutes....for two 'occlusions'.. never mind the third one on the other side... He said "I can take care of those for you right now", and I thought "great" as I was fully expecting to have to come back again. Then he starts 'sanding' down the area, and doing the dentist dig, removing stuff from the hole in the tooth, and I'm in agony.. my gums have been bleeding anyway..hormones and stuff, and I said "its really sensitive" (and I've got a raging headache to boot) and he says "well I could numb the area if you really want, but I'm nearly finished". So, do I risk sounding like a pampered American and ask to be numbed, or let him carry on?" ugh, I let him carry on. Never have I had two cavities filled with no anesthetic. The last dentist I went to in America (about 3 years ago) rubbed something on to numb the area BEFORE she gave me the shot of Novocaine. Pampered indeed!

Then he went on to clean the rest of my teeth, mercilessly poking that pointy pick into each one causing unending flinches from me. At last when the torture session was over, he gave me a cup to rinse..and nothing but blood (sorry), for the entire cupful. The receptionist says "we won't need to see you for another 9 months".. yea right. That's their trick, make it so completely uncomfortable you won't want to come back and trouble them!
My husband was a bit surprised, but had a laugh anyway "don't be so soft!".