Dentist

Whenever I go to the dentist (once a year), I sit in the waiting room a lot longer than in the dentist's chair. He checks and then cleans my teeth and lets me go again. Ten minutes. Top!

This year he decided he wanted x-rays done. So, we got x-rays done. And now I have to go and see the jaw-surgeon (as we call it, I wouldn't know the English version of it).

I hate hospitals. Not that I have ever been in one apart from the odd visit or to have my wisdom teeth removed, but I hate them nonetheless. The reason for that is needles. I don't mind blood, I don't mind needles, it's just that I hate needles. And yes, I just told you that I don't mind them!

I used to give blood. Every three months I would go down to the local blood-letting point and give a pint or so of my blood. I don't mind that at all. I don't mind having a needle sticking out of my arm for the best part of 30 minutes. What I do hate however, is when they stick the needle in. And especially when they test your blood first using the finger! A small prick, granted, but I would tense up anyway. And it got gradually worse. In the end I gave up giving blood, purely because I would already be tense at home!

So, what does that have to do with the dentist you ask. Well, quite simple: whenever I go to the hospital to have my teeth checked, they feel it's necessary to sedate my mouth. Which in itself is good, because that way I won't feel the pain they will undoubtedly cause me. However, the way to sedate is through a needle. A very thin needle, but still, it's a needle. And that needle needs to go somewhere in my mouth and that area is not known for fleshy parts, like your arms. So, unless their aim is perfect, it's bound to hurt. And in the past their aim has only once been perfect and all the other times has been rubbish.

Of course I have to get my teeth checked out properly and they mightn't even use the needle this time. But I'm taking my mum with me anyway.

For support!