Dentists

I don't understand this fear of dentists thing. I go twice per year for a cleaning and it's not a problem. I don't like it, but I don't like vacuuming the carpet either, but it gets done every so often.

Our dentist closed her NHS practice and invited us to rejoin as private patients. I wouldn't on principle - I just keep cleaning my teeth and will consult someone else if I have any trouble. Some things (e.g. new specs) I get done on foreign holidays but I'm not sure that dentistry is one I'd recommend. I'd rather consult a dominatrix than that woman - cheaper too these days. (Stormy, a dominatrix is like an ABCtales event but less painful).

You'll be lucky to find another dentist to consult Neil... you cant register with anyone round here for love nor money. I would LOVE to be able to walk in to a practice and get a check up. My kids cant even get seen. Anyone see the young lad on the news who ended up on life support because of an untreated abscess? He couldnt get a dentist that would see him, and the abscess grew so much it blocked his windpipe... brrrr.

When I lived in London I went to a private dentist with offices somewhere in the City. No problem getting an appointment. By American standards, it was very reasonably priced, which means by anyone else's standards, it was probably 5X what it should have been. Anyway, I got in right away and they did a good job.

yes... private. i know *i* cant afford £90 for a filling. We pay taxes for free health care james, and so why, (even if we can afford it) should we pay again?

Being "in the family way" I am entitled to free unlimited dental care. People wherever I go keep telling me this with great enthusiasm. Am I supposed to get myself down there every day for a floride jamboree? They may think unlimited dental care a great bonus, I am counting it as another reason not to be so careless in the future.

My dentist did the same to me - left the NHS and I am now a private patient. The thing is I really like him. I hate dentists too as a rule but this guy is great - because he hates being a dentist. He almost cries when you bleed. He keeps stopping and asking if you're OK. He shakes and sweats at the end and just looks so bad about the pain he's caused that you only think of him, tell him it was fine - I think if I went 'ow' he'd commit hari-kari. I couldn't leave him. He's only very little too and looks like Leo Sayer - and he collects contemporary British art so you lie in the chair looking at a giant Hoyland original. Very Brighton, very mad.

You want to watch him, Tony. Suicide rates among dentists are the highest for any profession.

I'll swap your dental treatment for the endoscopy I have to endure in three weeks time.

It is hard to bite the bullet when it's your teeth that hurt :0) I hadn't realised that my wisdom tooth hurt ALL the time until nice dentist pulled it out. Free, cos of bump. Like Rachel says, it is a bit of an extreme way to get free dentist, though Be brave! You WILL feel so much better if there's anything wrong, and if there isn't, you won't have to have anything done! getting a dentist is easy here, but have to wait month to see a sister in health centre! Missi? Looked on Thymeworks but couldn't see interview?

Drink a quart of vodka and take 2 valium first. I bought a shed load of valium back from India if you want some

Fay, I'm still working on the DVD, I have the file ready to burn now but am having trouble getting my PC to behave. I'm going to a friend's house this evening with the file, he has a dedicated PC he uses for nothing else but rendering video files, whereas my PC has so many conflicting programs that Studio stalls after 5 mins!

Take a look at that valium Jude - sure it's not Viagra? When I was in India chemist shelves were piled high with the stuff and they tried to sell you some every time you wanted diarrhoea tablets or cough mixture.

"Soon have you up and about, Sir!"

definitely says diazepam not sildenifil on the packet...and it put me to sleep for the 9 hour flight back and didn't give me a stiffy, if I had a willy to get one with (stiffy that is)

But has fish been to the dentist yet?

grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

So, what happened to all these arguments in favor of public health-care then?

>grrrrrrrrrrrrr< Was that the sound of the drill? Dunno what I'm laughing at ... I'm under the drill on Weds. morning.

The sensation of the drill grinding against the tooth is awful. and those sharp pointy things they poke about in your mouth with...uuuurggh!!!!!

flash you fucker!

LMAO

the trouble is you see .... that i went to one last year that i got from NHS direct and despite being terrifically HANDSOME ... he was a dreadful butcher and left me BRUISED .... BRUISED i tell you .... and BLEEDING ... i CANT go back to him ... i had mr. bates for years but i cant go back to him either for another reason i am not divulging here ... so i need a dentist who is guaranteed to be nice and lovely and gentle and kind and not to shriek when i open my mouth ... now where do you get THEM??????

I don't think those type exist anymore Fishy, if they ever did.

Bugger, I was in the other forum and have only just found this. I went today for a check up thinking I would get away with no treatment needed since its only eight months since I last had a filling. My lovely dentist has gone and has been replaced by an antipodean dominatrix (whatever one of them is - it's a term I picked up from my kids) who hectored me non-stop about the effects of rfed wine and smoking on teeth. I know! I'm not dumb, I'm just stupid enough to carry on doing it. She has booked me in for an 'extended clean' and some superficial fillings ... at least, I think that's what she said but due to severe vowel swallowing I may have mis-heard. I'm terrified. It's not the pain, its the things_in_my_mouth syndrome. I can gag when cleaning my own teeth fer christs sake! Oh well, when I'm under the drill next week I shall console myself with the fact that while my teeth are far from perfect, I can always shut my mouth but my new dentist can't hide the fact that her perfect yankstyle molars are overcome by her sheer ugliness. Fish, go to the dentist. It's similar to a poetry reading only less painful.