the perks of going to the dentist.

how one looks after a dentist trip. yup, plus the mini mohawk.

so i went to the dentist a few months ago.

looking back, it was an intriguing experience,
simply because the last time i went was 150 years ago,
and it was the most meaningful human interaction
i had post-oman and pre-kl lockdown!

anyway, so here are some rather surprising perks i've found,
despite all the scary thoughts or stories about a dentist trip;

1. you find that the hole in your gum isn't what you thought.

2. you find out that you're lazy and bad in keeping teeth clean.

3. ms dentist was actually nice about it when explaining things
to you. quite frankly if i were the dentist, i'd say, "...brush your
teeth more than once a day, you chummy little slob!..."

4. no, i don't know what chummy means. or if it actually exists.

5. you get to be treated in a nicely decorated room. sure, perhaps
the colourful wall decorations are more meant to subdue the kids,
but i appreciate the happy emotions from it, regardless.

6. you start blabbing all sorts of nonsense when you're petrified.

7. now, the seating position. it tilts downwards. a LOT. now,
while i fully appreciate that this is the best way for ms dentist
to perform her duties, but quite frankly having your legs hoisted
up in the air while having your head towards the ground goes
against my preferred daily norm of sitting down. AND it certainly
doesn't assist when you're already petrified in the 1st place.

8. you find out that despite what ALL your friends say, it is
clinically proven that you DON'T have a big mouth. or jaw opening
more like it, but it's nice to prove all those bastards wrong!

9. i too, enjoy teaching my engineering "kids", so i can appreciate
people taking time to explain things and train assistants on the job.

10. as a reservoir engineer in surveillance, i can appreciate the concept of doing diagnostic tests and taking as much information as possible in order to build a full picture, before recommending options on how to proceed and what the pros and cons are. i can also appreciate that no matter how much you explain things to people, there are certain technical details that you simply cannot expect non-practitioners to understand and make a fully informed decision on. if it were me, i'd go; ",,,just do what i tell you.." MIC DROP.

11. anesthesia IS NO JOKE, PEOPLE! however, what IS a joke is,
it would be nice to inject it in the thigh of, say, usain bolt and
challenge him to a 100 m race. NOT SO FAST NOW YA? haha!

12. the notion of medical professionals of being higher levels of
patience vs the average person is likely very true. i've seen 1st hand
how ms dentist deals with people when things aren't going to plan
or when things aren't working or available as they should be.
quite frankly i would've managed the situation FAR worse than her.
and as certain ex-colleagues might attest to, i'm VERY sarcastic
and not pleasant to deal with at all when i'm pissed off haha!

13. HOWEVER, as someone who likes to observe people, you DO
wonder how that patience would affect them. i mean, as a human being, i'm sure they need to vent somehow, or hope that they channel that possible inner frustration in a good way. it does make you feel like asking ms dentist if she's ok, and offer to hear her vent if she needs to.

14. for any business or shop, never ever underestimate the importance
of having friendly people at reception. it could make someone's day.

15. also, never underestimate the importance of having seemingly
fashionable shades for the patients to wear. we appreciate looking good while having a huge light blasted in our face haha!

16. jazz-ish type songs isn't really my forte, i'm limited to a few norah jones and fiona apple songs, but i've learnt that they can actually be quite catchy!

17. certain dental procedures DO have massive side effects. like it
makes you grin non-stop for a few days for no reason, and it makes
you feel like digging up your old colgate club membership card!

so there. do yourself a big favour and go visit your local dentist, people! your gums will thank you for it in the long run, and who knows, maybe you'll just make a lovely new friend as well in the process!

till the next brush!