Blimmin dentists!!

 I have a very long-standing phobia of dentists, which means going to the dentist is a very big ordeal for me.  Even more of a problem as I have gum disease, which means I have to go for check ups every 3 months and often have to have deep cleaning gum treatment, which I find quite terrifying.  It's not painful at the time, as the dentist thoroughly numbs my mouth with numerous injections (an ordeal in itself), but it is very painful for several days afterwards when the local anaesthetics wear off.  After several appointments in a row and having a very nice sympathetic lady dentist, I was beginning to get used to going, but it was still an ordeal.

I had an appointment for another check up/treatment in February of last year.  After 10 minutes of waiting, the receptionist came out and told me that my dentist was tied up with another patient and would be delayed a bit.  After another 30 minutes, with no update, with my anxiety levels rising by the minute, I went back to reception to ask how much longer it would be.....I was told sorry they didn't know.  At which point I said I was far too anxious to wait any longer, and left.  Back home I rang and arranged another appointment for the following month......which was then cancelled (by them) due to Covid rearing it's ugly head.  And then I couldn't go for any check ups for the rest of last year, as they just weren't seeing anyone.

In the early part of this year I started getting toothache in a very wobbly front tooth.  I rang the dentist, to be told that unfortunately they were only doing emergencies, I wasn't an emergency and I would just have to be added to a waiting list.  In the meantime, take painkillers and gargle with salt water.  😒 They finally rang to offer me an appointment a few weeks ago.  My lovely sympathetic dentist has left, so I'm having to get used to another one - she seems alright, but as yet I don't know her, adding to my anxiety.  The first thing she said was that my gum disease has got worse.........there's a surprise!!!  She wanted to take the wobbly tooth out there and then and do some more of the horrible gum treatment but I declined, we were going to a bbq at a friend's the next day and I didn't want to go with a very sore mouth and be unable to eat anything.  And I didn't like having that treatment sprung on me with no warning.  I just had an examination (I hate that sharp spiky thing they poke your gums with) and a mould taken of my teeth and gums with that horrible pink rubbery stuff that's like having a mouthful of Playdoh.  And the worst thing?  Due to Covid precautions, they won't allow you to rinse your mouth out afterwards, the little basin was completely wrapped in clingfilm!  So I was spitting out bits of pink rubber all the way home in the car.  The dentist did say sorry (well that's alright then!) and suggested I take a bottle of water with me to rinse my mouth out with - outside! - the next time (so I'm supposed to have a gargle and spit in the car park?!?!).  So another appointment was arranged.

The day before that appointment, they rang to postpone it - the dentist was self-isolating as she'd been pinged by T&T.  😡  5 minutes later, the receptionist rang back to ask me what time/date she'd rearranged the appointment for....she'd forgotten to put it on the computer!!

So now the appointment is for 5 pm next Wednesday.  Except that at 08.30 this morning, whilst I was in the shower (having just dyed my hair) they rang to postpone the appointment AGAIN - apparently they're having an emergency patient in today which is throwing out the whole appointment system for the next week!  Could I be there for 1 pm next Weds instead?  As it happens, no I can't as I already have another appointment at that time.....well actually, it's Betty's grooming session, which has already been rearranged from this week as her groomer is self isolating this week!  And Betty desperately needs her grooming session and claws clipping, so I'm not putting that off.  So my dentist appointment was rearranged for 12.30 the following day, Thursday.  And then - guess what - the receptionist phoned back again 10 minutes later.....to say could we keep to the original appointment of 5 pm on the Wednesday instead?!

I don't know what's happening at my dentists, it's like having not worked for a year, they've forgotten how to.  Oh, and another thing......we're not allowed to put our bag/jacket on a spare chair in the surgery anymore, we have to put them in a big plastic lidded box in reception! 

The world's gone mad.  I'm glad we're off to the caravan in a couple of hours, where life is slow and calm and relatively unchanged, there's no drama and everyone is friendly and chilled!