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I’m generally averse to medical professionals who prod and poke at my various body parts with with scary-looking implements but I have a special level of aversion towards dentists.
People always think I’m exaggerating when I say that dental visits are more painful than childbirth but it’s true because at least in childbirth, there’s epidural. Whenever I ask the dentist for anesthesia during scaling and polishing, he always looks at me like I’m a big baby. It’s never stopped me from trying though, on the off-chance I finally get a dentist who has some compassion and gives me Novocaine.
Last weekend, I was scheduled for another one of those dreaded visits to the dentist.
I was more nervous than usual because ever since I got pregnant, my gums have been extra sensitive and I bleed quite often during brushing. It’s a vicious cycle as I tend to ease off on brushing as thoroughly, which leads to even more sensitive gums. I knew I was in for some serious pain.
When I got settled in, the dentist took his time to observe my teeth and started shaking his head.
“This is bad, your gums are severely inflamed,” he said grimly.
Then without warning, he reached out for a very pointy device and started scraping at my teeth and gums. Ok, scraping doesn’t quite describe it. Imagine like the device was making terrible sounds and he was attacking my gums with it. Seriously, I’ve had my share of uncomfortable dental visits but this one was epic in terms of pain levels. After every 5 or 6 teeth, he’d let me spit out mouthfuls of blood and rinse a little before resuming the torture. But I can’t be certain because I might have passed out during the process.
So according to the dentist, pregnancy hormones can cause gums to be more sensitive to the bacteria in plaque, resulting in swollen, tender gums that bleed during brushing and flossing. He also gave me some handy tips on oral health care tips during pregnancy.
1. Brush more frequently (but gently), using a good, soft-bristled brush.
2. Floss regularly, and also gently.
3. Schedule regular visits to the dentist, who can remove the plaque and tartar that regular brushing can’t get to.
To help with the gentle brushing, Colgate will be sending over their latest SlimSoft toothbrush, with 0.01mm super slim bristles that provide deep and gentle cleaning. I’m going to try this for a couple of weeks to see how it works. Hopefully it keeps me from having to go through that excruciating process again.
This is part 1 of a series of sponsored conversations on behalf of Colgate. All opinions and text are my own.
22 Comments
yes indeed dental sppt is stressful.
glad that it’s over. my dentist told me to gargle with light salt water after brushing & flossing to help ease bleeding & antimicrobial.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5769213_saltwater-rinse-gum-infection.html
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/oral-care/problems/how-to-cope-with-gingivitis1.htm
Thanks for the tip! I’ll give that a shot for sure.
that’s what i tell friends too – dental visits are MUCH scarier than childbirth. the sounds, the pain! at least i get a baby out of childbirth.
LOL true that! Go through all that pain at least have something to show for it.
And oh yes the SOUNDS!! It’s like how the sound always makes it worse in horror stories, it’s terrifying.
Yikes, Daphne! That sounds brutal!
Trust me, it really was. I’m supposed to go back in a month and I’m dreading it already.
I used to cringe in fear whenever is my turn to see a dentist but eversince i got my teeth straighten I felt a need to keep them clean thus gg to the dentist is no longer frightening. I’m trying to keep things as pleasant as possible even though sometimes I require extensive cleaning that might cause pain & my gums to bleed.
Positive motivation, I like! But it’s true, I’ve been very diligent in oral hygiene the past week after the dental visit.
thanks for sharing. hope it gets better with the new toothbrush!
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Hope so too!
I swear by electric tooth brushes, I like the ones with batteries cos I always forget to charge :(
Due to hormonal changes in body during pregnancy it affects the oral condition of pregnant woman so she should take preventive measures to avoid dental infections.
Dr. manish soni´s last post ..By: shiv prasad
I used to shiver in terror every time it was my time to visit dentists but ever since I had my teeth straightened, I’ve been compelled to keep them clean , so going to the dentist no longer a nightmare. I’m working to make the experience as comfortable as I can, even though I sometimes require thorough cleaning which could cause pain and cause my gums to start bleeding.
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I used to cringe in fear whenever is my turn to see a dentist but ever since I got my teeth to straighten I felt a need to keep them clean thus gg to the dentist is no longer frightening. glad that it’s over. my dentist told me to gargle with light saltwater after brushing & flossing to help ease bleeding & antimicrobial.https://www.dalbrands.com.au/
Then without warning, he reached out for a very pointy device and started scraping at my teeth and gums. Ok, scraping doesn’t quite describe it.
I used to tremble with fear whenever it was my turn to go to the dentist but since I have straightened my teeth I felt the need to keep them clean so going to the dentist is no longer scary. I’m trying to keep things as pleasant as possible, although sometimes I need extensive cleansing which can cause pain and bleeding gums. I swear by the electric toothbrush, I like battery brushes because I always forget to charge.
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