Emotional much?

I hit a new low today.  I cried when the dentist told me I had 3 cavities.  I've had all of 30 minutes to personally reflect on why this is so upsetting.  Theories: one more crappy piece of news, expense, having to take 3 hours out of my day to consent to legal torture, or a chink in my self-identity.  I think it's probably a combination of these things, but I hate to admit it's a lot about the identity thing.   I have had not the best oral hygeine since being pregnant.  All the morning sickness was made worse from brushing my teeth.  I puked almost everytime I brushed them, so not lots of happy memories associated w/teeth brushing still today. Don't be too worried--I do brush my teeth, but probably not as vigourously as I should.  See, I've never had a cavity before, and now I have 3.  It's like he did some secretive dentist voo-doo for it to work out that way. One for each year I haven't visited the dentist. So now cavities and not just stretch marks can be blamed on pregnancy--or voodoo dentists--your choice.

I don't even think the pain of the dentist is what bothers me.  Oh, it's way deeper and psychological than that.  I finally realized today that a dentist has to be a bit sadistic for his line of work.  He holds your mouth open for ever--refusing to allow you to swallow.  And this is what drives me the craziest.  Because I'm sure I will start drooling out of my forced open mouth at any second (or worse, choke on my own salive) and just when I think I can't take it anymore and will scream (with dental tools inserted in my mouth)--he gives me a chance to swallow.  I never think about how precious swallowing on my own timing is until I visit the swallow nazi--aka the dentist/hygenist.  Cause really I can't let the hygenists off either.  They do the same thing.  Probably worse until this morning.  It was the longest I've spent with a dentist since the 8th grade when I had sealant re-worked in my teeth.  Newsflash 8th gd dentist: you did a crappy job.  I got cavities still.  He just saved my parents from having to deal with it, for which I'm sure they are thankful.  I'm sure dentists and hygenists are lovely people outside of when they are cramming dental instruments, giant dental films, and their fingers in your mouth.  And now I can add to the list of annoying objects in the mouth: a camera.  This did really freak me out to look at photographs of my cavities.  No debating w/him there.  I should have asked for him to email me the photos so I could post them.  Just kidding--I would not do that to you. 

I also have to get a nightguard as I've worn my teeth down to a shiny pearl.  Maybe if I go long enough my teeth will turn into diamonds---we're talking shiny folks.  Thanks to the picture he showed me I know I've got a shot at achieving at least semi-precious stones back there. 

So now I get to dread next month where 3 hours out of my day I take myself willingly to the torturer where I won't be allowed to swallow for obsence lengths of time, and then drool the rest of the day from novicaine.  Seriously--I think letting my teeth rot and getting dentures might seem more attractive now.