Monday, December 03, 2012

Not As Bad As It Used To Be

The experience of going to the dentist for a check-up has improved to the point where it has almost become a pleasure. The technician covers the patient's eyes with tinted plastic and carefully explains what he's doing each step of the way. His tools are more precise and operate with much less vibration than they used to. There's little or no pain during the scraping, especially if one has been flossing and using an electric toothbrush.

Without the distraction of smartphones and the Internet, the enforced isolation of the dentist's chair (where no conversation is possible) can bring on a meditative state. I've even dozed off for a few minutes. After the polishing, the dentist comes in to do a quick inspection.

A Berkeley grad, former VW Bus owner, and child of the Sixties, Stan inquired about my VW Bug. I showed him pictures. He seemed pleased. Gleaming, just like my teeth. © 2012 Stephen Yuen

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