I'm going to the dentist today so they can take care of my canker sores. They've got something that kinda-like burns them off. I went once before (about 3 years ago) and I remember it being super painful for about 3 minutes ... and then, voila, gone. I've been pretty decent about doing the right things to not get canker sores - multiple peroxide gargles, mega-doses of l-lysine, lots of vegetables, and less junk food (that's where I've been less successful - it's been junk food heaven at work). To no avail, so I decided to buckle down and make an appointment.

And now, my canker sore isn't even bothering. But I'm still going to go - I'm afraid if I don't it will flare right back up. Grrrr. Consider yourself very blessed if you don't get canker sores. At least they're not cold sores, those would be awful.

I had a bad dentist when I was little. No, I know a lot of people say that, but I mean it. I had a bad dentist. A couple years ago, as a result of this bad dentistry, I had to have a root canal. And I nearly had a breakdown. Seriously, I was so nervous that I decided I was going to need laughing gas. So I called the place that was going to be giving the root canal and they said, sorry, they don't do that anymore. As soon as I hung up the phone, I broke out in a rash all over my body. I was so nervous I could hardly get out of bed - and then the need for a root canal got so bad. The only way I can explain the pain I felt was to say that it felt like somebody had been dropping a brick on me all night. Dropping it, picking it up, and dropping it again. Another way to describe it would be to say that I felt like I had been run over by a train and, unfortunately, I had survived the accident. Later, when explaining the pain, the nurse said to me, "Why didn't you call? We could have scheduled you for an emergency root canal." But I didn't know you could do such a thing. And I was so darn afraid of the root canal anyway.

I was really surprised by how afraid I was of the root canal. I have never really enjoyed the dentist, but didn't consider myself to be somebody with a dental phobia. But it made perfect sense. I remember the last time my mom took me to said bad dentist. I had a cavity gone very, very bad and the dentist decided to pull the tooth. I don't know what the deal was, but I do know the dentist did not give me enough novocaine. I also know that she told me before she started pulling that it was going to hurt a little bit and that I should tell her if it gets too intense, and we can take a break. Well, it was pretty intense and we never took a break. My mom sat in the corner, sobbing. She didn't know what to do, I don't blame her. And the dentist yanked and pulled like nobody's business. I talked to my mom about this before getting my root canal and she said it was the most archaic thing she had ever seen. She could not believe that she ever got me in the door of a dentist's office again. She really thought that was it, the beginning of a lifelong fear of dentists. Needless to say, she was not surprised that I was so terrified of a root canal. My brother recalled the experience (he came along, but had to sit in the waiting room) by saying that he heard me screaming and it was too much for him, so he went outside. But he could still hear me screaming. Outside the dentist's office. Standing on Grand Avenue, which is a very busy/loud street.

Well, my root canal was not the greatest experience. I was really hoping for one of those, 'I was so very afraid, but it turned out to be nothing' experiences. Well, the *()*#$&% dentist had to do some sort of test to make sure he was doing the root canal on the right tooth and it hurt so badly that I burst into tears on the spot. That was the end of it for me. I quietly sobbed the whole way through. I explained to him that I always need more novocaine than normal and like everyone I have ever told this to, he didn't believe me. So he gave me the normal amount of novacaine, let me sit alone for 10 minutes, hooked my mouth up and started the root canal.

OW! It hurt, hurt, hurt. He thought I was joking and I was not going to let him continue until he gave me some more. So he had to undo everything, give me more novacaine. Let me sit there in my tears for 10 more minutes, and start again. He gave me a CD and some headphones to listen to and I tried to distract myself the best I could. But it was awful.

So awful that the next time I had a toothache, I put off going to the dentist for almost a year (I know, that's not very logical). When I finally went, I told the dentist I was afraid that if he refilled the cavity it would turn into another root canal. He assured me that wouldn't be the case this time. But also told me that he'll refer me to a different office that will put me on laughing gas and take me a little more seriously when I explain that I ALWAYS need more novacaine.

Well, I would like him to refer me to a place like this Beverly Hills family dentistry. Go look at the pictures and read the testimonials. The office totally looks like a spa, and I felt relaxed just looking at the pictures (which is what I needed, because I nearly burst into tears just recalling this experience). They even do soft tissue therapy for patients who have TMJ or experience headaches (that's me!). And after the soft tissue treatments, they have a tea ceremony. I'm so taken with this place, that I might move to Beverly Hills just for the new dentist.