the dentist = the old boogeyman

When I was little, I had a fear of the dentist... I'd cry and cry to my mom and dad that I didn't want to go. They always picked at my teeth and would put these big pieces of paper in my mouth that would make me gag so they could “take a picture” of my teeth, which I know now is x-rays. They’d also put this fluoride stuff in my mouth for a minute, which tasted terrible. I would just sit in the dentist chair and suffer while I tiredly held my mouth open for them. I couldn't wait till the appointment was over because then I got to pick out two prizes. I usually got a sticker and a bouncy ball. Nowadays, I'm too old for those prizes (at least that's what the dentist says.) I've grown up and got over the fear of going to see my dentist; she's just trying to take care of my mouth. I've suffered thought the pain of cavities, getting a root canal in middle school, and more.

I've also gotten over my fear of seeing the orthodontist. I use to hate it, probably because when I had my braces I would always have to come back in and they would tighten the brackets, which hurt really bad. I couldn't eat anything hard after they tightened them. I'd live off of jello, mashed potatoes, and chocolate ice cream :). My braces were on for a little over 2 years. I also had a head gear to get rid of my overbite. All the pain was worth it though, whether it be going to the dentist every 6 months or seeing my orthodonist every 3 months, which led to my beautiful straight smile. I may not have thought that all the pain was worth it at the time, but now I'm glad I suffered through it all. I'm happy I don’t get anxious or nervous anymore when I'm due to see the dentist or orthodontist.