Dental WIN!

I heart my new dentist. And her assistant. And her office staff. Even the location is good. Bright Now! Dental in Woodinville was the first one I came across in yesterday's search for a new dentist - nearest my house of all those in my DMO's network.

I'm glad I called them. And really, when you think of dentists, the general feeling is more Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors than a tidy and kind woman with a good sense of humor. I used to say, "I hate dentists!" This is no longer true. It's more accurate to say, "I hate dentistry!" Because the dentist was really nice. And most important in any sort of medical practitioner, she paid me the courtesy of assuming I have a brain and I know how to use it. That's huge. Their prices are reasonable (insofar as any dental work is reasonable) and they're willing to work with one on a payment schedule. Also huge.

They're quick on the uptake too... I'm lying there in the chair, and they're starting to get out the stuff that looks like little strings made of Silly Putty, to pack the now roto-rooted canal of Tooth Number 18, when my jaw muscles start spasming. I think they figured out what was going on before I did. They whipped their tools out of my mouth, sat me up, started massaging my left jaw joint, and suggested we take a little break. We did, and then they put this large rubberized brick thing in the other side of my mouth to keep it open without me doing the work. In some ways, Dr. Chintala is much like the OB/GYN who delivered Lizzy; her soothing "You're doing fine," doesn't sound condescending at all. I never thought of dentists' bedside manners before, but they are important!

In addition to the emergency root canal today, I also have a lot more work that needs doing, but it's not as urgent. And most of it is from two reasons: 1) I lost my Rx nightguard uh... six years ago when Abby and I moved out of the condo we had shared with her dad after we separated, and the nightly teeth-clenching causes broken fillings and teeth under which crud can get; and 2) I'm getting a bit hmm... on in years and those reproductive hormones I'm not using any more are in flux, causing swollen gums and the like. (Was that circumspect enough, Dear Readers?)

Added to the excitement of emergency root canals today was a visit to my favorite of the Montessori preschools we're considering for Lizzy in the fall. Tomorrow I get to take her with me for a visit there to see how she likes it. I also had two calls from potential employers (while at the dentist - whee!) and I have an in-person interview at one of those tomorrow afternoon. Yay me! Wish me luck!

The anesthetic is starting to wear off now - they had to give me extra - and I don't take the Rx painkillers until bedtime, so I'm signing off for now.