So on a lovely weekend morning, what do I get to do? I have an appt with the dentist.  Not my favorite thing, in fact, my LEAST favorite thing. I’d rather get a mammogram and a pap on the same day. Get my drift? But I’ve been trying to get myself healthy all the way around. I usually do get my pap and mammogram done around my birthday. Not the best way to celebrate my birthday but its a reminder. My Family doc is still trying to work me in her busy schedule. I’m not worried, I’ll get in and she’ll do everything that needs to be done.

However though, I thought I’d give a dentist a try. Candy told me Rayne and Gordon both went to a dentist in the neighborhood and she thought I should give her a try.  She said she would get a  business card for me. Turns out it was the same dentist that I had gotten a little postcard from a few weeks ago with an adverstisement.  Her card said “soft touch”. Well, that’s a bonus for us dental chickens.  After highschool and the braces came off and I never had to see the orthodontist again, I don’t think I saw a dentist for 20 years. I don’t think I’m exaggerating. I finally went because I was feeling quite guilty. Luckily when I did go, I didn’t have any cavities and the dentist was surprised. I went regularly for a bit.. but then it got to be 2 or 3 years again.  SO, I make an appt for the weekend.  In I go. Its a very nice office, first impression, looks quite clean. I asked Sammy Diva if she’d rather go for me and have her beautiful canine teeth cleaned but she declined.  Of course, I had to fill out reams of paperwork but that was my fault since it was my first time.  In the chair I went. The tech was very friendly and though I didn’t want xrays she did them anyways. She was quite fast. I told her I’d rather have a mammogram and she laughed surprisingly.  While waiting for the dentist, I texted all my friends who didnt like dentists too. I got the sympathy I needed.

In came the doc, quite funny actually. She told me Rayne was a cutie. Ah, yes,  my niece had been to see her.  The Dentist told me she resented me for not seeing her sooner, I replied it was her fault for not writing me sooner. I felt it was her fault.  I don’t know how we got on the subject but she told me people who were mean to children, the elderly and animals were not nice people. I agreed. In fact, animals?! Of course, the pics of the dogs came out and of course the wonderful children in my life as well. She told me she was the one woman on the news that stopped traffic to help a dog  that was scared running in traffic. WOW, what a dentist. There is some compassion -I told her -running in her veins. So it must be true that she is the kind of dentist that does not hurt you! She did this gum measuring. I asked her, is this new in dental school? She says NO! Of course my husband tells me later he’s had it done a million times. I’m beginning to wonder if I even went to a good dentist. I have to admit, I was rather impressed with everything she was doing, and there was no pain as of yet. She then tells me I need a deep cleaning. What the heck is that? I have never had that. That did not sound like fun. Well, she said there are shots involved. I’m about to get up and leave. Shots? Well, the story of her rescuing the dog, sticks with me. I said, ok, let’s go. I have to admit, yes, the shots didn’t hurt. I was shocked. I felt like I had swallowed a grapefruit on the right side of my mouth. But  after the cleaning, it felt great.

She called me later to check up on me. What a nice dentist. I’m going back in a week to get the other side done. I don’t think I’ll be as scared and know that she and I can least tease each other.  Hey, she also went to USC. How cool is that.

Check her out. www.softtouchdentalca.com Her name is Azita Rayet, DDS. 310-804-3774