The State of Dentistry in New Zealand

The subject for today is teeth.  Those things that allow us to eat and chew.  The white phosphate mineral (much akin to the phosphate mineral apatite...one of the most fitting mineral names since cummingtonite) that is much harder than everything else (excluding quartz, corundum and diamond) that allows us to rip into food, VW Rabbits (my apologies to The Croze), and so on.

Ever since I was three, I have feared the dentist.  One for the bubble gum toothpaste polishing compound that would make me gag and two for having to read Highlights in the waiting room while waiting to have to taste said bubble gum toothpaste polishing compound.  But that was the 80s and dentistry has progressed onto other flavors such as mint or wintergreen.

In the states, the dentist is often mandatory and used as a preventative measure.  It is not a last resort where the tooth is barely hanging on while the gums have transformed from being gummy to being bleedy.

I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned this past week.  I haven't had them cleaned in a year and my guilt complex was kicking in...I kept on having premonitions that Dr. Martin (aka my childhood dentist) would show up at my door, pull out the scraper and sing along with Chicago in the background while informing me that if I didn't floss more I would never be allowed to kiss a girl.

Flash forward to last week.

I introduced myself to my dental hygienist and right away she asked me if I was American.  I said yes, of course, where else would I pick up this ridiculous accent?

She then asked me how long since my last visit.  I winced and said about a year ago.  At this I was expecting the lecture about how all my teeth would fall out and that there was a special place in hell for someone like me.

She then asked me about my brushing habits.  Floss? Of course.  Circles when brushing?  Is there any other way?  Type of brush?  Soft, but I pay attention to certain teeth to avoid gum recession.

She asked me to open my mouth.  And this is what I didn't expect...the biggest ear to ear grin I have ever seen from a dentist with what I thought were tears welling up in her eyes.

I kid you not when she said with a quiver in her voice...I love you Americans.

Hot damn!  For the first time in my life, the dentist was praising me!  AND all Americans! 

It looks like all the mind games and oral torture from the American dentists paid off!

The visit went quickly (except for re-experiencing the bubble gum tooth polishing compound in which I almost hurled twice) and she said that I really didn't need to come back for years.  Years?  Oh crap, did she really mean it or was she testing me and my American oral resolve?

Upon paying the cashier, I was just about to walk out the door when I stopped to do the unthinkable.  I scheduled another visit.  The whole office went quite.  A tumbleweed blew threw the waiting room.  Yes, ma'am another visit...in six months.

Cause I am proud to be an American...where at least I know my teeth are clean!

Easter

We spent another glorious Easter with our good friends, picnicking and hunting for eggs in Hagley Park.

My parents were visiting last week and brought some Paas egg dye (coloring eggs isn't part of the kiwi Easter experience apparently), so The Squidd also had his first experience dying eggs.

As far as we can tell, all eggs sold in NZ are brown, so we weren't sure if the dye would show. Turns out it was not bad. For The Squidd's part, I think he was actually more excited about mixing the dye colors together. "I'm doing chemistry," he proclaimed.