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Being able to apply suction on my command seems like an added benefit. Sometimes I think I'm going to choke at the dentist waiting for him to start vacuuming. C
by sl1ck731 8y ago
Being able to apply suction on my command seems like an added benefit. Sometimes I think I'm going to choke at the dentist waiting for him to start vacuuming. Could be comforting for people who aren't typically in the sort of situation and feel out of control of themselves.
- jimmy1 8y agoJust set up a signal with your dentist before hand. "Hey doc, just to let you know I am sensitive to my own saliva, when I point to my mouth can you do the straw thingy?" Works like a charm
- myself248 8y agoYup, or even ask if you can work the suction yourself. I've done this lots of times with my current dentist. I hold the handpiece out of the way, and if I feel like I'm drowning, I kinda wiggle it in the direction of my mouth, they make room, and I go in and vacuum things up. If they see the need before I do, they just say "suction", just like they'd say it to any other assistant. It's no different than holding my own jaw open. If the patient is awake, they're part of the procedure. Might as well make the most of that. And if it means less anxiety and discomfort, which means you're happier and more likely to return, that's a win for everyone. During one visit, I noticed that the swing-arm lamp had a flat plastic cover on it that acted as a mediocre mirror, and I could see what they were doing in my mouth. As soon as I noticed that, the random shoving and scraping (which always made me nervous as hell) gained context of the work they were doing, and I calmed way down. I ask for the lamp every time now.