The Dentist...

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by orbsycli

So I just got back from the dentist, and half of my face is numb.
They gave me 3x the amount of shots normally, because I could feel the pain of the drill.
Was the pain all in my head?

Prolly. Next time ask em to give you Nitrous. Or if they won't take a hit before going in (you can get them at any gourmet store to go with your whipped cream gizmo. Or on the cheap, just get a can of ReadyWhip and push the nozzle while the can is up (remember always to use a balloon, the gas is under pressure and can freeze your lungs, or in the case of the ReadyWhip, you can fill your lungs with whipped cream, either of which may be less pleasant than the drill.)))

Originally Posted by orbsycli

Another question. I left, and got into my car.

Please let us know what town you live in and please post the next time you go to the dentist. I don't want to be on the same road....

Cheers!
Buffy

[TeleMad]

Originally Posted by orbsycli

They gave me 3x the amount of shots normally, because I could feel the pain of the drill. ... Anyway, I was lying there with my eyes and fists clenched, thinking to myself. Was the pain all in my head?

Most of it could have been...

"Your emotional responses, context factors, and your interpretation of the situation can be as important as actual physical stimuli in determining how much pain you experience (Price, 2000; Turk, 1994). ... Because pain is in part a psychological response, it can be modified by treatments that make use of mental processes, such as hypnosis, deep relaxation, and thought-distraction procedues." (Psychology And Life: Sixteenth Edition, Richard J. Gerrig & Philip G. Zimbardo, Allyn & Bacon Publishing, 2002, p111-112)

I've had root canals, bridges, etc. done and have not experienced much pain - no screaming and no punching the dentist! - because I distract myself mentally. For example, I might think up and try to solve a complex math problem, or might start working through notes for a biology class.