LET'S SWISH THIS AROUND A FEW TIMES!
I sit waiting with a smile on my face trying to look cool and relaxed. But my heart is racing and my thoughts are scaring me.
I am at the dentist.
I have never been a fan of the dentist - actually let me correct that statement - I have never been a fan of sitting in the dentist’s chair.
Many years ago, about 38 to be exact, I worked in a dental practice and really enjoyed the whole experience. I learnt so much about root canals, making crowns and bridges, preparing a tooth for a filling and even which instruments to use for an extraction. Maybe I know too much because MY experience in any dentist chair is always approached with nervous apprehension.
I can remember as a child taking myself to the dentist in my hometown. I would walk the mile and a half into town from my house, have a checkup with the dentist and then walk back to my house with the form for my mum to sign. I don’t remember not wanting to go to the dentist but I do remember feeling anxious and nervous throughout the whole procedure. THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
Today as I sit in the light and airy waiting room, waiting my turn for my appointment, I wonder why I feel so nervous. After all I’m only having an exam and cleaning - nothing serious, right?
I look around the large open room at the other people who are also waiting for their appointment. There’s a mother with her two children who are sitting quietly reading their books …. they don’t look nervous. There’s a man reading his newspaper …. he doesn’t look nervous. There are a few people looking at their phones …. they also don’t look nervous.
SO WHY DO I FEEL THE NEED TO BE NERVOUS?
I have been to this dental practice many times before and I know the hygienist and dentist very well - they are lovely, gentle ladies - so nothing to be nervous about there. I also know what the treatment will be like - so no surprises there either.
SO WHY BE NERVOUS?
I have experienced pain sitting in the dentist chair in the past and I have witnessed people in pain when I worked at a dental practice. The more I think about the negative things that have happened, the more I worry about what COULD happen - because after all I don’t really know what IS going to happen.
The more I think these thoughts they become my focus and the more I BELIEVE they are going to happen again …. but this time much worse …. I’M SURE.
Whatever our focus is on we think about it more and more and the bigger we make it. So when we focus on something that we don’t like, or remember a negative experience we have had in the past, the bigger and more exaggerated we make it in our minds. Plus, we add more negative things to it thereby making the thought of the new experience even worse.
THAT was exactly what I was doing - AND I didn’t try to stop myself.
Instead I just allowed momentum to gather and went along for the scariest ride.
But I know that I am in control of my thoughts and therefore my feelings … at least I know I am when I’m not sitting alone in a dentist’s waiting room! Deep down inside I know that no one is making me nervous or worried. I am choosing these emotions. I am choosing to think whatever I want to. I have been creating this nervous feeling inside of me.
Suddenly I was bought back to the moment as I heard “Jacqueline” called by the hygienist.
OH NO!
I have just been sitting here thinking negatively all this time. I need to change my thoughts and do it RIGHT NOW.
I walk down the corridor with the hygienist and she asks me how I am doing. I reply by asking her if she would like to go for a coffee now instead of heading to her room!
As we walk I am thinking to myself “This will be okay. There will be no pain. It will be over very quickly. I can do this. I believe in me.” Over and over again these thoughts roll around my head.
Entering the room I settle onto the dentist’s chair with these positive thoughts running through my head.
“Any problems since I last saw you?” she asks as she presses the buttons on the side of the chair making it tilt me back until I am lying down.
“No everything is fine,” I reply pulling my positive thoughts forward.
“Okay that’s great. Now let me take a look.”
I clasp my hands together tightly, close my eyes from the glare of her bright light, open my mouth wide, and repeat my mantra in my head. “I can do this, I am relaxed, I am in control, I believe in me. I can do this, I am relaxed, I am in control, I believe in me.”
After what felt like only a few seconds I hear the hygienist say, “Okay Jacqueline, your teeth are looking good. Here’s some water. Let’s swish this around a few times.”
Doing as I am asked, I steady my breathing and continue with my positive thinking as I swish some water around my mouth.