Chris and I have been a bit “down in the mouth” in the tooth department for some time, ever since our old dentist (not really so very “long in the tooth” – just a little younger than me!) got swallowed up by a big-toothed company that makes money out of managing small dental practices. With the take-over, and the make-over to the premises, came the pinch (or the bite); our six monthly check ups were extended to twelve months and the company promise of “A whiter smile” seemed much less likely. Our previously jolly dentist became jaded and rarely showed her own “pearly whites” on our annual visits.
It’s funny how a happy dentist inspires confidence. Gradually, Chris and I were losing our former “Colgate ring of confidence”; worse still, we had begun to fear that we were going to lose our teeth! Chris’s hopes for a new bridge were dashed (our dentist implied it was “a bridge too far”), and, after my root canal filling and the unfortunate incident with a piece of hard popcorn, it was a case of “hard cheese”.
My dad had always espoused American dentistry (just look at the film stars’ teeth) and I dreamed of going to the land where, “if you wish upon a star, dreams really do come true”; failing that, I had the idea of going to Hungary for cheap implants. In fact, I had begun saving for my dental holiday.
But “a new brush sweeps clean”, not, as you might suspect, a new toothbrush (we’re way past that) but a new dentist – a Polish dentist – and she’s in Dawlish. We had our initial check ups today. Chris went in first and came out beaming.
“She’s going to give me two new bridges,” Chris whispered as he sat next to me, “and it will be on the N.H.S.!”
Several minutes later I came back into reception. I was elated.
“I’m so happy,” I gushed.
“We know,” Chris answered, turning to smile at the receptionist, “we both heard you.”
“No! Did you hear everything?”
“Well, no not everything,” he chuckled, “just the squeal of delight followed by, ‘I could kiss you!'”
And if you’re wondering… Apparently I’m not a lost cause after all; my teeth are better than I thought and I won’t be off to Hungary just yet. My new Polish dentist is going to give me a whiter smile – with a crown and a veneer – and it will be on the N.H.S.!