I haven't posted here in years, but I wanted to share what happened to me. I'm also curious if anyone has had a similar experience.
I actually had fun at the dentist today! And that’s something I never dreamed that I’d say. I hated going to the dentist when I was a kid. I had several cavities, and I dreaded the needle and drill. But now, as an adult, I’ve gotten much better and I take really good care of my teeth. I go every six months for a cleaning and checkup, and they’ve all been good. I still have a little anxiety since there’s always the possibility of a new cavity, and even the cleanings aren’t completely pain free because several teeth are quite sensitive to the ultrasonic machine that’s used for the first part of the cleaning. To help me relax, I always dress very casual. So I wore a tee shirt and jeans today like I usually do. But instead of wearing sneakers as I’ve always done in the past, I put on my favorite pair of flip flops. After waiting a few minutes, the hygienist called me into the treatment room and I sat down in the chair. I immediately discovered something very strange – my flip flops felt like they were coming off. The lower part of the dental chair is one long cushion that extends beyond your feet, so the heels of your shoes rest against it. But the “heels” of my flip flops extend almost an inch beyond my feet. So they were pushed upward, nearly dangling from my toes. The hygienist asked me some questions about my general health, and then she reclined the chair and did a quick visual exam of my teeth. (The dentist always comes in after the cleaning to do a more thorough exam) As soon as the hygienist began using the ultrasonic device, I realized how uncomfortable my flip flops were. I began squirming and scrunchig my toes in an effort to pull them back on. The hygienist noticed my discomfort and stopped the cleaning. She told me that many of her patients have the same problem with flip flops, and they simply take them off. So that's exactly what I did. And I knew she didn't mind since she was the one who made the suggestion. She continued cleaning my teeth with the machine, and then she used the hand tools. I really enjoyed the feeling of lying there with my bare feet poking out of my blue jeans as she worked in my mouth. I felt very vulnerable, and yes, I know it sounds weird, but I loved it. She finished with a polishing device and then we chatted a while since the dentist was still busy in the other room. She said she always tries to make her patients comfortable and that she's used to seeing bare feet in the chair. She told me that there's another dental office in the area that actually offers foot massages. When the dentist came in, I wiggled my toes to encourage a quick tickle. But with all the stories of people claiming sexual assault from the slightest innocent touch, I really didn't expect it. He noticed my feet, but he just smiled and said it looks like flip flop season has started.
I actually had fun at the dentist today! And that’s something I never dreamed that I’d say. I hated going to the dentist when I was a kid. I had several cavities, and I dreaded the needle and drill. But now, as an adult, I’ve gotten much better and I take really good care of my teeth. I go every six months for a cleaning and checkup, and they’ve all been good. I still have a little anxiety since there’s always the possibility of a new cavity, and even the cleanings aren’t completely pain free because several teeth are quite sensitive to the ultrasonic machine that’s used for the first part of the cleaning. To help me relax, I always dress very casual. So I wore a tee shirt and jeans today like I usually do. But instead of wearing sneakers as I’ve always done in the past, I put on my favorite pair of flip flops. After waiting a few minutes, the hygienist called me into the treatment room and I sat down in the chair. I immediately discovered something very strange – my flip flops felt like they were coming off. The lower part of the dental chair is one long cushion that extends beyond your feet, so the heels of your shoes rest against it. But the “heels” of my flip flops extend almost an inch beyond my feet. So they were pushed upward, nearly dangling from my toes. The hygienist asked me some questions about my general health, and then she reclined the chair and did a quick visual exam of my teeth. (The dentist always comes in after the cleaning to do a more thorough exam) As soon as the hygienist began using the ultrasonic device, I realized how uncomfortable my flip flops were. I began squirming and scrunchig my toes in an effort to pull them back on. The hygienist noticed my discomfort and stopped the cleaning. She told me that many of her patients have the same problem with flip flops, and they simply take them off. So that's exactly what I did. And I knew she didn't mind since she was the one who made the suggestion. She continued cleaning my teeth with the machine, and then she used the hand tools. I really enjoyed the feeling of lying there with my bare feet poking out of my blue jeans as she worked in my mouth. I felt very vulnerable, and yes, I know it sounds weird, but I loved it. She finished with a polishing device and then we chatted a while since the dentist was still busy in the other room. She said she always tries to make her patients comfortable and that she's used to seeing bare feet in the chair. She told me that there's another dental office in the area that actually offers foot massages. When the dentist came in, I wiggled my toes to encourage a quick tickle. But with all the stories of people claiming sexual assault from the slightest innocent touch, I really didn't expect it. He noticed my feet, but he just smiled and said it looks like flip flop season has started.
