TATTOOS AND TONGUE RINGS

I apologize in advance but this is a little rant. In one of my previous post "I Hate the Dentist", I acknowledged the fear that many people have of the dentist. I do understand that the stigma attached to dentistry can lead to some anxiety before a dental visit. However, what really gets me is when people with tattoos and tongue rings tell me that they hate getting a shot. I always ask those patients, "Did that tongue ring or tattoo hurt?" 99% of the time the answer is NO, or not that bad. Now, I don't have, never had, and never will get a tongue ring, but I've bitten my tongue before and it hurt like crazy. For someone to sit and tell me that it doesn't hurt to have a steel bar jammed through their tongue without anesthetic is ridiculous! I admit, I do have a tattoo. I can tell you that it's not the most pleasant experience. It actually it HURT! Unlike a dental injection that hurts for a few seconds; the tattoo hurt from start to finish!

My conclusion is this. In MY HUMBLE OPINION people are more willing to go through an unpleasant experience when it's something they want to do. People get tattoos and tongue rings because they want to. People generally get root canals because they have to. Speaking on behalf of my profession, I believe that most dentist take every step possible to make the dental injection and the dental visit in general as comfortable as possible. Many of us use special topical anesthetics to make the shot less painful. Some dentist go as far as buying very expensive machines to deliver local anesthetic. We really don't want to hurt anyone.

If you do have a tongue ring or tattoo please think twice before you tell your dentist that you hate needles. For my patients with tongue rings and tattoos; I promise to still be as gentle as possible.


Dr. Michael L Chandler
Practicing General Dentistry in Edmond, Oklahoma
www.edmondsmiles.com