The Toothache
Marie Wilder was always afraid of the dentist. She didn’t know why exactly because she’d gone a few times and each had been a pleasant experience. Marie would climb out of the seat next to her mother and slowly walk to the door where a dental assistant would greet her and take her into the room beyond. The walk was scary, as she never knew what would happen once she got in the room with the actual dentist. She would be directed to a seat, given a bib to go over her shirt, and then told to wait for the dentist. He would come in, towering over her with a friendly smile. Marie would relax for a few moments, until the dentist opened his mouth to tell her what he would be doing. It was usually a teeth cleaning. After it was all over, Marie would be given a sugarless lollipop and directed back out to her mother.
The fear really consumed her when Marie woke up one morning and her tooth seemed to hurt just a bit. She ignored it, even though it hurt when she touched it with her stiff toothbrush bristles. Marie brushed carefully. She didn’t want to feel pain, any type of pain. She finished brushing and went downstairs to eat breakfast. Luckily, her mom made soft foods. Some sausage, eggs, and a piece of toast. She ate slowly and carefully. Something her mother didn’t miss.
“Marie, why are you eating so slowly? You’ll be late for school.”
“Sorry, mother. I guess I’m not hungry.”
“Well, let’s get going, then. I have to get to work myself.”
The duo left the house and hopped into the car. Her mother drove more quickly then usual and Marie was dropped at school a little earlier than normal. She scanned the schoolyard. No friends yet. She bit down on her bottom lip and a pain erupted from the front of her gums to her ear. Her face turned red and she gave out a faint scream. If she mentioned it, there was no way her mom would not take her to the dentist. Marie wanted to cry, but she struggled through the day.
At home, her mother asked her why she kept squinting and holding the side of her face. Marie didn’t want to say, but she could feel the dull pain and knew she wouldn’t be able to live with it too much longer. She told her mother and her mother asked her if she’d been brushing and flossing regularly and if she’d been eating too many sweets. Marie admitted that she had missed brushing quite a few times and had snuck a few treats when she wasn’t supposed to, but she didn’t see why that would make her tooth hurt like it did. Her mother was sick of explaining it, so she just shook her head and head off to make a dentist appointment for Marie. Marie was scared.
The dentist office was quiet and empty. Marie sat next to her mother, staring at the older lady sitting a few seats away from them. The lady had brought knitting and seemed to be knitting something that could be a sock or a sleeve. Marie was about to ask her mother what she thought it would be when the dental assistant called her name. Marie’s mother nodded and Marie got out of seat to follow the blond lady.
Marie was told, as usual, to sit in a long, oatmeal-colored chair. The lady put a bib-like paper over her chest and left the room. The room smelled like burnt plastic. The smell bothered Marie and she breathed slowly, thinking maybe she wouldn’t smell the smell so much. She was wrong. If anything, it made the smell more strong.
Dr. Osmond walked in, smiling, and asked Marie what the problem was. She hated when doctors asked that. Her mother had written what was wrong on a paper and had told the lady at the front desk, so she was sure the doctor knew already. She told him that her tooth was hurting and she didn’t know why. The doctor walked closer to her and asked her to show him which tooth was hurting. Marie pointed to the tooth right before where her wisdom teeth would be. He nodded to himself and sat down on a little stool. He told her to open her mouth. She opened, but of course, he asked her to open her mouth even wider. She tried, but it didn’t really open any wider, even though he said that it was much better.
The doctor asked Marie the exact same questions her mother had asked the day before. Marie answered them the same, but the doctor stopped her when she said she didn’t know why her tooth was hurting. He explained that she must have a cavity and not brushing or flossing, then eating candies can build up and make her tooth hurt. Marie sighed and said she’d stop eating candy. The doctor laughed and she didn’t have to stop, but she had to make sure she brushed and flossed after eating candy and junk food.
Dr. Osmond gave Marie a shot of Novocain. It felt like a pinch on her gums and she squeezed her eyes shut. A moment later, she couldn’t feel anything in her mouth. Her gums didn’t feel it when she touched them with her tongue. The doctor then brought out a thing that looked like pliers. Marie wanted to jump out of the seat. The doctor didn’t seem to notice and went on with the procedure.
After the medicine wore off Marie’s toothache was gone and she learned not to be too afraid of the dentist anymore.
The end.
Reply
you can do it 