Touching It Out at the Dentist

Whenever a dentist would poke around in my mouth, I’d try to endure the pain. Mostly because I used to like it when the dentist and my mom would congratulate me for toughing it out as a kid. I recently visited as an adult, and the pain got so bad that my hand shot up into the air. Then the soothing power of the anesthesia took over and made the procedure much easier to tolerate. It made me realize that toughing it out isn’t so great.

A black-and-white cartoon shows a patient reacting dramatically while a dentist works in their mouth. The caption jokes about enduring dental pain to receive praise as a child, then realizing as an adult that anesthesia makes the procedure much easier. It is used as a relatable reaction to needlessly tolerating pain or refusing helpful relief. EN: A black-and-white cartoon shows a patient reacting dramatically while a dentist works in their mouth. The caption jokes about enduring dental pain to receive praise as a child, then realizing as an adult that anesthesia makes the procedure much easier. It is used as a relatable reaction to needlessly tolerating pain or refusing helpful relief.

• @eternalclassic / 58537 2024-10-06