My Gen X Playlist: Pulling Teeth – Green Day

I’ve delayed my implant for over a year. I was halfway through the process and then ghosted my dentist. He was wondering where I escaped to and was adamant that the worst of it was behind me. Time to finish the job, he says. I got tired of this big gap in my mouth and finally made my way back in.

It turned out, I have a few more appointments before we could call it a wrap. I wasn’t quite sure what this appointment was for. Even though he explained it to me a few times, it wasn’t sinking in. All I knew was I had two important questions.

Will there be any drilling today?

and

Could I have a cup of coffee immediately following the procedure.

The answer to both was yes. I’m not quite sure if one offset the other.

Numbing of the gums has come a long way since I was a kid. I remember sitting in the chair and the sharp pain of the needle injecting novacaine. These days, there’s a topical numbing agent applied first to ease the needle pain. Thank goodness. The needle squirting into my gums is still a weird experience. I’m expecting to feel that childhood something that never comes. I’m not sure anticipation expresses the feeling just right. That’s what comes to mind.

I’m not a fan of the sound of drilling. I tensed up, imagining the drill going deeper beyond the numb. I was waiting for it to go past the point of no return. But it didn’t. I survived. Thank god my dentist wasn’t chanting Drill, baby, drill.

On my drive home, I stopped off at The Lost Bean to caffeinate myself. I figured I earned a good cup of coffee after enduring the needles and the drill. I have two more procedures before this implant is done. I let work take a backseat as I shook off the PTSD. Haha. I’m being a baby, I know. I shouldn’t complain because my dentist is pretty good. I just hate going. And for the record, I’m not an anti dentite. Just me doing a little bit of bitching and whining.

There aren’t many dentist or teeth songs out there. Here’s Green Day’s Pulling Teeth from the album Dookie. I always thought this was their debut album. Turns out they released a few others before this one. It was their debut to me. Such a great album. Next time I’ll put in my ear buds and crank up this song as I sit in the chair. Not a bad idea.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I'm all busted up
Broken bones and nasty cuts
Accidents will happen
But this time I can't get up
She comes to check on me
Making sure I'm on my knees
After all she's the one
Who put me in this state

Is she ultra-violent?
Is she disturbed?
I better tell her that I love her
Before she does it all over again
Oh God, she's killing me!!!

For now I'll lie around
Hell, that's all I can really do
She takes good care of me
Just keep saying my love is true

Is she ultra-violent?
Is she disturbed?
I better tell her that I love her
Before she does it all over again
Oh God, she's killing me!!!

Looking out my window for
Someone that's passing by
No one knows I'm locked in here
All I do is cry

For now I'll lie around
Hell, that's all I can really do
She takes good care of me
Just keep saying my love is true