MEMORIES
As I laid back comfortably in the reclining chair in my periodontist’s office, I couldn’t help but think back to those days so long ago when I first went to the dentist. My parents made sure my sister and I had dental check ups and that we brushed regularly. At the hint of any invading cavity they took us to our local dentist. We grew up going to Scammon, Weir and Pittsburg for many of our health needs. The doctor and dentist were usually in an office on the second floor of an older build located over businesses below such as the drugstore, or grocery store.
When it came to our dental health it was off to Cherokee and a visit with Dr. Wimmer. He was a gentle man with white hair and a gentle smile.
Even though there was the possibility of having to drill out a little hole in the affected tooth, it wasn’t a scary visit. As I look at today’s equipment in the dental office, I see an ex-ray machine, which can give you a picture of just where and how bad a cavity is, and a few dental instruments one of which is used to extract water and unwanted moisture from inside one’s mouth instead of spitting into a bowl of swirling water.
I shared a few of the following memories with my hygienist most of which she wasn’t familiar with. For instance, The large somewhat light green glass over the light that helped the dentist good a good look inside your mouth. Then there was the white opaque tray (I think it was glass) that had notches all around the edge of the tray. The purpose of the tray was to hold the instruments the dentist would use and they rested in the notches so they wouldn’t fall off the tray. Then there was the sterilization of the instruments. No solution to dip them in. Instead as each metal instrument or tool was taken from the tray, Dr. Wimmer would hold it over a blue bunsen burner flame to sterilize it. He would have a little metal tip on a small hose that he would use to spray a stream of water into my mouth to get rid of any particles of decay, etc., that he would have removed. Once my mouth was full of water I would turn and spit it out into a white bowl at the side of my chair that had water circulating in it to keep the bowl rinsed. The part I didn’t like was the sound of the small drill when working on my teeth. However, it didn’t last long. Then he would mix up the ingredients for my silver filling, compact it into the newly drilled hole, have me bit down and when it was determined the job was well done, he helped me out of the chair which he pumped up with his foot and I was free to leave.
Now, Dr. Wimmer’s office was up a long wooden stairway leading from the street to his waiting room and office but it also happened to be over the Cherokee Drug Store. A reward for his young patients was a nickel which could be used for an ice cream cone treat before heading home.
Somehow, that seemed to make the visit all worthwhile and how grateful I am for having parents who really looked after our teeth and gum health. Not all of our friends were so fortunate. Even though it wasn’t always pleasant, it still brings back some good memories of a kind and gracious dentist.
