And it starts.

Today is officially the last day of employment at the place where I have worked since 4th April 2005.
I have several tasks that I should complete today, and a dentist's appointment.
I only have one thing that I should really do today.
I have also applied for a couple of jobs, and sent my CV to someone who does a lot of networking. (They did ask me for it.)
When I was at the dentist, I noticed that they require a dental nurse. I have done the job before, but don't have any paper qualifications for the job. I might ring the practice manager and ask if it is worth me applying.
The other thing I need to do requires using Edwin's old pc...it's only marginally faster than the one I used at work, at least it's not linked to a network to slow things down. If I am successful in finding a job sooner rather than later, I might be able to treat myself to a new pc of my own.
Anyway, blogging is not going to get other stuff done.
I'm trying to be positive about job hunting, that's probably why I am putting off the other thing that I have to do today.

Quick update, now you have to be registered to be a dental nurse, so it's not worth me applying.

Extraction Friday

I broke one of my teeth, I think it was in early May, and there was not enough tooth to do anything with, plus the root was exposed, partially.  So, it needed to come out.
I have had to wait until now as my previous dentist left, and the current one didn't start straight away.  So, he just did check ups for a while, so that everyone was up to date, and then he started doing the treatment. I saw him in early July, I think, and had to wait until now.

Anyway, I went today, knowing that my tooth was being extracted under local anaesthetic.  I'd been feeling nervous beforehand, (the last time was 35 years ago when I had a partially emerged wisdom tooth out,) I did want to avoid a general anaesthetic, as I don't cope with them well.

So, three numbing injections, then a scale and polish while it took hold.
Remember that I said that part of the root was exposed?  Turns out very little was.  He seemed to be pulling for ages before it came out.  Huge long roots!
I felt OK until I stood up, then I went very woozy. I was intending to go back to work, but what with feeling woozy, not being able to talk very well, and having a pack in my mouth, I figured it would be for the best if I went home, as the dentist said.  Oliver walked down to meet me, and walked back home with me.

Still numb now, over three hours later.  My tongue still feels far too large for my mouth.  Anaesthetic gets me that way.

Incidentally, do you want to know how I broke the tooth?  I was eating an apple and the skin was so tough that it broke my tooth!

Jobs I havedone, part 2

I've had a few jobs, and been made redundant four times, but you pick yourself up and carry on.  In 1980-81 I worked as a dental nurse.  Back then dental nurses learnt the job as they worked.  The pay wasn't brilliant, and when I did leave it was due to the low rate of pay.  However, I really enjoyed the job, and would have stopped in the job much longer if the pay had been better.  I have even looked into training as a dental nurse in the past.
The dentist I worked for was in a small town in the middle of a large stretch of countryside.  I won't name the place or the dentist I worked for.
We had some very interesting patients.  There was a special constable who came in regularly, he was six foot plus and "built like a brick outhouse".  One day he was to have some teeth taken out, (this is back when dentists gave general anaesthetics.)  He came in and took a seat in the chair.  The dentist who was administering the anaesthetic gave it to him, (a barbiturate injection,) and then the operating dentist started to pull the teeth that needed extracting..unfortunately as he was a large man, as the dentist pulled at the teeth, the very large patient was being pulled from the chair.  This bit is a little embarrassing, the dentist asked me to sit on the patient's lap in order to keep him in the chair.  (This was not unusual...if extractions posed these sort of problems, the nurse was normally asked to sit on their lap.)
We also had a young dentist who only ironed the bit of his shirt that would be visible to the patients.
And we had a regular patient whose teeth were in a pretty good condition, but as he was a pig farmer, he was passed through the surgery as swiftly as possible.

"new" toothpastes, just who are they aimed at?

I know the answer could be fairly obvious. They are aimed at people who wish to maintain dental health.....BUT if you watch the adverts, they really aren't. People who take care of their teeth properly won't have "loose gum seals" or other things that are mentioned. So, who will go out and buy the "latest" toothpaste...quite possibly the people who don't really need it.
Having worked for a dentist in my past, I can say the people with the worst dental problems are those who don't look after their teeth properly. Visiting the dentist at the right intervals will not make a persons teeth in good condition, it is what they do between the visits that will ensure they keep their teeth for a long time.
I was "lucky" enough to assist one of the dentists who was treating a case of "terrible toothache!" And I'll be honest, I don't know which smelt worst, the "patient's" breath, or their clothes, (it was a pig farmer straight from work).
I do, for the record, use a "sensitive" toothpaste, as nothing any dentist can do will stop your gums receeding as you age.