Why do dentists always try to start conversations with you?

[Kagayours]

It's not like you can easily respond.

 

[Mu]

Because dentists.

 

[redblood]

Right!? o.O

Every time I'm at the dentist, they always start talking to me. Especially when they have their hands in my mouth. I had someone asking me about school when she was doing stuff in my mouth, and I was like "... hghngghgn." -_-'

I do understand if they ask stuff when they're preparing everything. (Like when they're preparing for a photo of your teeth, or fixing the light etc.) But once they have their fingers in my mouth, then I don't want them to speak. I want them to concentrate on their work so I don't end up loosing anything important D: I don't care how experienced they are, it's my mouth and I wanna keep it intact ): -Has heard way too many horror stories about bad dentists or things going wrong-

 

[Dervish]

Because they know a lot of people are afraid of going to the dentist. They aren't idiots, they know you can't respond, but having someone talking conversationally with you is a lot more relaxing than a voiceless masked person with sharp tools doing shit you can't see to your mouth.

 

[Santario]

Dentist are sadists who you pay to torture you... There is nothing they could do to make my experience calmer other than just shutting up and letting me listen to my music.

 

[redblood]

I have a fear of dentists, but that fear becomes WORSE when they speak with me... :( If they speak with me it means they aren't concentrating 100% on what they're doing. I rather lie there, concentrating on my music while they concentrate on their work than have them chatter with me. But it feels rude to say that, so I just keep silent every time >_< -sigh-

 

[Kagayours]

Because they know a lot of people are afraid of going to the dentist. They aren't idiots, they know you can't respond, but having someone talking conversationally with you is a lot more relaxing than a voiceless masked person with sharp tools doing shit you can't see to your mouth.

Then why do they always phrase their words like it's something they expect you to reply to? That's the part that gets me.

 

[Finhawk]

Then why do they always phrase their words like it's something they expect you to reply to? That's the part that gets me.

Maybe they want you to think about what to reply even though you can't really do it. It makes you focus on what the dentist actually says and helps to take your mind off of what the madman is doing to your poor teeth. At least it helps in my case.

 

[Dervish]

Human habbit, I suppose. It's kind of like how hairdressers are usually chatty, we like to get to know people we interact with. I don't really have a reason why they ask questions when your mouth is full of tools and polishing paste, it's just something all dentists do.

 

[Dervish]

Maybe they want you to think about what to reply even though you can't really do it. It makes you focus on what the dentist actually says and helps to take your mind off of what the madman is doing to your poor teeth. At least it helps in my case.

Good of a reason as any!

 

[Kagayours]

Human habbit, I suppose. It's kind of like how hairdressers are usually chatty, we like to get to know people we interact with. I don't really have a reason why they ask questions when your mouth is full of tools and polishing paste, it's just something all dentists do.

I didn't expect anyone to have a good answer, honestly.

I'm just a bit rant-y.

 

[Santario]

I always tell my dentists that I'm not trying to be rude but please don't talk to me while you're doing things and my mouth and not a damn one of them listens to me... Sadists I tell you.

 

[Razilin]

I didn't expect anyone to have a good answer, honestly.

I'm just a bit rant-y.

its to build therapeutic rapport

the success of this is variable

it tends to help being able to speak

 

[Kagayours]

Maybe they want you to think about what to reply even though you can't really do it. It makes you focus on what the dentist actually says and helps to take your mind off of what the madman is doing to your poor teeth. At least it helps in my case.

Ahhh but what if you really want to reply?

What if your dentist is a whovian, and sees some Doctor Who pins that you're wearing and says something about how the show was so different "in his day" and you just really wanna say something about how you watch the Classics, too. But you can't.

This actually happened to me once.

 

[Hana]

For me, listening to the dentist talk while they're working on my teeth usually distracts me from the uncomfortable/painful feelings that can sometimes happen with whatever they're doing.

 

[Finhawk]

Ahhh but what if you really want to reply?

What if your dentist is a whovian, and sees some Doctor Who pins that you're wearing and says something about how the show was so different "in his day" and you just really wanna say something about how you watch the Classics, too. But you can't.

This actually happened to me once.

Then you gotta wrestle the dentist off of you, spit those nasty tools out of your mouth and give your damn answer no matter what happens.

 

[GhostJoker]

So they can like, take your mind off that giant tool they are using on your teeth. Unless you're like me who can be short on conversations with the dentist 90% of the time and i'm always thinking about that damn tool.

 

[Fluffy]

Yeah, I'm in agreement with those who say they do it to keep your mind off the dental procedures. Maybe, too, it's a way for them to stay updated on how you're feeling.

Dentists make me very apprehensive. The last time I went, I had a panic attack in the chair and had to leave early. Haven't gone back since. >>; I want some of their tools, though. My bong would be so much cleaner if I had a dental pick.

Also, I remember there being this lady dentist who was being really really grouchy and bitchy during our session. She didn't care how much she was hurting me and I needed more numbing. While her hand was in my mouth (giggity), I bit her finger really hard and then blamed my tired jaw for clamping around it.

 

[CoffeeCake]

Hmm. Mine doesn't. I know he takes his job very seriously. He has an understated "don't you realize HOW IMPORTANT YOUR TEETH ARE? Take good care of them for YOUR sake!" outlook. Outside of that he's pretty quiet and all business. He's a good guy, just not the warmest.

Now the specialist he sent me to for a particular procedure was one of these fabled talkative dentists everyone talks about. I liked it. The parts where I was conscious anyway.

 

[Aine]

My dentist doesn't do that. He sings to himself quietly instead and talks to the nurse in a vaguely disturbing manner, saying things like: "Dammit, I forgot to buy a disinfection!" and "Hand me the cigarette lighter, please!"

I've learned to ignore it :D