Ok- this is a side note- offshoot of dentistry- I get my nails done at times and I was having a set put on. I went to a lady that a friend of mine goes to- OMG She was the worst!! First of all she yELLED at me that if I didn't keep still, she'd end up burning/cutting me (Using those dangerous tools they use) - that was pleasant! I explained to her that I could NOT help it.,..... Then she was talking Vietnamese to her other staff- and I KNOW - no not paraoid here- ya just know this stuff- she was bitchin about me. Needless to say I didn't go back. A staff person where I worked at the time called the shop and told off the manager- like that made a difference! People are so impatient. On Sun, 25 March 2001, Carla MacInnis wrote: > > Hi Kathy, > > The gag-choke reflex that many with cp have is a major obstacle to level of > comfort when having dental work done. Many of us take oral sedation, or some > will have full anaesthesia to have teeth cleaned, filled, or extracted (yuck) > > Many dentists and hygienists routinely recommend the use of electric > toothbrushes, which essentially do the work for us, with regard to effective > cleaning and plaque reduction. Manual brushes are very often difficult for those > with grip problems to use well. > > Improved attitude of dental professionals will do much to ensure that > experience with them will be as stress-free as possible. When choosing a > dentist, interview him/her before any work is done so that you can outline very > clearly what your issues/concerns are at the outset. Educate them about cerebral > palsy and how the various quirks related to it affect you in relation to your > experience with dentists. > > If you haven't already, Kathy, you might enjoy reading "Dental Phobia" the > link on my web site. Mag's Open Letter to Dental Professionals is there as well > :) - http://www.brunnet.net/terrier/tooth.htm > > Cheers! > > Carla > http://www.brunnet.net/terrier > > kjpink wrote: > > > Anthony, > > > > Is this a common problem for people who have Cerebral Palsy? ,Kathy > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Anthony Arnold" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2001 8:38 PM > > Subject: Re: My revised letter... > > > > > Whoever wrote this letter, actually did a wonderful job describing the > > > problem and explaining what needs to be done to correct it by visiting > > > dental schools and addressing the issue to upcoming dentists. I myself, > > > also can't sit still for them to do any dental work on me. I was blessed > > as > > > a child to be seen by a dentist who had hospital rights to work on me > > while > > > I was out, but he only sees children under age eighteen, so he won't see > > me > > > anymore and I'm having a difficult time finding another dentist who has > > > hospital rights and is willing to see me. So experiencing this first > > hand, > > > visiting and speaking at the dental school isn't a bad idea, it might get > > > some of them thinking and caring for us. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Anthony > > > > > > ----------------------------------- > > > Join my AAC listserv today at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arnoldaac > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Magenta Raine > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2001 1:12 AM > > > Subject: My revised letter... > > > > > > > > > An Open Letter to the Dental profession > > > > > > by Tamar Raine > > > > > > I spent the last two years looking for a dentist I could work with. I > > have > > > some special needs because Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia affect my ability > > > to > > > hold still, and Fibromyalgia makes the whole process very painful. I > > tried > > > at > > > least six dentists in the East Bay. Finally, I called an old friend of > > the > > > family who taught dentistry at UCLA. He referred me to the dental > > schools > > > at > > > several Universities. When I called the first place, the person we spoke > > > to > > > had this reaction when told I had Cerebral Palsy; "Eww, what is THAT? > > What > > > kind of person has that?" I looked at my assistant -- and she looked at > > > me, > > > and we hung up. The school has a lot of educating to do. > > > > > > So, we called the next school, and they were fine with everything. At > > the > > > first visit, they decided they needed to sedate me, so the Doctor wrote > > me > > > a > > > prescription for Valium. It was not enough, and I told him so. I had > > taken > > > Valium most of my life up until 4 years ago. But he persisted. So I went > > > back > > > a couple of weeks later, and they tried to work on me again. But my gums > > > were > > > so sensitive that they decided they were going to have to do a full > > > anesthesia which required I be admitted to a hospital. It looked like I > > > was > > > going to lose three or four front teeth. > > > > > > We scheduled an appointment for February, then they called saying they > > had > > > to > > > reschedule, so I didn't go in until March first. When I woke up from the > > > surgery, I was told that five teeth had been removed. Okay, I thought, > > > that's > > > too bad, but hopefully this will allow my mouth to heal. > > > > > > In the meantime I got all kinds of advice from one of my personal care > > > assistants who is going through a similar problem with her teeth. Her > > > dentist > > > talked to her, while mine said absolutely nothing about changing the way > > I > > > clean my teeth, how I eat, etc. This entire thing has been like a > > wake-up > > > call to me, and now I'm passing on what I've learned to others. I have > > > changed a lot over the last three months, but my dentist wouldn't know > > > about > > > that, as he never bothered to check in with me about how I might improve > > > and > > > keep my gums and teeth healthy. It seems as though he just expects me to > > > go > > > on as before, that I can't learn from my mistakes. But I can, and I > > have. > > > Most of us can when given the right information. > > > > > > I assumed that when I had healed from the surgery the dentist would talk > > > to > > > me about dentures. Well, I finally went in for a post op visit, and I > > > asked > > > the dental student about a bridge, and the response I got shocked and > > > astonished me. > > > > > > He said, "Well, I don't think the doctor had planned for a bridge." > > > I asked why not, and he sighed and said, "Well, I think it has to do > > with > > > how > > > tight your muscles are, it would make the bridge pop out all the time." > > > > > > I said, "Well honey, I am not going without teeth, no-no-no-no-no. What > > > about > > > implants?" > > > > > > He said something to the effect that I still had a large chewing area, > > and > > > that implants would require they knock me out several more times, and > > they > > > didn't want to do that because of the risks involved. By this time I was > > > very > > > angry, and I told him that I was not accepting a life without teeth, and > > > that > > > it is my right to try for some sort of dentures, and please have the Dr. > > > call > > > me. I never heard back from the dentist or his student. But I am not > > > going > > > away; I will not be put off. I will have teeth. I will not have The > > Look > > > that conquers up so much negative stereotyping. > > > > > > It's simply outrageous that dentists don't want to fit disabled people > > > with > > > dentures. They seem to think it's all right for those of us with > > Cerebral > > > Palsy, Autism, and other developmental disabilities to go around with > > gaps > > > in > > > our mouths. It might have been an acceptable appearance forty years ago, > > > but > > > it is no longer acceptable to be stigmatized in this way. Whenever you > > > look > > > at a large group of people with developmental disabilities, there are > > > always > > > a high percentage of people with teeth missing, and crooked remaining > > > teeth. > > > The look has become part of the stereotype people have of us. We have > > > enough > > > prejudice against us, we don't need the added stigma of gaping mouths. > > > > > > Maybe you don't know this, but we do have a social life, and we do have > > > interests in dating and getting married. We exist in the community now, > > > instead of being hidden away in back rooms or in closets. I know you'd > > > Never > > > Dare tell somebody like my sister or my helpers to go without teeth, so > > > why > > > is it acceptable for me to go without teeth? Also, if I were working, I > > > wouldn't go without teeth. As it is, I AM looking for a job, all I need > > is > > > more strikes against me because I don't have a professional appearance. > > > > > > It might be true that a bridge would pop out on occasion, but it is not > > > your > > > decision to make. It's my mouth, my life, and I am the one to decide > > > what's > > > going to happen to my mouth. If a bridge doesn't work, then try > > implants, > > > for > > > Pete's sake! If I need to be put under anesthesia for this, then that's > > my > > > decision to make, not yours. I'm aware of the risks. > > > > > > When will people realize that people with disabilities need to look as > > > good > > > as their "typical able bodied" neighbors? When will you realize that you > > > should let the client make decisions for themselves, and discuss these > > > things > > > honestly with us? When will you learn that people are individuals, and > > > need > > > to be regarded as such? Why didn't you discuss my options with me before > > > the > > > surgery? > > > > > > The more I think about The Look, the angrier I become. I have already > > > worked > > > over half my life at improving my self esteem, the last thing that I > > need > > > is > > > The Look. Dentists have a responsibility to make people look BETTER, not > > > worse. We don't need to perpetuate this stigma. And don't tell me that I > > > don't need teeth! I've seen what happens over time with the remaining > > > teeth. > > > They get crooked and the bite changes for the worse, and the lips loose > > > their > > > muscle tone. Really, you should do for us, what you'd do for your own > > > family. I think the dental profession had better update its practices, > > and > > > do > > > some soul searching. > > > > > > A friend of mine has offered to do a disability awareness lecture at > > > another > > > dental school, and they have gratefully accepted her offer. I would be > > > open > > > to doing the same. Properly educating the dentists of tomorrow will go a > > > long > > > way to repair some of the damage done in the past. And hopefully, by > > more > > > of > > > us speaking on the needs of people with disabilities we can save more > > > folks > > > from needing to have teeth removed. > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- Sign up for ICQmail at http://www.icq.com/icqmail/signup.html