"Go on," he said.
"It can't hurt you, can it?" Now, I'm not one entirely against pain, not that my dentist in Paddington would necessarily agree, since I don't think he'd recognise me if he saw me now.
Primarily because he hasn't seen me.
At least not since I left school, married, divorced, changed career, moved house a few times, went bald and started planning seriously for my retirement.
But whilst my dentist in Paddington might consider I have an aversion to dentists in general, he'd be wrong.
I have nothing against dentists.
I'm sure they're all lovely people.
I just don't feel any need to visit one, After all, I still have all my own teeth.
I don't have any missing, and I don't even have any fillings.
I'm quite proud of that fact, because at 37 it's unusual.
So I've really considered that as long as I brush my teeth regularly, floss now and then and gargle a bit with mouth wash I'll be fine.
I smile occasionally at the bathroom mirror, or at least grimace, and all seems fine.
Yes, all the teeth are still there, and I don't look too much like Shrek yet.
So all in all, regardless of having not visited my dentist in London, I was fairly happy with my teeth.
Happy, that is, until my 'friend' challenged me.
It was a simple enough challenge.
Smile at the bathroom mirror whilst holding a sheet of paper up next to my mouth.
Seems a bit odd, doesn't it? That's what I thought.
"You think your teeth are okay, don't you?" he enquired.
Well, yes, I did.
After all, how many other people heading rapidly to the big four-oh can say they've still got all their own teeth and no fillings? "And you think you have a great smile that's sparkling white?" Well, no, frankly.
Perhaps not sparkling white.
I enjoy my coffee, the odd curry, chocolate and other food and drink products more than likely having some effect on my teeth, Not white, no, but at least reasonably good.
They looked reasonably good to me last time I checked.
So what was with the paper? You see, my friend discovered that by holding up a sheet of paper to your mouth and looking in the mirror you'd suddenly realise just how stained your teeth are.
As indeed mine were.
I was horrified.
Now for the good news.
Because I made friends with my old dentist in Paddington, and wandered down to pay him a visit.
I was surprised just how swish his newly refurbished surgery was, and how much had changed in the odd day or two since I was last there.
I enquired about teeth whitening as he's known to be a leading cosmetic dentist in London.
I was astonished that he could restore my teeth to their natural pearly whiteness in less time than it normally took me to eat a curry and a pint.
So now I have a dazzling smile once more.
Perhaps for the first time since I left school, married, divorced, changed career, moved house a few times, went bald and started planning seriously for my retirement.
"It can't hurt you, can it?" Now, I'm not one entirely against pain, not that my dentist in Paddington would necessarily agree, since I don't think he'd recognise me if he saw me now.
Primarily because he hasn't seen me.
At least not since I left school, married, divorced, changed career, moved house a few times, went bald and started planning seriously for my retirement.
But whilst my dentist in Paddington might consider I have an aversion to dentists in general, he'd be wrong.
I have nothing against dentists.
I'm sure they're all lovely people.
I just don't feel any need to visit one, After all, I still have all my own teeth.
I don't have any missing, and I don't even have any fillings.
I'm quite proud of that fact, because at 37 it's unusual.
So I've really considered that as long as I brush my teeth regularly, floss now and then and gargle a bit with mouth wash I'll be fine.
I smile occasionally at the bathroom mirror, or at least grimace, and all seems fine.
Yes, all the teeth are still there, and I don't look too much like Shrek yet.
So all in all, regardless of having not visited my dentist in London, I was fairly happy with my teeth.
Happy, that is, until my 'friend' challenged me.
It was a simple enough challenge.
Smile at the bathroom mirror whilst holding a sheet of paper up next to my mouth.
Seems a bit odd, doesn't it? That's what I thought.
"You think your teeth are okay, don't you?" he enquired.
Well, yes, I did.
After all, how many other people heading rapidly to the big four-oh can say they've still got all their own teeth and no fillings? "And you think you have a great smile that's sparkling white?" Well, no, frankly.
Perhaps not sparkling white.
I enjoy my coffee, the odd curry, chocolate and other food and drink products more than likely having some effect on my teeth, Not white, no, but at least reasonably good.
They looked reasonably good to me last time I checked.
So what was with the paper? You see, my friend discovered that by holding up a sheet of paper to your mouth and looking in the mirror you'd suddenly realise just how stained your teeth are.
As indeed mine were.
I was horrified.
Now for the good news.
Because I made friends with my old dentist in Paddington, and wandered down to pay him a visit.
I was surprised just how swish his newly refurbished surgery was, and how much had changed in the odd day or two since I was last there.
I enquired about teeth whitening as he's known to be a leading cosmetic dentist in London.
I was astonished that he could restore my teeth to their natural pearly whiteness in less time than it normally took me to eat a curry and a pint.
So now I have a dazzling smile once more.
Perhaps for the first time since I left school, married, divorced, changed career, moved house a few times, went bald and started planning seriously for my retirement.