'Free' dentist work??

[Jolleigh]

I'm 8 months pregnant and my overzealous Daim Bar consumption earlier today means I've eaten half a tooth. Now, I'm terrified of the dentist and said as much on Facebook (blatantly fishing for sympathy ). No fewer than 5 people said something along the lines of 'well at least it's free for you' either by PM or on the status itself.

Now, I genuinely don't know if I'm being unreasonable or not here:

Firstly, I'm still paying NI contributions and have been since I was old enough to have a job, so it's not free by any stretch of the imagination.

Secondly, I'd never dream of saying that to someone who was exempt for any other reason, so why is it ok to hold this view for pregnant women?

It's put my nose out of joint and I can't think why

[HellomynameisIcklePickle]

Yabu, what other nice thing can you say to someone who's about to have horrible dental work??

[Jolleigh]

It's cheaper for me now than it normally would be, yes, but the NHS doesn't fund itself.

It's not something I'm annoyed about...but to me, 'free' would imply that I'm getting something out of the system without paying in to it. But I am paying in...my NI contributions didn't stop when I fell pregnant.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

There are so few perks of pregnancy but free (as in no additional cash charge) NHS dentistry is definitely one of them. And it's not like you got pregnant in order to have lots of dental work and your friends' comments were in response to your particular post re your filling. So I'd say YABU.

But not about Daim bars, which are gorgeous.

[Jolleigh]

Daim bars are definitely my thing today

I'm pretty sure I'd be told IABU if I shared the fact that I've eaten half a tooth due to a Daim bar and yet am still contemplating eating another. (Daim that is, not tooth)

[EBearhug]

It's free in the sense you don't have to pay a fee for receiving treatment right now, rather than your NI payments don't count.

[Jolleigh]

Oh, I'm not insulted grown - I evidently seem to have a different view of 'free' to others though. My NI contribution this month alone would have more than covered the dental work (especially as they'll only temporarily fill the tooth rather than properly fix it). I see the exemption as being exempt from additional charges, not making the work free.

[Hexbugsmakemeitch]

I'd think people are just trying to make you feel better, no? If you have to go through something unpleasant at least you aren 't paying extra for the pleasure?

[Jolleigh]

Undoubtedly Hex I know it's not malicious (though on my more hormonal days I may not have made that distinction!)

[Hexbugsmakemeitch]

Pregnancy is a roller coaster!

[Jolleigh]

I've not had the energy to be pedantic for many months now...probably just a bit of my inner self breaking through

[Viviennemary]

Dentist work is so expensive that most people welcome getting a bit of free treatment when they are pregnant and up to I think the baby is one. I don't think people mean it as any sort of insult at all.