At least if compared to the movie/TV scenes mentioned by readers after The Slice asked about depictions of troubling encounters with dentistry.

I got to thinking about this after re-watching "Topsy-Turvy," the 1999 Mike Leigh movie about Gilbert and Sullivan. It includes a scene in which W.S. Gilbert -- played by the great Jim Broadbent -- has a tooth brutally yanked out by a dentist who then pans his dazed patient's latest London stage production.

The thought occurred that watching such a scene before getting my next filling or whatever might be a good idea because, relatively speaking, my experience would then seem like a breeze.

Timothy Finneran, Wayne Olsen, Jeff Brown, Gary Edwards, Bette Cole, Mary Ann Barney, Jeff Clausen, Diane Newcomer and others mentioned "Little Shop of Horrors" and Steve Martin as a crazed dentist.

Sheri Taylor, Lona Herrbach and Don Hartvigsen alluded to the scene in "Cast Away" in which the marooned character played by Tom Hanks uses an ice skate to knock out a bad tooth.

Jeri Hershberger mentioned a wince-inducing dental appointment in the movie "10."

By the way, if you are wondering if I'm ever going to get really graphic about any of this, I can tell you right now. I'm not.

I think I've already figured out plenty of ways to drive people away from this blog. I don't need to add another reason to the list.

OK, back to the countdown.

Tom Nash said there is an episode of "Monk" that bears a resemblance to the troubling torture scene in "Marathon Man."

Janet Talbott described a scene in "Pete's Dragon."

Tina Johnson sent an email with an attachment she said showed some dental carnage in India. I was afraid to open it.

Rachel Halverson noted that there is a German movie, "Deutschland, Bleiche Mutter" featuring a jaw-dropping extractions scene.

Tadashi Osborne sent an impressive list (the guy knows his movies) that included a W.C. Fields short, "The Dentist," and "Mr. Bean."

And Dr. Jeff Henneberg, a dentist with a sense of humor, shared a list that included "The Hangover."

Wrote Henneberg, "Nothing like proving you're a dentist by pulling your own tooth."

Thanks to all.

Don't forget to floss. 

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