An interesting experience I once had:
On a routine orthodontist visit, the dental assistant announced that I could get my braces off now. But, I still had to wear a retainer for three months. And to make a retainer, she had to make a mold of my teeth.
After the dental assistant took my brackets off, she went over to a nearby counter, and I could see her mixing some chemicals. After a minute, she brought back a little U-shaped tray. The tray was just the right size to fit over my upper teeth, and it was heaped with this pink goo.
"Open wide," she commanded. "Breathe through your nose, honey,"
I opened my mouth as wide as I could, and she stuck the tray inside, squishing the goo around my upper teeth.
I took slow, careful breaths, trying not to gag at the the feel of the cold gummy gloppy stuff against the roof my mouth. It pressed all the way back, even against my soft palette, and I felt each breath coming a little bit harder than usual.
How long did she say it takes to set? Sixty seconds? Ninety?
The dental assistant held the tray firmly against my teeth, rubbing her thumb absently on my lips. Pink stuff stuck to my face, and I started to feel like it was taking over.
I can't breathe. The nasty goo forced itself farther down my throat. I tried to gasp, and choked. Panic rose. My eyes watered; I whimpered.
"Breathe through your nose, baby." Her voice was gentle, calming. I started taking deep, slow breaths again, and a few seconds later the goo was set, and she pulled the tray out of my mouth.
In the bathroom, as I washed the now-rubbery stuff off my face, I realized it hadn't been that bad. But somehow the feeling of something gooey, filling my mouth and slightly obstructing my breathing, had set off the panic button.
I was okay, because of the assistant's gentle hands and calming voice. But how would it be, I thought, if the goo had been administered by a sadistic villain, who only laughed when I started to gag and choke? What if I had been tied down? Hungry, cold, weak?
I'm thinking it would have been full blown torture.

My Dad had an experience like that. He said it wasn't fun. It would make for a horrible torture!

Aaah sounds scary Aemi! I remember when my Mother went to the dentists to have her teeth polished and he got a sharp instrument and ripped all her gums! In the meantime a nurse stood in front of her with napkins to catch the blood that spilled out of her mouth. We never went back there.....

That's horrible!

So, wouldn't that make good torture, in a story? Not too gory. (Unlike that horrifying dentist visit. Man. ) Yes, it was scary. And then I had to do it again a few days later. But I didn't panic that time.

This does sound like it'd make a good torture idea...it reminded me about putting a gag on a hostage. It makes the person feel that they can't breathe with the added bonus of making them quiet.

Bethany Faith

Hahahaha! I'm sorry, but your post made me laugh because I've gone through that probably a dozen times. XD I had to have it done so much because I'd lose my retainers, break them, or most recently grind my teeth through them. (I only had the solid plastic on bottom and a wire on top when that happened.) So, trust me, I feel your discomfort. I still wear my solid plastic retainers on top and bottom every night.

It's amazing what little things scare us. Especially when we aren't in control. I also tried not to gag when she pressed it into my mouth. I even teared up once it was going back so far. ><

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to stand still? When my mom cuts my hair or does it up she tells me I have to stand perfectly still. I get fidgety and even nauseous after 6-7 minutes, and by the time 15 minutes roll by I tell Mom, "I need to sit down now." My brother has the same problem. So I feel bad for the character who has to be chained standing in their cell.

Or what about the person whose hanging in the air by the arms held up by rope or chains? I don't know about you, but I can't hang on the monkey bars like I used to. It hurts my armpit muscles!

That's my bit.

~Calen

To all of the dentists looking at this forum: See what you have done you monsters!

Lol jk!

Ooh! That's an awful experience! Been there, done that. Ugh.

I can relate, Aemi *thinks* When I was younger I think I had three separate retainers thus that experience is *shudder* familiar.

Still, to keep this thread on topic...that would make a very, very good torture weapon It's not by itself that dangerous or even scary, but with someone standing there with the intent to hurt you... *shock again*

Now you've gotten me wanting to work this into a book.

eru

Thanks, Eruheran.
I don't plan to use this idea any time in the foreseeable future. My current book and book ideas don't use torture like that at all. So, you are welcome to use it. For only five ninety-nine! No, just kidding. For free.

Awesome (Even though I have no plans to use it either it's good to know it's available)

'Course, what would such a substance be? I can't think of anything sufficiently gell-y in the natural world that would work like that stuff. *thinks*

eru

They make that stuff from something.

Isn't it just more-or-less ordinary wax, or clay? (When I went through orthodontia---twice---I had impressions of my teeth taken in both clay and wax, both of which were unpleasant, but I can't remember which was which.

I think this is a little different... That's when they see how your bite "fits", as opposed to making a model of your teeth, right?

Both require impressions; they use (a sheet of?) wax for one, and clay for the other. And, like I said, at this distance I'm not recalling clearly which experience went with which substance went with which purpose.

Actually, I think this gel-like stuff is some sort of sealant/flouride thing in preparation for the retainer. I don't think it's what the mold of the teeth comes from. But *shrugs* who knows

Maybe some sort of fruit mashed up could substitute?

eru

This is an interesting idea.

I think a bad tasting fruit would go too far.
It has to be something bland-ish. A neutral taste.

Mashed potato?

eru

Mashed potatoes are good.

It needs to be gooey-ish and have a suction thing to it, at least when it's soft... The problem is that last factor and that fact that it covers the entire roof of your mouth, if I'm thinking correctly. Also, if you pull it out when it's partially set, it's even worse. The taste is apparently horrible, and it crumbles and isn't easy to get out, and you have to do it again.

Also, braces could be considered torture... That's another topic for another thread, though.

But mashed potatoes are good.

I think one would have to make up their own fruit.

Making up your own fruit would be good

eru

Or you could just have the bad guy be a chemist, and mix together some mysterious chemicals.

Yeah

Or maybe dentists are all evil in this world

eru

Not all dentists, certainly ... just orthodontists.

Fine

I realized a banana might very well do the trick for this experience. *was eating a banana earlier today and mashing on the roof of his mouth and making comments, ignoring strange glances of people*

eru

Bananas are mushy, all right... (I feel a bit weird that something I said made someone I don't know do something, that he otherwise wouldn't have done. It's awesome. )

The thing about using food for this is that you can swallow food. If it started to feel like it was creeping down your throat, wouldn't you just gulp it down?

The reason orthodontic mold-making is so ... unpleasant ... is that you've got this ... goop ... that feels like it's creeping down your throat (and whether it's your esophagus or your windpipe isn't clear), but it never actually gets there. With something edible, you might eventually be able to swallow some as your saliva dissolved it (because your salivary glands are at the top of your teeth, and the containers are surrounding your teeth).