Dentist

This year is my 'Visit Dentist Year'.

On average, I visited the dentist once a month when previously I probably went once every few years.

Like many people, I'm not keen to go to the dentist. There is just something terrifying about lying down while the doctor poked metal objects into your mouth.

But there come a time when there is no choice but to go, especially when facing worsening pain and decay. Thanks to the pain, I finally took action to remove my troublesome wisdom teeth. Both lower left and right teeth were impacted, meaning there were not enough space for them to emerge fully. Because of my delay, the adjacent teeth in front were also damaged and need to undergo root canal treatment. To make matter worse, the root for the teeth are C-shaped which requires the expertise of a specialist. I think my wallet suffers the most damage!

So now, I'm seeing two doctors; one for the wisdom teeth removal and another, an endondotist for the root canal treatment. Thanks to the good doctors, the experiences have been less daunting, though I still feel tension in the dental treatment rooms even after a few trips to the clinics. I know it's all in the mind; the local anaesthesia numbed the area around my teeth while the doctors do whatever they need to do.

But I can still feel the pressure; I can still hear sound and these senses play with my imagination. When the doctor removed my wisdom tooth, I can feel the pressure and I imagined she turning and twisting her tool to get the teeth out! When the endondotist drilled a hole into my teeth for the root canal treatment, I can hear the drilling sound. Sometimes, there was no sound or pressure but just my mind playing on her own. When the doctor removed my wisdom teeth, I know she has to make a small cut into my gum because the teeth only emerged partially. It's not a pleasant thought when I think of the cut and the blood! 

The doctors always reassure me throughout the procedures and always asked if I'm OK. The endondotist talked to his nurse about random stuff while performing the procedure. I assumed it's probably to distract me but it didn't help though it's not their fault.

The experience is less stressful with every new visit though I doubt I will ever feel completely at ease. 

Lesson learned: Take good care of your teeth and don't delay any dental treatment!