Teeth and Dentist

Some months ago, I was so shocked to realise that my teeth were getting 'longer' and more 'loose'! The front teeth, especially, seemed to be rather shaky!

Feeling very afraid and frustrated, I rushed to my regular dentist for an urgent consultation. She tested the teeth by 'shaking' them, and noted that they were indeed rather 'mobile' (that's the term she used). I was devastated. The dentist said that going by the looks of the teeth and the gum, I was probably losing calcium. Then she did some regular scaling, cleaning etc and dispensed those regular advice on good oral hygiene etc. She also suggested that I started to use a toothpase formulated for sensitive teeth.

With a very heavy heart, I left the dentist's clinic. How could this happen?! Ever since my primary school days (when we had to deal with an ultra-paisi dental nurse all the time), I have been brushing my teeth religiously. And when I came to know how to use the floss, I have also been flossing my teeth conscientiously everyday. So, how could my teeth threaten to fall off ?!?!?! And calcium loss??

Since that visit, I took extra effort to brush even more cleanly and thoroughly. Also floss more carefully. I started using Paradontax, a toothpaste recommended by my colleague even though it costs 3-4 times the price of the regular Darlie toothpaste I had been using all my life.

As an additional precaution, I also began popping 1-2 calcium tablet supplements which M got from the polyclinic (cheaper than calcium supplements available on the shelves in outside pharmacies). I decided that the need to urgently halt/slow down loss of calcium would override my long-time concern about calcium supplements heightening the risks of stones in the body.

This morning, I visited the dentist again for my regular check. The dentist found no cavity (this is usual) and noted that the teeth no longer seem 'mobile'. What a relief this was! But she said that I have to improve further on cleaning the finer parts of the teeth to prevent any build-up of food stains.

As she scaled my teeth, I tried to put up with all those drilling-against-teeth noise. Yucks! Also, some teeth began to feel 'sensitive' and so, to the annoyance of the dentist, I started to involuntarily wrench on the chair! I mean, all those awful 'sng' feelings were so unbearable!

The dentist decided in the end, to use in addition to the regular scaling, the more traditional hand-scaler and the 'sandblast'-scaler!!!! Wow! I never knew dentists use such a machine, it was quite fascinating when she explained what it involved. Basically, it was a super-strong jet of water combined with very fine powder (sand) polish. Its job is to 'spray off' stubborn food stains from and especially behingd, the teeth.

The 'sandblast' was certinly a much more bearable option to the scaler. And soon, the scaling was finished and then after a quick polishing routine, it was all done. And I was released from the clinic.

By then, it had been an hour (the usual time slot given for each check-up visit is half an hour only). And poor R, whose turn was next, looked so bored sitting on the safe in the waiting area.

I 'rested' my poor teeth while R had his checked and worked upon. After another about 1 hour, he was also done. And then we left for our respective offices.

Parking at Shenton House was daylight robbery - for parking there for about 2 hours, we had to pay $15!! Next time, we must not park there anymore.