My First Ever Dental Visit

Hi guys!! What’s up?! How’s your week going? Welcome to Limitless! 

Sooo, have you ever received bad news?- The menacing feeling of a splash of cold water coupled with disbelief- ‘No, it can’t be, maybe you should check again, how did this happen?’

I mean, I’ve received my share of rejection emails (story for another day) which can be classified as bad news but nothing prepared me for this.

Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating a little🤣. What am I talking about? Let me fill you in. Today, I will be narrating everything that went down at my first ever dental visit. 

Some weeks ago, I decided to visit the dental clinic for a checkup and cleaning. It was long overdue anyway because I already paid dental insurance fees along with my tuition. 

So, I got there. They told me to remove my shoes (because of snow residues) and wear a pair of disposable leg bonnets🤣. 

Then, I waited at the reception, submitted my info, and the time came for me to go in.

I took a seat and the journey began. First I was given a kind of apron/bib to wrap around my neck, then I was asked to swish some mouthwash. 

Next, the dental assistant took an X-ray of my teeth. I had to clamp my teeth on the machine. 

Oh boy, it was saliva-stimulating🤣. I just felt like spitting. 

Fast forward to time for the actual checkup. The dentist came in, asked me questions and all. Then, she gave me a pair of sunglasses to wear because I would be looking directly into the light illuminating my teeth. 

So, she started the checkup. Next thing I knew, she called for the dental hygienist to come write some numbers down as she was checking. 

People, I just started hearing 2n, 24h, 5c, 10g and so on. In my mind I’m like “is that the name of the different teeth or something?” Anyway, she finished checking and it was time to give me the report. 

Then, she was like, “you have cavities”. I didn’t believe what I was hearing at first. I said, “what”. 

“Yes, those numbers you heard me calling were cavities”, she answered. “They are still in their early stage though, so you can still fill them”. 

“Do you floss though because these cavities are in between your teeth”. Then, I realized I don’t floss, I just started flossing around January (it was February), and I don’t even do it regularly. 

So, she went through the whole importance of flossing. Basically, a floss reaches where the tooth brush can’t reach- in between the teeth- and that’s a very good place for food residue to hide. She also told me to always brush twice daily- in the morning and night. 

She recommended an electric toothbrush too. Lol. If you guys want your patients to use an electric toothbrush so bad, then maybe you should start adding it to the complimentary package you give out.

Anyway, I went ahead to clean my teeth. That was another drama entirely. I just felt like spitting the whole time. It was somehow uncomfortable too, because it was new. It wasn’t painful at all though. 

Thankfully, there was a suction that you could wrap your mouth around, and it would suck all the saliva. 

It was time for me to go pay for their service. My part of the bill first gave me an headache. Those insurance people are crazy, after all the money I paid, so, you can’t even foot all the bills😂. 

The cavity bad news didn’t even fully register yet till I saw the bill that showed how much filling the cavities would cost. 

Limitless people! That was when my chest did the real GBISH GBISH. I felt dizzy immediately😂. Lolll. FYI, it is not covered by insurance. The money was even too much for university insurance😭😂. 

See, I carried my bag and baggage and left the place😂. When I have money, I will go back. They called me the next week to ask if they should book me for an appointment. I told them to cancel everything, when I’m ready I will go abeg. 

Well, these are the moral lessons, folks: 

1. Start brushing twice a day

2. Floss! If you haven’t started, go to a pharmacy and get one. Then, watch YouTube videos to guide you. On the other hand, if you have a floss and you don’t use it anymore, this is your cue to start again! 

3. Go see a dentist. Why? Because like me, you might think because your teeth are white and you brush well, so nothing is wrong, it might shock you o🤣. Also, if you know your mum or dad has ever complained of toothache or removed a tooth,  run to the dentist! Genetics are also a cause of teeth issues. 

So, book your dental checkup and cleaning today or some time soon. 

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That’s that on my first dental experience guys. Thanks for reading! Drop a comment if you liked or learnt anything. 

Thank you and see you soon!