A blessing in disguise: Dr Nik
“Doctor, I need you to fill up my front tooth” Nisa said pointing at her upper left front tooth. “You did it once many years back and it chipped off few days ago”
Nisa is my patient and I haven’t seen her after I did the filling. “Woaa…that was so many years back, was that your last visit to a dentist?” I asked.
Nisa nodded. “You’re scared of dentists, aren’t you?” I asked and she nodded again while smiling shyly.
Well…most people are scared of dentists and that’s a fact. Even my regular patients told me that they always have butterflies in their stomach whenever it’s time for their 6 monthly check up.
“Ok Nisa let’s see what I can do for you” I said and I started of by doing full mouth check up and while doing so, I was actually grateful that the filling chipped off . Nisa didn’t realise that what she needed the most was actually a scaling and polishing (cleaning up the teeth). Her gums was not in good and healthy condition and to think that if it was not because of the chipped tooth, I don’t think she would have come to visit me.
I discussed the treatment needed and stressed the importance of doing the scaling. All she needed was the scaling, filling on her chipped tooth and two more fillings on two cavities that I found. Not wanting to go through another round of nervousness coming to a dentist, Nisa asked me to complete the treatment on the same day.
It didn’t take me long to do the fillings but I spend quite some time doing the scaling for Nisa. It was not a ‘comfortable’ scaling for Nisa but it was worth it. It is crucial to keep the teeth clean in order to have healthy gums so that the teeth will stay firm in its’ place.
“Do have a look Nisa” I said as I passed Nisa a mirror.
“Now you have clean teeth and I’ve filled up the chipped tooth…the gums still look a bit swollen though but it will be better in few days time.” I assured Nisa.
Before Nisa left the clinic, I stressed to her that she needs to come for her scaling regularly.
Doing it regularly means that the visits and the scaling will be a comfortable and pleasant one.
Hope to see you in few months time Nisa…and I’m sure the treatment will be a much more pleasant and comfortable one for you.