A visit to a dentist is probably one of the most nerve-wracking experiences for many young people and adults alike. For me, however, going to a dental clinic is an exhilarating, if not rewarding, experience. After two long years since my last check-up with a dentist, I went to see one last week to seek medical attention to my teeth sensitivity problem. I have been troubled by a discomfort bordering on pain every time I brush my teeth. I also noticed that the left side of my face always felt a little swollen, especially in the morning upon waking up. Googling for a nearby clinic, I found three dental services within walking distance from my house. I chose the one just a stone’s throw away from our village.
When I arrived, some patients had already been waiting for their turn to be called in by the dentist. It was a bit surprising to me. The receptionist gave me a two-page document and a dental record card to fill out. One of the forms asked for my medical and dental history, while the other one is a COVID-19 related questionnaire. After about thirty minutes of waiting, the assistant gave me a disposable laboratory gown, a plastic head cap, and shoe protection to wear. Then off I went inside where the dentist and her aide were waiting for me to lie down on the dental chair. The dentist asked what my problem was and immediately began the probing inside my mouth. Soon after, she confirmed my fears. Some parts of my gums have receded so severely that they exposed the root surfaces of my teeth. I admit I am guilty of aggressive brushing. The dentist spotted five problematic areas to work on where I feel most of the pain and discomfort. Dental filling proved to be the solution to my problem. After an hour of deep excavation and repair on my teeth, I walked out of the dental clinic smiling from ear to ear behind the face mask I was wearing. I will go back soon for another session of a dental cleaning.
While checking out the Department of Health (DOH) website, I discovered that dental problems continue to be an alarming health issue in the Philippines. 92.4% of Filipinos are suffering from tooth decay (tooth caries in medical terminology) and 80% from gum diseases (periodontal diseases). Proper dental hygiene must be taught to children at a young age for them to develop the habit of caring for their teeth. I remember getting excited during my teenage days while waiting for my wisdom teeth to appear. I thought that I would get wiser once they popped out of my gums. Why are they called wisdom teeth for nothing? Wisdom teeth are the hardest of all molars that grow later than the other teeth at around the ages of 17 to 21 years. It is the period that signals that an adolescent is entering the age of adulthood, hence the psychological maturity associated with it. I have all my teeth intact except for the four wisdom teeth that I lost in my mid-twenties. They were perfect molars without cavities, but I had them removed because there were not enough rooms for them to grow — a case of impaction. Getting late to a party has a price. Sometimes the venue becomes too crowded that you have no choice but to leave and miss out on the fun.
The story about the tooth fairy is something that many children cherish, a tale created to ease their fear of going to the dentist. This superstitious belief began in Northern Europe in the 1200s when a child gets to receive a fee for a tooth he or she lost. The common practice is for the tooth to be tucked under the pillow at night for the tooth fairy to collect while the child is asleep. The magical creature would then leave a coin as a payment, the amount of which varies depending on the social status of the family. It looks like the fairy is prejudiced against impoverished households. When I was young, I honestly never heard of this tale. I would guess that the tooth fairy is in a partnership with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny that favor mostly the rich kids. No wonder, in the olden days, only rich kids suffered from tooth decay because the parents of poor children could not afford to buy sugary treats and confectioneries. There was even a rumor circulating about Queen Elizabeth I having a bad case of tooth decay and halitosis during her reign as a monarch. She got them from eating too many sweets, sugar being a newly imported product by the British empire from the West Indies at the time.
The most expensive tooth belonged to Sir Isaac Newton, the man who discovered the laws of gravity and motion. It was sold at an auction in 1816 to a British aristocrat for USD 36,000 roughly in our money today. Coming close to the next spot is the tooth of Beatles legendary vocalist and songwriter John Lennon worth USD 21,000. Lennon gave his freshly extracted molar as an appreciation to his housekeeper in the mid-1960s. What a gift! Later on, the family sold the tooth in an auction to a wealthy Canadian dentist in 2011.
With the presence of modern technology, we are a lot luckier to have benefited from dental care and services. We need not suffer anymore what George Washington had gone through when he lost all his teeth but one at the age of 24. By the time he assumed office as US president, there was a rumor that he was wearing a full set of wooden dentures, which is entirely not true. The materials used for his dentures were of elephant tusk, horse teeth, or some mixture of metal and other alloys which were available during his time.
“A tooth for a tooth” is a famous proverb from the Code of Hammurabi. Even the Bible made mention of it a few times. It justifies the act of retaliation in the same manner how a person committed the crime or offense. If you cause the death of a person, you have to pay it with your own life as a punishment. Sounds fair. I wonder what my punishment would be if I stole a million kisses from my long time crush. That makes me guilty of plunder instead of a simple case of stealing. Seriously speaking, that law of retribution has long been replaced by the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he said, “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also.” The will of God is for us not to take revenge on people who have wronged us. And that is not an easy task to do, but it is the righteous one.
Visit your dentist today. And forgive your enemies, too. Doing both will give you peace of mind.
Photo by Daniel Ore on Unsplash