My dentist in San Remigio lost her clinic due to the earthquake. The walls cracked, and the building could collapse anytime. But I heard news that there was an ongoing installment of her container van in Argawanon, which would soon open, but I was never sure if it would be within the month. I could not wait because December is the second time of my teeth cleaning every year. Hence, I searched for another nearest clinic, which happened to be in Argawanon. It was the Ramirez Dental Clinic.
Ten minutes into the ride and I arrived at the clinic without certainty if things would go well. I was a bit nervous because of two reasons: it was my first time meeting a dentist I was not sure I would be comfortable with, and the idea of tooth extraction drove me to overthink the worst possible scenarios. But if you do not want to be in pain, you have to risk and brave the process. So I entered the clinic.
There were four patients in the clinic ahead of me, and I then realized the wait would be too long. But to my surprise, I was catered to after an hour and a half because there were two dentists present, which catered to more patients than having only one dentist in a clinic. By the way, this clinic is new in our town, so I was really not sure if I chose the best clinic for my tooth extraction.
When I arrived, I inquired about their rate for tooth prophylaxis and tooth extraction, which were in the same range of 700 to 1,500 pesos, depending on the process during the procedure. I filled out a form with the needed information about me and the service I would avail.
Then a consent for tooth extraction was given to me, including the risks of the procedure, possible effects, alternatives, and instructions. I was required to sign the consent, and I did it after careful decision. The tooth that would be extracted was on the last part of my teeth, so it would not be a problem when I smile, although it might cause some drifting of teeth soon. But veneers will do when time comes.
I waited there patiently while my nerves were trembling and every muscle was not relaxed. I was imagining the worst scenarios that could happen, such as what if the anesthesia would not work on me again, which I experienced a couple of years ago, or if the doctor might not be skilled in this procedure. But going to a dentist requires trust, not only the dentist to make it happen for you, but also you, as a patient, to make it happen.
It was an hour and a half before I got called to go inside, and I was shocked to know it was a woman who would clean and extract my teeth. I did not doubt her, although I was a bit scared that the extraction would take long because there is actually a difference between a man and a woman dentist extracting a tooth when it comes to strength.
I was not able to take photos inside the clinic because I was too focused on my breathing and my body was trembling. I did not want to be a burden during the procedure, so I made sure I was relaxed. Things went smoothly from the tooth prophylaxis to the halfway part of the tooth extraction until I learned that the anesthesia did not really work on me. I could still feel when the dentist put her tools under my gums, and I could feel my head in pain. I really thought the anesthesia would make me completely numb in all ways, but it never worked on me. So I was worried because the decision was still up to me, not from the dentist. But they assured me that I would not faint even if I felt pain, so I had to give the go signal again. Every crack, every rotation, and every pull was stored in my memory, and until now I want to cry remembering what I experienced. It was so tragic, and I developed a hostility toward anesthesia for not helping me.
But satisfaction still occurred when you have a bad tooth removed, and I can now sleep comfortably without worrying about my other teeth getting infected. Caring for our teeth is really a responsibility, and how I wished I had learned it as a child so I would not lose many teeth over time. The tooth cleaning was satisfying to me; it was another way of caring for my teeth, and I was very happy to know that the dentist knew how to handle me.
Teeth may seem small and ordinary, yet they play a significant role in how we live our daily lives. Neglecting them may not cause immediate consequences, but as time passes, the damage demands attention and painful decisions like emergency extraction. This experience reminded me that caring for our teeth is not merely a routine but a long-term commitment to our well-being, one that requires discipline, awareness, and the courage to face discomfort before it turns into something worse.
When I got home, I ate a mango float, as cold foods are best after tooth extraction
A little while later, my ordered watch just also arrived and the day was beautiful.