The story begins, and teeth are one of my proud assets, clean and durable. I am indeed easily proud. Even with perfunctory brushing, there has never been a major accident. However, the unexpected happened when it comes to tooth decay.
The Beginning of Decay#
I remember it was a sunny Saturday, three days ago. I took my roommate to eat at a newly opened beef barbecue restaurant. They had a special offer of 1 kilogram of beef for 98 yuan. I thought it was a great opportunity to indulge. The waiter brought a plate of pre-seasoned beef, and I started grilling and eating. Normally, I chew faster than 90% of humans. There shouldn't be any bones in the beef, especially pre-seasoned ones. But unexpectedly, there was a cracking sound, as if I had bitten into a stone. Being stubborn, I continued chewing, and there was a faint sandy sound in my mouth, similar to the feeling of eating clams with sand. Since the texture mixed with sand wasn't pleasant, I spat it out to check what I had eaten. It was then that I saw a small piece of broken tooth, and I realized something was wrong. I used my tongue to explore if there was any noticeable gap. Sure enough, I found a missing piece inside the upper right corner of my tooth. The pain wasn't very intense, but I was alarmed, and even the beef in front of me lost its appeal. It was heartbreaking to experience breaking a tooth for the first time.
Solution#
Indeed, I was deeply concerned about the missing piece of my tooth. These past two days, I have been using my tongue to touch the damaged area, feeling a slight powdery substance being scraped off by my tongue. It's a bit sensitive, and my tooth feels slightly sore. Although it hurts, the next day, I still went to play badminton with my friends and enjoyed barbecue and lamb leg. Of course, work couldn't compare to my priority of fixing my tooth. After the weekend, I took a day off and went to the best, largest, and most expensive dental hospital in the city to have my tooth checked. Following the usual procedure, I made an appointment online, got a number, and checked in. It didn't take long for my turn to come. Following the usual routine, after examining my teeth, the dentist gave me a form for a 25 yuan dental X-ray. In the X-ray room, since I arrived early, there was only one person ahead of me. The X-ray room had a structure of two rooms, with the doctor operating outside and the patient being X-rayed inside, separated by a glass window. The doctor asked me to wear a heavy collar, seemingly made of lead, to shield against radiation. Then, they gave me a stick-like object covered with a disposable transparent film, confirmed the position of my tooth, and asked me to bite down. It ended in just a few seconds. Afterward, I went back to the doctor's small room for a follow-up examination. After waiting for a while, it was my turn. The doctor examined my dental X-ray and confirmed that my tooth's interior was not damaged. Only a filling was needed, which relieved my worries. However, as someone who had never had a filling before, I was not familiar with the process. The doctor asked me to lie down, so I did. I became nervous when they took out a syringe and a dental drill, fearing they might accidentally administer anesthesia or drill a hole in my tooth. The general process of my filling was as follows:
- Cleaning the surface of the tooth from dirt and bacteria
- Using a dental drill to clean the infected area for the subsequent filling
- Filling the gap with filling material using a syringe, restoring the tooth's function and shape
- Adjusting and smoothing to ensure the comfort and proper bite of the filling
- Providing instructions, such as avoiding chewing hard food in the near future
There was a slight sour and painful sensation during the process, but it wasn't very intense. The main issue was my nervousness. If I had the option for general anesthesia, I would have chosen it without hesitation. The adjustment and smoothing took quite a while because I felt that the filled tooth protruded, and when I tried to bite, it felt foreign. In the end, there was no way to adjust it, so I ignored the discomfort. However, I have now become accustomed to it. Perhaps I had already gotten used to the feeling of having a gap in my tooth. I adapt too easily.
This treatment cost me around 600 RMB, which is relatively expensive compared to my friend's filling cost.
Aftermath#
Now, my tooth still has a noticeable presence. My tongue occasionally lingers on the non-original area, and the sensation is different, with a slight unevenness. It is said that with time, it will become smooth. Oh, and one more thing, my tongue creates bubbles when it touches the filled tooth. I took some vitamins to see if it can help heal it.
In conclusion, to protect my appetite, I must take good care of my teeth.