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olvad az idő, mint a halvány jégvirág
Now that I'm vaccinated I was finally able to go and see a dentist for a check-up/cleaning. I have had numerous cleanings & a couple of treatments (including a root canal) entirely in Japanese over the past 5 years, and it was honestly okay -- if the doc said anything I didn't understand, I'd just ask for an explanation and usually a rephrasing did the trick (especially with more esoteric jargon). But since I'm in a bigger city now with more options for care, I figured it'd be nice to be 100% sure of what I'm being told. I have stellar dental hygiene, but less than stellar dental genes, so cavities and wonky nerves have been a fact of life since my adult teeth grew in; regular cleanings/checkups are a necessity for me, and luckily, in Japan, dental care is covered by the national health insurance that I pay into every month, so it's super cheap.
Anyway, it had been 17 months since my last cleaning - I kept my standing appointment in May 2020 while schools were closed, but after that I just couldn't justify the risk. At my previous workplace, I went to 8 different schools, all by public transit, so the potential for me to become a super-spreader was enormous. I only went to work and home and never shopped anywhere I couldn't walk to. But now that I'm vaccinated and cases are down and emergency is lifted, I thought, HERE IS MY CHANCE.
A friend recommended a clinic that had an English-speaking doctor, whom the receptionist immediately summoned upon seeing my face (well, rather, my eyes above the mask 🤣) when I stopped by there two weeks ago. I booked my appointment, which was today! It took TWO HOURS. T_T The actual doctor did the cleaning, which surprised me but was also super nice because she explained everything she was doing and gave tips on how to take care of areas she foresaw as causing problems down the line. She said I was in pretty good shape for someone who hadn't had a checkup in so long, but she did find a tiny cavity that I'm going to get fixed next month. They usually hold the anaesthetic for simple surface cavities here, so I'm a little nervous, but from my experience so far it really doesn't hurt, it's just scary.
She also told me not to use toothpaste when brushing at night! I looked it up and it's legit a thing, apparently toothpaste being necessary for brushing is just something toothpaste manufacturers say. It's definitely a nicer feeling to brush with a fresh minty taste, but as far as removing plaque goes, the toothbrush itself can do all of that work. Live and learn, huh.
Anyway, it had been 17 months since my last cleaning - I kept my standing appointment in May 2020 while schools were closed, but after that I just couldn't justify the risk. At my previous workplace, I went to 8 different schools, all by public transit, so the potential for me to become a super-spreader was enormous. I only went to work and home and never shopped anywhere I couldn't walk to. But now that I'm vaccinated and cases are down and emergency is lifted, I thought, HERE IS MY CHANCE.
A friend recommended a clinic that had an English-speaking doctor, whom the receptionist immediately summoned upon seeing my face (well, rather, my eyes above the mask 🤣) when I stopped by there two weeks ago. I booked my appointment, which was today! It took TWO HOURS. T_T The actual doctor did the cleaning, which surprised me but was also super nice because she explained everything she was doing and gave tips on how to take care of areas she foresaw as causing problems down the line. She said I was in pretty good shape for someone who hadn't had a checkup in so long, but she did find a tiny cavity that I'm going to get fixed next month. They usually hold the anaesthetic for simple surface cavities here, so I'm a little nervous, but from my experience so far it really doesn't hurt, it's just scary.
She also told me not to use toothpaste when brushing at night! I looked it up and it's legit a thing, apparently toothpaste being necessary for brushing is just something toothpaste manufacturers say. It's definitely a nicer feeling to brush with a fresh minty taste, but as far as removing plaque goes, the toothbrush itself can do all of that work. Live and learn, huh.