Dental Clinics

By: Jojette Asumbrado Ramos

I have an obsession about going to dental clinics. I do not know where it came from but I just felt it. 

Yesterday, I was there again, I had an appointment for a tooth extraction. My scheduled time was 1pm, but of course, we always waited for the doctor to arrive. So, while waiting I indulged in reading a book which I always have every time I travelled. Engrossed in the story I had been reading, that when he was around I was taken aback. It was already 3pm. It made me think, I should be a doctor too, hmmm fat chance and I’d rather encourage my son to be one someday. Doctors can be very late with their appointments but could get away with it, clean slate. Their arrival means a salvation to your agonies and sleepless nights. They have the skills that will make your life more bearable, or rather to make the painful stimuli go away.

There was a young woman ahead of me, so patiently waited again for my turn. I had been there for hours; a few minutes were a chicken thing. Then, another woman arrived, we chatted of course, out of boredom. The usual, hi’s and hello’s was exchanged. Then she shared, she will be for root canal procedures, and that cost her three thousand pesos (P3, 000), well, just to let you know, how an RC cost. She asked about my purposed, the usual exchanged of information. Because, looking at her, she too was very nosy; I had to give her something too. Told her my purposed; tooth extraction, which will surely satisfy her. Then she ranted about how painful it was to have that procedure, the injection, and so on. She was indeed unstoppable in rambling. I had to really vocally tell her to stop talking about it. I said to her, you know what; you are not helping in any way what-so-ever. I am here, because I know it is the dentist that could make me feel better. There will always be a pain, but I am sure I could take it. Thank you very much for your input, which I am not really ignoramus about. Then, I smiled at her; she understood that I may be scared a bit, but I could suck it in. And could overcome what lies ahead, thank you very much.

The dentist called me in, I said hi nervously. He recognized of course, the trembling voice; he asked if I am alright. I answered honestly, not quite really, but I will be able to handle it. He said, well, please have a seat then. It means, on the dental chair with lots of gadgets attached to it. Some may find it weird, but that chair was the most comfortable chair ever. When I lie, it follows every contour of my back part; starting from my cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and to my lower extremities and upper appendages too. It did relieve me of my stresses I was going through at that time. When I am lying down and the good dentist was preparing for the dental tools to be used. This was also the moment, that I do mental visualization, to relax me more, I let my mind travel to a specific place, where pain could be blocked. Before, I think of being on a beach wearing my colorful bikini, frolicking, and licking my three favorite flavored ice cream; mango, ube and macapuno. Then, while the procedure was going on, I played my mind, making it busy, at that time, trying to figure out if I was licking the mango, the ube or the macapuno. Therefore, I was so concentrated on what taste my tongue was into, instead of the pain I will be experiencing. It always does the trick really. The doctor had to call my attention twice after he was finished, because all thru out the procedure, I was having a grand party, hehehe.

But yesterday's visualization was a different one. My mind never travelled this time, it stayed where I am, but someone it seemed to travel towards me, holding my hand all throughout the procedure. It calmed me down, knowing the presence of the one who cares so much. It was the best mind travelled of all time. The sensation seemed so surreal, and it did, have greater effect that my ice cream fantasy. Then the dentist announced that we were done. Well, I just hope my imaginary friend did not feel the pain, when I squeezed the left hand. I had all the support and care that I needed, I am truly blessed.

Said my gratitude to my dentist, who is by the way Doctor Lindley Dela Torre. I could have embraced him, but of course, that is a no-no between patients and doctors. A simple declaration of thanks will suffice. He had given me a prescription for pain and for blood clotting purposes. After which, I went to the secretary and paid my dues. Smiled to the woman, I had chatted before, tempted to scare her too... but I resisted the wickedness of my intentions. Instead, blurted out the thankfulness of it all, and all done and finished, before she could open her mouth, and said something inappropriate again, because I could see it coming forming in her eyes, and I'd be damned to give her an opportunity to ruin my day.

There was a pharmacy nearby, immediately purchased the medicines. I could feel the anesthesia ebbing away. It was making me nervous and uneasy. The insides of me were shaking, in fact I think, I was literally shaking thru my bones. I am close to panic, summoned my will power to keep my composure, to wait, for my number to be called, it felt like eternity. When I got hold of the medicines, I had to take it the soonest. Oblivious of the people around me, my sole mission at that time was to make the pain under control. Rushed out of the pharmacy, and then hailed a taxi to take me home. Address to the driver to change the radio station into soft music, because at the time, hearing problems from other people was not my concerned, it only added to my pain. The soothing music was a relieved, then I closed my eyes, and visualized again.