That's right everyone, this week I experienced everyone's worst nightmare...going to the dentist. Let me preface this by saying it has been a long time since I have been to the dentist, and this trip came after much discussion, anticipation, and dread. This entry is a novel...so brace yourselves and enjoy the ride.
To begin, the last time I had been to the dentist was when I got my wisdom teeth pulled...I am not exactly sure when that was. It was either my sophomore or junior year of college. Which would have been 4 or 5 years ago. I was out like a light the whole time, so I don't know if he actually cleaned my teeth or just pulled my wisdom teeth. Prior to that experience it would have probably been the summer before when I had last been to the dentist for a cleaning and examination. So it had to have been at least 5 years since I had been to the dentist.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this is not good for my oral hygene. However, since moving to Taiwan I had been in a little bit of a dilema. Upon my arrival to Taiwan in 2005, I was not worrying about making an appointment to get my teeth checked. Rather, I was more worried about survival in this new environment. Towards the end of my first year however, I began to realize that I probably should head to the dentist at some point. I heard horror stories of other missionaries returning from Taiwan with 3 and 4 cavities in their mouths (much of this can be due to the high consumption of green tea, which usually is sold with a lot of sugar in it).
After hearing this, and reflecting on my personal absence from the dentist office, I decided I should start to think about getting my teeth checked. Here was my dilema. I inquired some of the other missionaries about the dentist in Taiwan, and did not get an overwhelming vote of confidence. In fact some that I asked had instead gone to the dentist in the U.S. when home for summer break. So I thought about this, but then realized that I do not have dental insurance. And if there is one thing that is definitely true it is that health and dental care in America is outrageous without insurance. Some missionaries have spent well over $100 to get a check-up while home in the States. I soon realized that I did not have that kind of money, and decided that I would not worry about it that summer and would instead try to get an appointment while in Taiwan. Even if it is not as good as America, a check-up can still tell me if I have cavities and some cleaning is better than no cleaning.
Well my second year came and went and I never seemed to make time to go to the dentist. At this point it became a little psychological, as I really did not have a desire to hear how dirty my teeth were, or how many cavities I had. I did however decide that if I was not going to the dentist I should start to take better care of my teeth. I began flossing somewhat regularily and started using Listerine in addition to brushing. I also started buying green tea with half sugar instead of full sugar. When my parents came to visit in January, the dentist saga was brought up at some point, and when my mom realized how long it had been since I had gone, she too started actively encouraging me to go get a check-up and cleaning.
Like I said the second year came and went, and I was not about to spend an arm and a leg for dental care in America. However this past summer, the topic did come up again and I was strongly encouraged to see a dentist in Taiwan.
As I returned for this my third year, I was determined that I would see the dentist at some point this year. Fearing that if I did not do it sooner, it might not happen, I resolved that it would get done before the middle of October. Well that date came and went, but soon realized I needed to act fast. So after some rescheduling of appointments, I finally got in this past Monday.
Now about dental care in Taiwan. For one, it is cheaper because Taiwan has national health care. Thus everything is cheaper here. In terms of how each office operates I do not know how they work as a whole, but can share my specific experience. The dentist I went to is the father a worker at CELA (the English cram school that some missionaries work at here in Min Hsiung). His office is open in the evenings from 7:30-9:30. I found this strange. My appointment was for 7:30 and I went about 15 minutes before, as I thought this was proper protical for a dentist appointment. When I got there all of the lights were off and no one was in the building. So I drove around for about 15 minutes then came back.
By the time I got back, a little girl had already come and he began to examine her. This is pretty typically of health care in Taiwan, as it is more like waiting at the driver's liscense than making an appointment. I have been to the doctor before and you literally get a number and take a seat.
Well after waitng for another 10 minutes in nervous anticipation, trying not to think of all of the cavities he would find, I finally was escorted to the dreaded chair. When I sat down I found the dentist to be quite pleasant and he spoke English well. He had studied in Canada for a little bit and has a daughter that lives in Alabama.
He examined my teeth right away and then turned me over to his assistant. She did not speak any English, but before he left he informed me that they would clean some stains (no doubt originating from my large consumption of tea), give a general cleaning and give me some flouride.
As his assistant worked in my mouth, it was not terribly uncomfortable. She did do a little bit of scraping, which is never pleasant, but overall I held up pretty well. One big difference from my experience in America was with the light. In the States, my dentist's have always moved the light out of my eyes, but it still shined on my general face. At my appointment on Monday, the light was move out of the way for a little bit, but then a towel was wrapped around my face. It covered my eyes and only my mouth would have been visible from the towel.
After the cleaning she gave me the flouride. It was pink jelly substance that she applied using a wire with a swabb-like device on it. She put it around my mouth and told me she'd be back in one minute. After a minute she returned and gave me paper cup with water, for me to rinse with.
She had done this previously after the cleaning and then told me to swish it in my mouth and spit it out. She said all of this in Chinese and I did not fully understand what she meant, but after some gesturing and clarification I eventually figured out what I was to do with the water and where I was to put the excess.
After rinsing my mouth, she removed the towels and cleaned up the area a little bit. Then she looked at me with a huge smile on her face and told me something, which I did not understand. I asked her to repeat it a couple of times, but I still did not know the meaning. Eventually she told me that "my teeth were good" and that they "had no holes". Starting to understand, I asked a couple of clarifitory questions. I asked if my teeth were "not good" then would I have to come back and have more work. At this point I made the drilling sound. She nodded her head energetically and we both realized we understood each other. She was telling me I had no cavities. YEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!
After five years, my teeth were ok. I went to the counter to pay my bill. It ended up costig $100 NT, which in the United States is $3.20. I knew it would be cheap, but this was even better than I thought. After I came home, I thought I might have to go back in the spring for another check. In the meantime I will continue to brush, floss, and rinse.
