My dentist is a nice guy. In fact he’s a great guy. But, don’t blame me for not liking him too much. Each time I go to him, I loose either a tooth or about a grand. Needless to say, I like both of them too much to make this guy with the white apron, green mask and shiny little bits that go whir inside the mouth my favorite guy of the month.
This visit was not too bad. He had a whole array of pain alleviating stuff lined up in the shiny tray he had in front of me. Made me recline on this nice comfortable chair and then turned on the light. A dab of this ointment and then a jab of that needle and pretty soon half my mouth and the lower jaw was numb. Thoughtfully his assistant handed me a tissue to wipe my drool away.
Then came the dreaded moment, the great reveal. With great foresight and about Rs. 350, this guy wonder had taken an X-Ray of the wisdom tooth. He held it against the fluorescent screen and tut – tutted. Believe me, it’s not a good sign to have your dentist tut – tut when you are reclining on his chair with half your jaw numbed.
“It’s curved” he says. “There is a bone also that prevents me from taking this out. You should have come in sooner.” I nod my head dumbly; loquacity is not really a viable option with a nice jab of lindocaine in your jaw.
Moving to his little chair next to my jaw, with a nice shiny medieval looking thing in his be-gloved hand, he said now relax. Yeah right. Took a couple of deep breaths and let go. By this time, his assistant had moved into position and had a nice grip of my face. What with the good doctor prying away with the pincer thingie and the assistant twisting my face sideways, the tooth came out easy. He plonked that in the tray and then put a swab in my mouth.
Don’t speak, don’t spit and don’t gargle. Remember these three don’ts.Just a liquid diet and cold ones today. Come back after a week for a follow-up. Do you think
Waited for fifteen minutes. He was really good, all this had taken barely fifteen minutes of his time and already the numbness had begun to recede. I went back in after watching
He asked me if I wanted to look at the wicked curved wisdom teeth of mine. I said yes, definitely. I wanted to know if I had to cremate them or bury them under a peepal tree. I really did not want to come back from the afterlife just for a tooth. He had it rinsed and put in a small plastic sealie for me.
I have them now. The curved pieces of oral agony. They lie on my desk, waiting to be gilded. So, they can also take part in the final journey of the flames with me. Somehow, Mom doesn't look too happy about them though.
