An Oral All-Clear!

If you've always thought an electric toothbrush is an expensive, gimmicky toy, join the club.

When this revolution was first unveiled and we checked out the price, this was my exact thought - that it is just the latest gadget to help gadget geeks part with their money. Surely, a normal toothbrush does the job without having to turn to the fancy toothbrush!

But recently, after my visit to the dentist here, I was strongly advised to get one. During pregnancy, increased hormone levels make the teeth and gums more sensitive and vulnerable to bacteria. And during my nine months, my gums have been red, swollen and tender, so booking myself in with a dentist has been one of my priorities after the delivery.

Visiting the dentist in a foreign land is quite an adventure. You walk in with expectations that it will be the same back home, but learn soon enough that the world is a bigger place than "back home" and things are not the same outside. As a new patient, my first appointment was purely a check - the dentist goes through my teeth and her assistant notes down the dentist's observations of each tooth. 

And the verdict was not pretty. Just as I had thought, my gums were in bad shape, and to top it off, I had a cavity.

I was told I need to see the hygienist before the dentist would address my cavity. Excuse me, but what is a hygienist? It is the first time I have ever heard of such a term!

Apparently, the hygienist focuses on cleaning and scaling and gives advice on how to clean one's teeth. I felt a bit sheepish, when I went for my hygienist appointment, feeling like a kid sent to Workshop "How to Brush Your Teeth 101". The hygienist gave the same sad message - my gums were in trouble - and set about cleaning them immediately. At the end of the session, I was told that I had to see her one more time, after my gums had some time to rest after this first session, so she could complete the treatment.

Now, this is a bit of a surprise to me, because what she had done in the first day did indeed feel like half the job done. I did not feel as clean as I am used to after a dental visit. And to be honest, I minded quite a bit, because dental care here is so expensive. Each appointment with the hygienist set me back 45 quid, which is the same in Singapore, except that it would be 45 in Singapore dollars! And I had to see her twice?!

But if I wanted to get my gums back to health, I had to do that follow-up treatment. I was sent home with some extra small Tepe brushes (that act like floss to clean in between the teeth) and a recommendation to get an electric toothbrush.

So, there you are - I got that super-duper toothbrush. Initially skeptical, I am now a true convert! Not only is brushing almost effortless, it is almost fun. Yeah, tell me, how mature I sound there... And it is true - you do feel so clean after each brushing session. I have to say the Oral-B advert is right (though I bought a Philips) - you get a dentist-clean feeling every time you use it!  And those small Tepe brushes - they do make sure I get every bit of food trapped in between the teeth. I wish someone had told me of these amazing dental aids earlier!

And we end with today's visit to the dentist to get that cavity filled. So, today, I am done! My oral worries settled. Yup, it did burn a hole in the pocket, but hey, I'd much rather spend the money than lose my teeth - a truly terrifying nightmare for any foodie! And I'll be happily brushing away with my new, gadgetty toothbrush :)