Yesterday I got to the dentist. My tooth has finally got a temporary filling in – one which is still in even now. In theory it should last until our next check-up in November.
It was quite an experience. Firstly the Fox wasn’t allowed into the surgery except to help me in my wheelchair up the ramp to enter the place.
I’d had to wear a mask. As I didn’t have one, I used a headscarf 4-6 layers thick like some sort of bandit.
Once inside I had my temperature checked. Then I had to pay. Then I went straight into the surgery itself - no waiting in the waiting area.
All staff wore full length gowns, gloves, masks & visors.
The dentist had a look into my mouth. Needless to say I had lowered my headscarf by then. He tentatively put a tool in & I nearly leapt out of the chair. He accepted this was an emergency appointment. Clearly I had pain in the tooth.
He was so apologetic. He wasn’t allowed to us drills, needles for anaesthetic, suction things or even to provide a glass of water to swill my mouth out. When a bit of filling dropped to the back of my mouth I gagged. The light on his head, inside the visor, seemed to be reflected on the screen of the visor making it hard for him to see. He clearly felt he was delivering the medicine of over a hundred years ago. It pained him to see me squirming in pain as he did his best to fill the tooth. Eventually it was done. It wasn't until about 6 hours later my mouth finally settled down after the trauma of the experience.
I’m just hoping when we do have our check-up, & this tooth gets permanently filled, conditions will have improved for the sake of our dentist, & of us.
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