I Put It Off As Long As I Could But I Finally Had To Go To The Dentist..........
By caribe
@caribe (2465)
United States
March 5, 2007 8:27pm CST
I have been living in Nicaragua for two years now and I have been needing to go to a dentist for a while. I am not ordinarily so squeamish about going to the dentist, but with all the blood-borne diseases I was concerned about going here in Nicaragua. My husband has been to two or three different dentists here before he found one he felt was clean and I wouldn't be putting my health at risk. My tooth had been hurting for a couple of days so I knew I had to do something. I went and was pleasantly surprised at this dentist's sanitary procedures. It is not quite up to the standards of an American dental office but it was sufficient. My husband and I each had a tooth drilled and filled with a temporary filling (in case I might possibly need a root canal). The total bill today for both of us was 300 Cordovas, which is around $17. I can't beat that for sure. I knew it would be cheap but I was concerned about whether things were done sanitarily because the other places my husband went to were not very clean. Many people, attracted by the low prices of surgical procedures go to foreign countries for them without any thought as to how sanitary the conditions will be. It is possible that I might have to have a root canal done Wednesday, but I doubt it. If I do, the cost is a fraction of the cost of one in the USA. So what do you think of going to the dentist? What do you think about vacationing and having surgical procedures done because the prices are lower?
2 people like this
5 responses
@ossie16d (11821)
• Australia
11 Mar 07
Ouch is my immediate reaction to the word "dentist" because I dislike them intensely, and in fact only go when it is a last resort and I cannot put up with the pain for any longer. Dentists are not my favourite people at all caribe, regardless of how sanitary the conditions are or how cheap they are in fact. Just the smell is enough to keep me out of the door and more than once I have walked out because of the smell.
So for me, I do not think I would go on a holiday/vacation anywhere just to see a dentist no matter how cheap it was. If my first port of call was the dentist, then it would ruin the whole holiday and if it was the last thing I did, I would spend the entire time before visiting the Dentist worrying.
It was good to read though that you and your husband did find a good dentist, one who not only has very sanitary conditions but also at a good price. I also hope that you don't need a root canal filling because I am told that it isn't the most pleasant experience in this world. :)
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
10 Apr 07
Do not like the dentist either but sometimes have to go ... as I get older I realise that the visits must be more frequent and every time I do go, he will find something that needs doing. Not sure if he is lining his pockets or not ... never have a toothache until after I have been to the dentist though.
Had a root canal filling done last year and it was very painful ... despite having anaesthetic too. If I need any more then they can put me in hospital and knock me out ... a mate had it done and said it was less painful that way. Think that is what I will do in future ... being in pain means I cannot work driving the truck or even on the farm so prefer no pain at all.
@caribe (2465)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I went to a dentist a few years ago that on the first visit started naming all the things I needed done to my teeth, such as replacing the old fillings with a different type of filling that didn't have mercury in them. He had a beautiful new office he was about to move into and I strongly suspected he was looking for ways to pay for the luxury of it. I got a new dentist that didn't seem to think I needed a complete dental overhaul. Some are only seeing dollar signs when they look at your teeth. Root canals can be fairly pain free. I think it depends a lot on the dentist as to whether it is or not.
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
10 Mar 07
I absolutely hate going to the dentist no matter how cheap they are. I have the only no pain dentist in town but she does not do a lot of procedures. So I have to also see specialist who always hurts me. I just had a back tooth pulled and it felt like someone hit me in the jaw for 3 days . I would not go to just any dentist and definately would not go to one out of the country. It is frightening enough here in the US with good dentist, bt to have to worry about unsanitary conditions to boot would be just to much for me to bear. I hope I never have to have anything surgically done abroad, it would scare me.
@caribe (2465)
• United States
10 Mar 07
I had my tooth drilled and filled which was probably a mistake. I think I need a root canal because it was just too close to the nerve. The first time he just put a temporary filling and I didn't have any problems but when he disturbed an old filling and put in a new one along with the other work, I can't eat or drink anything cold, hot, or sweet without it giving me instant headache. One thing I have noticed here, they don't x-ray before they do the work and I didn't have any anesthesia. That is what I am concerned about for a root canal. There is no way I can have that without any kind of anesthesia. Surprisingly, I was able to handle the drilling and filling without anestesia, although when I got out of the chair I felt terrible pain but it subsided until I ate and drank something. So now I have to go back, if I don't want continual pain. Ouch!
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
13 Apr 07
I do not like going to the dentist either, but sometimes you have toespecially if you have a tooth pain.
I have 7 root root canals allready.The dentist here are very expensive. A root canal is $700.Our dentists offices are very clean and sanitary.
@rndistgg (109)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Ha! I just went to the dentist today! I, too, have waited a lot longer than I should have and it's my first time at this particular dentist. I just got dental insurance so fillings are going to be like $10 a tooth I think she said and $5 for an office visit. Even though it's a LOT cheaper than I expected it to be, I'm a bit weary because I feel like my dentist was dumb as a box of rocks. I kept asking him what I should do or what would be the best thing to do and his response would be "It really doesnt matter. Whatever you want to do." So I don't really think it matters Where in the world you get your teeth fixed as long as your dentist knows what the heck he's doing and makes you feel good about what you're doing. Yes it should also be noticably clean as well.
@caribe (2465)
• United States
6 Mar 07
It does sound like you got one that isn't very good at giving instructions or giving advice. I guess you are right that it doesn't matter where you are as long as they know what they are doing. This dentist that I went to turned out to be a long time friend of my husband's best friend so they had a lot in common. He was a very pleasant person.
