Patient: Good morning, Doctor. I would to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. For the few last days my tooth has been hurting slightly, but last night the pain intensified and I could not sleep.

Doctor: I see, we have to meet then. My schedule is full for today, but I will see you anyway. Please come at 6 p.m. and please make sure you remind me your last name.

Patient: Thank you, I'll be there. My name is John Smith.

A Surgery Visit

Patient: Good morning. My name is John Smith. I have an appointment at 6 p.m.

Doctor: Hello, please sit down on the chair. As I remember, you have been complaining about a toothache for the last few days, haven’t you? And you could not sleep because of the pain last night, could you? Have you been taking any painkillers?

Patient: Yes, I’ve taken some pills, but unfortunately they did not help me.

Doctor: Is the pain constant or were there some breaks?

Patient: Earlier it wasn’t constant, but last night my tooth was hurting all the time.

Doctor: Are you experiencing the toothache right now? Can you indicate which tooth is hurting?

Patient: Yes, it’s painful right now, however I do not exactly know which tooth that is. Certainly it’s hurting on the top right side of my jaw.

Doctor: Open your mouth, please. It seems that you are right. The sixth tooth has a cavity. To make sure I’ll check the reaction of the tooth to something cold. I’ll touch the tooth with a cold swab for a moment so it can be quite uncomfortable.

Patient: Ouch! This is definitely the tooth. It’s hurting a lot.

Doctor: Not good. You will probably require a root canal treatment. Now I’ll open the decayed area up and I will remove decayed tissue. As this will be quite painful I'll use an anesthetic. As I recall you have already treated the teeth under anesthesia, haven’t you?

Patient: Yes, I have always treated teeth under local anesthesia.

Doctor: You may feel a slight prick and spreading.

Patient: It was not so bad. It wasn’t hurting too much. Oh, even the tooth has stopped aching.

Doctor: So, when I remove the tissue, it shouldn’t be painful either. But as I said, we could not do more without channel treatment. In fact carries reached the pulp of the tooth. Today I will only remove the pulp and create channels for fillings which I’ll fill in during the next visit, when we have more time. Anyway, it’s going to take me about an hour. Now, I’ll take some X-rays, and in a while I’ll put a rubber dam in, so saliva does not enter the cavity.

Patient: I know. I had a rubber dam applied before.

Doctor: We are almost finished. I’ll insert channels and temporary filling. Please close your mouth. Isn’t the filling too high?

Patient: It's all right.

Doctor: As I said, it's all for today. Please come back next week, also at 6 p.m. Then I’ll fill the channels and rebuild the tooth crown. Please be careful not to bite your cheek, as anesthesia is still working. The tooth should not hurt, although it may be slightly painful while biting. If something worries you, please feel free to call. And please remember about your next visit. No treatment has been completed.

Patient: Thank you for your help. See you soon!

Doctor: Goodbye!

VOCABULARY PRACTICE – TOOTHACHE
Complete the sentences with words from a table

1. The severity of a toothache can range from a mild discomfort to___________ pain, which can be experienced either chronically or sporadically.
2. If the toothache is severe, then take some ______________ to ease the pain before finding a more __________ solution.
3. ____________ medications such as ibuprofen can be effective pain relief when taken on a schedule.
4. The pain may be __________ by chewing or temperature. 
5. Medications used during dental work include anesthetics and antibiotics. Anesthetic is necessary to make the procedure comfortable and ____________ and antibiotics may be necessary to treat an ___________. 
6. Go to your dentist at the first opportunity. Don't think that ____________the pain is a good substitute for a dental appointment.
7. Since most toothaches are the result of tooth decay, following good oral hygiene practices can _____________ toothaches.
8. If your toothache is not treated, the __________ inside your tooth will eventually become infected.

Match questions and answers
QUESTIONS: 
1. How would you describe your pain?
2. What aggravates your pain?
3. Is your toothache constant?
4. Have you used any pain killers?
5. When did the pain start?
6. Are there any accompanying symptoms?
7. When was your last dental check-up. 
8. Have you used any home remedy to ease the pain off?

ANSWERS: 
A. Cold drinks make it worse. 
B. Yes, I have some swelling on my cheek. 
C. It’s very strong and pulsating. 
D. Yes, I’ve rinsed my mouth with salty water. 
E.I don’t recall. I’m afraid of dentists. 
F. Yes, I have. Unfortunately they have not brought any relief. 
G. No, it comes and goes. 
H. Two days ago.

 
Lesson 36 (2) answers