How A Toothache Changed Everything

Life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs, but nothing quite prepared me for the sheer, all-consuming misery that descended a month ago. It wasn’t a fashion faux pas or a beauty blunder, it was a toothache. And not just a minor ache, mind you, but a relentless, throbbing torment that made everything else fade into a blurry background. For those seventy-two hours, my world narrowed to the singular focus of finding relief from this unwelcome guest.

It started subtly, a little twinge. I, being the ever-optimistic (and slightly delusional) individual I am, chalked it up to a rogue popcorn kernel. Then, it escalated. Rapidly. Soon, my entire existence revolved around that pulsating tormentor. My only focus was not bursting into tears every time I inadvertently bit down.

After what felt like an eternity (but was, in reality, a very long seventy-two hours), I finally surrendered to the inevitable: a visit to the dentist. And let me tell you, finding a good dentist, especially after a series of less-than-stellar experiences in my younger years, felt like finding a Birkin bag at a flea market – rare, coveted, and utterly life-changing. My dental woes began early, when I broke my front tooth playing hide-and-seek with my brother as a kid. The first dentist I visited after the accident, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put braces on before my proper adult teeth had even fully emerged. From there on, it was just a chaotic carousel of dentists trying to do haphazard jobs, leading me to swear off dental visits entirely, save for the occasional, dreaded cleaning. I’ve had them all – the overly chatty one who recounted her weekend with her friends to the nurse while my mouth was propped open, the one whose tools seemed to be perpetually cold, and the one who drilled a hole across my tooth while chatting with a fellow dentist. So, finding Dr. Manisha Mehta from Smile Studio felt like an absolute blessing. Well, eventually. At first, I was a distrusting, angry, sobbing mess.

Dr. Mehta and her team, bless their incredibly patient soul, not only diagnosed the villain (a particularly nasty infection requiring a root canal) but handled my near-hysterical state with the grace of a seasoned diplomat. The root canal, while not exactly a day at the beach, was performed with such precision and kindness by Dr. Denzel Albuquerque that I actually… relaxed. (Okay, maybe “relaxed” is a strong word, but I didn’t spontaneously combust, which is a win in my book.)

Now, this is where the story takes a truly unexpected turn, from mere pain relief to an unexpected full-blown smile evolution. After my teeth were happily (and painlessly!) on the mend, Dr. Mehta, with an air of sophisticated persuasion, suggested tooth caps. My immediate reaction? “Caps? But I’m a confident woman! I’ve embraced my quirks! My slightly twisted canines and charming little gaps are me!”

And it was true, on the surface. I’ve always been a self-assured individual, navigating the demanding world of fashion and beauty with my head held high. But honestly? There was always a tiny, insecure inner child who, despite all my outward confidence, had mastered the art of the “closed-lip smile” in photos and strategically placed my hand during animated conversations to mask the gaps. Which, I assure you didn’t bother anyone. And yet, a little voice always whispered, “Don’t show too much teeth.”

After the root canal, I took a week to decide and in the mean time I bombarded her with all kinds of questions (oh, so many questions) that she answered ever so patiently. I also spoke to many friends who had opted for caps before. Tooth caps are very common, it wasn’t about the technicality of the procedure, it was about reassuring the little girl in me that she was going to be okay. And so, I took the plunge.

The transformation, was nothing short of miraculous. What emerged was an even, beautiful smile, if I may say so myself. The gaps? Gone. The twisted tooth? Corrected. Is it 100% perfect? No, and I didn’t want that either. But my teeth, once a source of hidden self-consciousness, were now a uniform, radiant line.

But you know what’s funny? Not a single person I’ve met since the procedure, has noticed the change. Including the people closest to me. I haven’t stopped talking about them though. My smile is my new, “Look this dress has pockets!!” The emotional impact has been profound. It’s not just about aesthetics, though I do enjoy seeing my perfectly aligned pearly whites in the mirror now. It’s about shedding that tiny layer of insecurity that lingered from childhood. It’s about the sheer joy of laughing unreservedly, of not having to perform mental gymnastics to angle my head just so for a photo. That inner child, who had learned to hide her smile, is now beaming. It still angers me that I had to go through a series of bad dental experiences for almost 35 years of my life and that it took a seemingly life-threatening pain to find the joy of smiling carefree.

Finding a dentist/gynaecologist/dermat/therapist or any specialist who is not only incredibly skilled but also genuinely cares and builds trust, is invaluable. It’s not just about fixing a problem; it’s about having a partner in your health and well-being. And sometimes, the most unbearable pain can lead to the most beautiful blessings.

So, the next time you feel a twinge, don’t ignore it. And if you’re holding back your smile, perhaps it’s time to find your own Dr. Mehta. Because trust me, a truly confident smile isn’t just what you show to the world; it’s also what you feel on the inside.

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