The last time I went to the dentist was when I was in sixth form; I’d say that’s around six or so years back. Since I arrived in Bangkok two years ago I had acquired a peculiar stain between my front two teeth. It was bugging me somewhat, so I decided a trip to the dentist was in order. I’d heard that dentists in Bangkok are some of the best in the world, and what’s more, they’re also cheap.

I asked around to find the best dentist in Bangkok and came up with the following suggestions:

• Siam Dental Center on Sirinakarin Road – 700 baht for a check up and any minor work needed.
• Ladprao General hospital, 2699 Ladprao Road (ladprao@ladpraohospital.com) – apparently Doctor Patcharin is very good.
• BNH Hospital (Silom) – a little more pricey but impeccable service by all accounts.
• Dentist 51 – a friend of mine always sings the praises of this dentist.

In the end I went for Dentist 51. It was easy to find: you get off the Skytrain at Thong Lor and walk back towards Phrom Pong, past the pizzeria opposite the gas station. It’s an orange shop so you can’t miss it. It’s a small place, but there are a number of skilled dentists working there. My appointment was handled by the young Doctor Kullapop, who is currently studying his MDSc. in Prosthodontics at Chula Uni in Bangkok. He advised that I needed scaling and polishing.

What is scaling? I wondered. It sounds terrifying, and in fact it’s not the most pleasant of experiences. The scaling itself was painless but a little odd. It was like a small drill being applied to my teeth.

From Wikipedia on scaling (I think this is what I had):

Magnetostrictive scalers utilize a stack of metal plates bonded to the tool tip. The stack is induced to vibrate by an external coil connected to an AC source. Many ultrasonic scalers also include a liquid output or lavage, which aids in cooling the tool during use. The lavage can also be used to deliver antimicrobial agents.

Then followed what felt like a hook attacking the gaps between my teeth (I’m not sure what you’d call a dentist’s “hook”). Polishing was performed after the scaling had removed the hardened tartar build up. Plishing involves “directing a stream of air, water, and sodium bicarbonate particles at the tooth surface to be cleaned. Compared with conventional polishing methods using a rotating rubber cup or brush, together with a polishing paste, air polishing is less abrasive on the teeth, more efficient, faster, and allows better access to difficult-to-reach areas.” (ENotes)

Cost was 750 baht, and luckily I didn’t have any cavities or other problems with my teeth after six years of being afraid of dentists.

You can choose which dentist you want by visiting the website. As far as dentists in Bangkok go, I’d give Dentist 51 a try.

Techno’ tags: Dentists in Bangkok