Poppy stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, a mix of excitement and dread swirling in her stomach. It was the day she had been both anticipating and fearing: her wisdom teeth extraction. After her previous dental experiences, she had learned to take her oral health seriously, but the thought of getting her wisdom teeth removed was daunting.
"Are you ready?" her mom called from the kitchen, interrupting her thoughts. Poppy took a deep breath and nodded, even though her mom couldn't see her. Of course, she had been warned about the recovery by friends with all sorts of chipmunk-puffy faces.
This visit to the oral surgeon's office took eternities. When she arrived, she took some time to stabilize her breathing.
"Let's check you in," her mom said, smiling at her. Poppy tried to produce a grudgingly cheerful back, her heart thudding.
Soon enough, a dental assistant called out to her: "Poppy, we're ready for you." She brightened the smile that had been going nowhere. Poppy stood up, determination and trepidation both hand in hand. She followed the assistant down a long corridor to a treatment room, where antiseptic had a weighty scent.
"Did you have surgery before?" the assistant asked, walking Poppy to the dental chair.
"I sure hope I did," Poppy replied, attempting a joke to lighten the mood, but it fell flat. The assistant smiled politely, clearly used to nervous patients.
Seated in that chair, Poppy experienced cold leather on her back, and now she knew why - all too vulnerable. Then she heard footsteps; Dr. Gungub, the oral surgeon, entered the room with a warm smile that began to set her a little at ease. "Hi, Poppy! Today, we're going to take care of those wisdom teeth. How are you feeling?"
"A little nervous," she said, her voice shaking.
"That's very normal," Dr. Gungub told her reassuringly. "We'll make you comfortable. We've got some anesthetic options that'll make you relax during the procedure."
Poppy nodded gratefully. As Dr. Gungub continued to explain the options for sedation, Poppy found herself winding up on his every word, trying to take it all in. After some discussion, they settled on laughing gas—a light sedation that would keep her calm enough but still allow her to be aware of what was happening.
"Just a few more minutes, and we'll get started," Dr. Gungub said. Poppy closed her eyes momentarily, letting herself drift in the pleasant haze. She felt as though she were dreaming, and before very long, the procedure began.
Before she knew it, Poppy felt light pressure in her mouth, though the pain was hardly sharp enough. Working diligently, Dr. Gungub went through his task as Poppy drifted in and out of consciousness and spoke to his assistant throughout the procedure. The hum of the dental instruments and the monotone beep of the monitors somehow eased the client's mind.
Just a few minutes later, she started to be gently shaken awake. "Poppy, we're all finished!" declared Dr. Gungub warmly and reassuringly. She opened her eyes, blinking, and found her mother standing by her, all with a relief smile.
"You did great!" her mother exclaimed, hurrying alongside her. "How are you?"
"Like I just woke up from a nap," she slurred her voice. The numbing medicine made her cheeks heavy; she felt a dull pain in the back of her mouth.
"You're going to be a little sore for the next few days," said Dr. Gungub, handing her a small care package filled with ice packs, gauze, and post-operative instructions. "So rest, soft food. No straws, and ice those cheeks immediately to keep the swelling down."
Poppy nodded gratefully at the care package but also a little uncertain. "What if I can't eat anything good?"
"Soft foods can still be yummy!" her mom said. "We can make smoothies, mashed potatoes, and even some applesauce. I'll take care of it, I promise."
On her way home, Poppy felt the sedation effect starting to wear off. Her cheeks felt puffy, and she could feel all that throbbing in her jaw, but it wasn't too bad. She fixed her eyes on the road ahead and was relieved that the procedure was over.As Poppy relaxed back, she thought of the day. The experience was nowhere near as frightening as she had thought, but it made clear that her teeth needed to be correctly taken care of. She knew her oral health journey was now stepping off. But she had promised herself so many times after the other visits that, now, with this extraction of her wisdom teeth, she felt she was set on a new commitment to conduct herself better in maintaining good dental hygiene.
