Unit 2. When You’ve Got a Toothache
Read and translate the following text:
The
most common cause of a toothache is a dental cavity. Dental cavities
(caries) are holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the
enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface
and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath the enamel. Both
layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the
pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Bacteria in the mouth
convert sugar into acid. The acid softens and dissolves the enamel
and dentin, creating cavities.
Small, shallow cavities may not cause pain and may go unnoticed. The larger deeper cavities can be painful and collect food debris. The inner living pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins or by foods and liquids that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet, thereby causing severe toothaches. Severe injury to the pulp can lead to the death of pulp tissue, resulting in a tooth infection (dental abscess). Deeper cavities can also lead to a small swelling or a “gum blister” which forms near the affected tooth. Toothaches from these larger cavities are the most common reason for visits to dentists.
If a visit to the dentist’s is not immediately available, there are a few remedies that may help to ease a toothache in the meantime. Avoid chewing in the area of pain and minimize exposure of cold or hot food or drinks in the area. Rinsing the mouth out with warm water and thoroughly brushing and flossing could help remove food debris that is adding to the irritation. Oral pain relief products can provide temporary relief to a tooth or the gum area. It is important to note that if there is any kind of swelling that is rapidly growing, a visit to an emergency room may be necessary as this kind of dental problem cannot wait.
Answer these questions:
What is the most common cause of a toothache?
What are dental cavities?
Does the pain depend on the size of a cavity?
What may deeper cavities lead to?
What remedies may help to ease a toothache if you are not able to visit a dentist immediately?
In what cases a visit to an emergency room is quite necessary?
Read and translate the following dialogue:
Dentist: Sit down, please. What do you complain of?
Patient: I have a very bad toothache. I can’t eat and I can’t sleep at night.
Dentist: Open your mouth, please. Which tooth troubles you?
Patient: It’s a big tooth at the back on the left. That hurts very badly.
Dentist: Yes, that tooth has a big cavity, but I think I can stop it for you. The tooth isn’t far gone. Why didn’t you come earlier?
Patient: Well, you know, it is not quite a pleasure to go to the dentist’s. And every time I decided to come it got better.
Dentist: When did the ache appear?
Patient: The pain appeared last week.
Dentist: Do you feel this ache from cold or hot water?
Patient: I feel the ache from cold water.
Dentist: Open your mouth wider. I shall put a temporary filling in this tooth. Spit out, please. I think everything will be all right. Come to me tomorrow.
Patient: Thank you doctor. Goodbye.
Fill in the blanks with missing remarks:
a) – Sit down, please. What do you complain of?
- …
- Open your mouth, please. Which tooth troubles you?
- …
- Yes, this tooth has a big cavity, but I think I can stop it.
b) – What’s the matter?
- …
- Let me have a look at it. Open your mouth wider. Does this tooth hurt?
- …
- It must be X-rayed. If the pulp is vital I can give you a composite filling.
c) – I think I can restore this broken incisor with a composite. It’s strong and suitable for such restorations. But it’s rather expensive. Can you afford it?
- …
- Let’s start then. It’ll take us some time, but the tooth will be better than it used to be.
a) - …?
- I have an awful toothache. I can’t sleep and eat.
b) - … ?
- It’s not quite a pleasure to come to the dentist’s.
c) - … ?
- The ache appeared last week.
- … ?
- I feel the ache from cold.
d) - … ?
- I have a filling which is loose.
- ….
Yes, very. I haven’t had anything hot to eat or drink for the last five days.
Act as an interpreter:
– Садитесь, пожалуйста. Как Ваша фамилия?
- My name is Nick Green.
- На что жалуетесь?
- I have a bad toothache.
- Давайте посмотрим. Какой зуб Вас беспокоит?
- It’s a lower tooth on the left.
- Да, зуб разрушен, есть небольшая полость. Реагирует ли зуб на горячее или холодное?
- Yes, I can’t drink cold.
- Когда появилась боль?
- Yesterday.
- Ну что же, давайте лечить этот зуб.
– Откройте рот широко. Этот зуб болит?
- Yes, it hurts badly.
- Да, зуб имеет большую полость, но я думаю, что его можно вылечить. Зуб не очень разрушен.
- Will the filling be seen?
- Нет, я сделаю пломбу из композита. Он вполне подходит для реставрации передних зубов. После реставрации зуб будет выглядеть как естественный.