At the Dentist in English at B1: Describing Pain, Understanding Treatment, Asking About Cost
The dentist is a strange place to practise English. You need precise words for pain and treatment, and for half the appointment you cannot speak at all. This article gives you the words to explain the problem before you sit down, the instructions you will hear in the chair, and the questions to ask about cost before anything starts.
A dental visit has three stages, and each one has its own language: booking and registering, explaining the problem, and the treatment itself. The first two happen while you can still talk, so that is where your preparation matters.
If you have already read the article on English at the doctor, many pain words will be familiar. The dentist adds a small, specific vocabulary of its own.
Registering and booking
In many countries you register with a dental practice before you can book a normal appointment. If you are in pain, ask for an emergency appointment. Most practices keep a few slots each day for this.
The receptionist will ask whether you are a new patient and may ask about your medical history. Say if you take any regular medication.
- I would like to register as a new patient, please.
- I have a really bad toothache. Do you have an emergency appointment today?
- I am due for a check-up. When is your next free slot?
- Do you accept my insurance?
- I am taking blood thinners. Is that a problem?
Describing the problem
Dentists want to know where it hurts, what kind of pain it is, and what makes it worse. Use the words upper and lower, left and right, front and back. Point if you need to.
Sensitive is a key word. A tooth that is sensitive to cold hurts when you drink something cold, even if it does not hurt the rest of the time.
| Problem | What to say |
|---|---|
| Where | It is a tooth on the lower left, at the back. |
| Type of pain | It is a sharp pain when I bite down. |
| Constant pain | It is a dull ache that does not go away. |
| Sensitivity | It is very sensitive to cold drinks. |
| Broken tooth | I think I have chipped a tooth. A small piece came off. |
| Lost filling | One of my fillings has fallen out. |
| Gums | My gums bleed when I brush my teeth. |
Treatment words
The dentist will name the treatment before starting. These are the words you are most likely to hear. If you do not understand one, ask: what does that involve?
A check-up is a routine examination. A scale and polish, called a cleaning in American English, removes hard deposits from the teeth, usually done by a hygienist.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| filling | material that fills a hole in a tooth |
| crown | a cap that covers a damaged tooth |
| root canal | treatment inside the tooth, to remove an infection |
| extraction | taking a tooth out |
| X-ray | a picture of the teeth and bone |
| hygienist | the person who cleans your teeth |
| numb | without feeling, after an injection |
Instructions in the chair
In the chair you will mostly listen. The instructions are short and the dentist will often show you with a gesture. Knowing them in advance makes the appointment much less stressful.
If you need to stop, the usual signal is to raise your left hand. Agree on it before they start: if I need you to stop, I will raise my hand.
- Open wide, please.
- Bite down gently.
- Can you turn your head towards me a little?
- Rinse and spit, please.
- You might feel a small scratch. That is the injection.
- Is that numb now? Can you feel this?
Asking about cost and aftercare
In many countries dental treatment is not fully covered by public health care or insurance, so ask about the price before anything begins. It is normal and nobody will be offended. Ask for a treatment plan if the work needs more than one visit.
After treatment, ask what you can eat and when. When can I eat? and how long will it be numb? are the two questions almost everyone forgets.
| You want to know | What to ask |
|---|---|
| The price | How much will this cost roughly? |
| Cover | Is this covered by my insurance? |
| Plan | Could I have a written treatment plan with the costs? |
| Options | Are there any cheaper options? |
| Eating | When can I eat and drink normally? |
| Pain | What should I take if it hurts tonight? |
Words worth learning
Ten words will get you through most visits: toothache, sensitive, filling, crown, root canal, check-up, hygienist, numb, rinse and gums. Put them on flashcards with a full sentence each, such as one of my fillings has fallen out.
If you are ever in severe pain at night or after an accident, the emergency English article has the phrases for calling for help.