The reason I go to the dentist is because I want to laugh with all my heart.

Sitting across from me at the cafe, she opened her mouth wide and gave a bright smile.
I was captivated by her throughout our meeting.
To be precise, I was captivated by the way she laughed.

...

I think many people can relate, but I am not a fan of the dentist.

That "Zzzzzzt!" sound when they drill your teeth.
That feeling of having various instruments put in and taken out of your mouth, which I don't really understand.
The extraordinary tension during treatment where you feel like "if I move, I'll probably die."

Above all, I am afraid of that pain...

Because of that, I am embarrassed to admit that I have hardly been to the dentist since becoming an adult. After I gave birth, a silver filling came out, and I took my child, who was still a baby, to the dentist with me. The treatment was finished quickly, and I haven't been back since. It has been about seven years now, I suppose.

In that time, I have entered my 40s. Even if I wouldn't say my teeth hurt, little things have started to bother me inside my mouth. I feel like my gums have thinned out and receded a bit, or I feel like I can see something small and dark in the gaps between my teeth.

Although I take care of them in my own way, it has been bothering me, and at some point, I became hesitant to open my mouth wide and laugh in front of others.

That is why, on that day, I was captivated by the face of the woman I was meeting—who is a little older than me and a senior to me in parenting—as she laughed with her mouth wide open.

She takes proper care of her teeth.
That is why she can laugh with all her heart like that.

When I thought that, I made up my mind: "I'm going to the dentist."

There is one other person who made me, a dentist-hater, think about going to the dentist. That is my child, who is now eight years old.

It was when they were in their final year of kindergarten. A tooth suspected of having a cavity was found during a dental checkup at kindergarten. I immediately utilized internet technology (Google search on my smartphone) to find a dentist who would provide the best treatment for my child's teeth.

When I called to make an appointment, I was able to get an examination right away.
The dental clinic had a bright atmosphere just as I had seen on the internet, with a kids' space in the waiting room and cute knick-knacks placed everywhere, showing that they had made efforts so that even children wouldn't be afraid.

My child was a little nervous when they were taken to the treatment room and made to sit in the chair. I sat in a nearby chair and gently rubbed my child's legs so they could feel as secure as possible.

I realized something after the treatment started.

I have been to the dentist before, but I have never seen someone else getting treated.

And to my surprise,
watching someone get treated is actually interesting...

The dentist skillfully switching between various instruments, putting them in and out of the mouth one after another, and the dental hygienist assisting them—their movements were completely without waste.

I wonder how many treatments they have gone through together to be able to work in such perfect harmony, with such unspoken understanding.

Since my child was calm, looking as if it "didn't hurt at all," I was also able to watch calmly.

Even the “whirring sound!” I dislike doesn't feel so bad when it's not echoing from inside my own mouth, and I watched the treatment from start to finish, feeling excited and wondering, what kind of tool will pop out next...

I think I was probably leaning in quite a bit. (I even asked to take a photo.)

After accompanying my child a few times, before I knew it, the dentist was no longer such a place I disliked.

Even though I had made up my mind to say, "Let's go to the dentist," I was still being stubborn, saying things like, "What should I do? I definitely have cavities. I'm so scared..." when my child (8 years old) said this to me.

“If you don't go now, it's just going to get worse, you know?”

That was absolutely true. Those words made up my mind. And my child also said this to me.

“That dentist will never hurt you. It'll be okay, I promise!”

The persuasiveness of words from someone with experience was incredible.

In fact, the dentist treated me with the same care as when treating a child, and I felt absolutely no pain. (If I had to say, the only thing was that the periodontal disease check was a little prickly and painful.)

Besides, because I had watched my child's treatment, I understood the roles of the "mysterious instruments" I used to dislike, and having seen the staff working so efficiently, I was able to put myself in their hands with peace of mind.

As a result of the examination, I found out I had several cavities, and I have been going to the clinic once every two weeks.
I am right in the middle of treatment now.

Before starting the treatment, the dental hygienist taught me these three main things.

Since I see the dentist regularly, I brush and floss carefully every day, thinking, "I have to do this properly."
Thanks to that, I can really feel my mouth getting healthier. It takes effort, but it feels good.

By the time the treatment is finished, will I be able to open my mouth wide and laugh with all my might, just like she did that day?

I am very much looking forward to that time.