General Listening Quiz

What are some reasons for visiting a dentist (e.g., tooth whitening, dental cleaning, orthodontics, invisalign braces, tooth fillings)? Name some common dental problems and possible preventative care for each.

1. Regular visits to the dentist are necessary even if you don’t have any pain.
2. Brushing your teeth twice a day is enough to keep them healthy.
3. Dental care is too expensive for most people.
4. Children should start visiting the dentist before they turn two years old.
5. Sugar is the main cause of tooth problems.
6. Flossing is more important than brushing.
7. Dentists can prevent many health problems by checking your mouth regularly.
8. Teeth whitening is just for looks, not health.
9. Some people are afraid of the dentist without a good reason.
10. Dental care habits learned in childhood last a lifetime.

“be on edge” = nervous
“My kids are a little on edge because they have an appointment with the dentist.”

“couldn’t sleep a wink” = not able to sleep well
“My daughter couldn’t sleep a wink last night because she was so worried about getting her teeth checked.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• plaque (noun): a substance that builds up around teeth that can damage them
  – Brushing with toothpaste can help remove plaque.
• cavity (noun): tooth decay
  – If you take care of your teeth, you can reduce the risk of having cavities.
• wisdom tooth (noun): the last of your back teeth to come in
  – The dentist removed one of my wisdom teeth because it was bothering me.
• decay (noun, also verb): the gradual process of the tooth going bad, sometimes caused by poor dental care and eating habits
  – If the decay in the tooth is not removed, it could lead to a serious problem.
• filling (noun): a substance inserted into a tooth to repair a cavity
  – I need to get one of my fillings replaced because it came out yesterday.
• extensive (adjective): large in extent, range, or scope
  – Researchers have conducted extensive studies on the causes and prevention of tooth decay.
• crown (noun): a metal covering over the enamel-covered part of a tooth
  – The dentist suggested putting a crown on the tooth since the cavity would have been too difficult to repair with a filling.
• extract (verb): remove
  – The dentist extracted the decayed tooth without a problem.
• dull (verb, also adjective): numb or make insensitive, deaden feeling
  – I was shocked that the dentist didn’t give me anything to dull the pain.
• local anesthetic (noun): a drug used to dull the body’s senses from pain in a specific area
  – The dentist used a local anesthetic on the patient before she extracted the tooth.
• nitrous oxide (noun): a gas inhaled as an anesthetic in dentistry and surgery
  – Sometimes, dentists use nitrous oxide on patients when more extensive dental work is required or to help patients relax during certain procedures.
• discomfort (noun): pain or an uncomfortable feeling associated with a part of the body
  – I went to the dentist because I felt a great deal of discomfort in one of my teeth.
• alloy (noun): a mixture of two or more metals
  – Different alloy fillings may be used to fill cavities, depending on the severity and location of the cavity, as well as the patient’s preference.

How important is a nice smile in finding a good job or attracting a partner? What dental procedures are available to improve your teeth and smile? Are such procedures worth the cost? Compare different dentists or whitening methods to find the best service. Explain your reasons.

Receiving proper dental care is essential for good health, but having access to this care isn’t available to all people around the world. Use the internet to identify and find out information about at least two volunteer organizations that provide free dental care to people in need.

1. What is the name of the organization?
2. When was it first created?
3. What types of dental procedures do they provide and how is the organization funded?