B1English

At the Dentist

Use these phrases to describe dental problems, ask about treatments like fillings or extractions, and discuss pain relief and costs.

Key Phrases

Voice
Describing tooth pain · 2 ways to say it

My tooth has been killing me.

casual

I have a terrible toothache.

neutral
Explaining sensitivity · 2 ways to say it

It hurts when I drink something cold.

casual

This tooth is very sensitive to hot and cold.

neutral
Reporting a broken tooth

A piece of my tooth broke off.

neutral
Asking about fillings · 2 ways to say it

Are you going to fill it?

casual

Will I need a filling?

neutral
Asking about extraction · 2 ways to say it

Are you going to pull it?

casual

Does the tooth need to come out?

neutral
Asking about pain relief · 3 ways to say it

Can I get a shot to numb it?

casual

US. In the UK, say 'an injection'.

Can I have an injection to numb it?

casual

UK. In the US, say 'a shot'.

Will you use a local anesthetic?

neutral

US spelling. The UK spelling is 'anaesthetic'.

Communicating pain during treatment · 2 ways to say it

Ouch, that hurts!

casual

Use this to immediately alert the dentist to stop.

I can still feel some pain there.

neutral
Asking about the cost · 2 ways to say it

How much is this going to cost?

casual

Could you tell me how much the treatment will cost?

polite

A polite way to ask about a sensitive topic like money.

Practice Dialogue

Patient
Hi, Dr. Smith. My back tooth has been killing me lately.
Dentist
I'm sorry to hear that. Let's take a look. Open wide. Does it hurt when I tap here?
Patient
Ouch, yes! It also hurts when I drink something cold.
Dentist
Right. You have a deep cavity in that tooth. We'll need to do a filling.
Patient
Will you use a local anesthetic? I'm a bit nervous.
Dentist
Absolutely. I'll give you a shot to numb it first, so you won't feel any pain.
Patient
That's a relief. How much is this going to cost?
Dentist
It depends on your insurance. The receptionist can check the exact price for you.

More Health & Pharmacy (B1)

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