Tijuana Dentists, Dental Resolutions

I'm on the trolley on the way back. I went to Clinica Dental Tijuana, Dr. Ángel Serrano, dentaltijuana.com. It was maybe a mile walk from the border. The exam was free, x-rays were $35, cleaning (prophylaxis) was $45.

I have the letter I need [stating I have no cavities, pyorrhea, periodontal disease and that no work needs to be done] and I didn't need any work done.

Afterward I walked over to Dr Bartell's clinic and cancelled my Thursday appointment. Then I walked around, found a map, a public library, and a cheap, windowless room for $14/night, $60/week (where I asked how to find library).

I rested in the library, then walked toward where Dr Erico Carreño's office is (drerico.com--advertised in sdreader{.com?}), but decided it was too far.

There *are* dentists everywhere you look. [a lot of their market may not be gringos, but immigrants to the US / Spanish-speaking residents who come back for dentists, doctors] I do think the fancier dentists may be more over towards CECUT (along Paseo de los Heroes), where Carreño is--near a highway and very car-centric. DentiCenter is a place one can walk to and is also over in that car-centric/highway area (Zona Rio, I think it is called): www.denticenter.com.mx. You can look in the windows and watch the work. DentiCenter is busy (many in the downtown are not). Also, along Paseo de los Heroes I saw a "UNAM" dentist with patient in a glass building. UNAM may be more prestigous than UABC (these are universities).

So, my feelings are: I'd sort of like to give Dr Bartell a try--he seems to be quite in demand (and to have a decent office). The only complaint a reviewer had about his office was that Dr Palacios is not expert, as Bartell and his dad are, and "his demeanor does not inspire confidence". He was the gruff guy who answered the phone when I called.

They are right next to, or split by, a nice-looking office offering $20 cleanings--

Their location is even more ped friendly than Serrano's.

Serrano was good for me. I went there because I could walk there, because it looked big enough to have a letterhead, someone recommended it in a forum, and I liked the website. I got the feeling it was an ethical practice (in the Spanish version they mention Bible study meetings, biweekly q/a meetings), and the prices were clear and low.

The cleaning wasn't what I'd really hope to have again [though maybe better than one I got at a cheap US dentist--literally a Mickey Mouse dentist: he may have seemed more interested in his images of Disney characters--and the TV they use to distract patients--than my teeth. Got referred to him, with discount, by SDSU dental club on-campus exams. I think Sra Velasquez was the Dr who cleaned my teeth at Serranos. It was a bit rough, but maybe needed.]. I sort of wanted to go over to Carreño's place because he seems to go a bit overboard on the office ambiance--in a good way, and perhaps also in patient care. Serrano's office was more bare-bones and practical, but that partly made me comfortable: no frivolous costs; practical dentistry.

I was also interested in Carreño because he emphasizes "ethical dentistry", not treating people beyond their means and needs. [But did not like as much that he is very clearly a cosmetic dentist - but that seems to be how many make their $$ these days: reproducing a certain look ("movie star") even if perhaps not necessary. But since my work as a kid--I've benefited from pretty teeth. I would probably be buck- and crooked-toothed, if not worse, otherwise.]

I cancelled my appt with American Bio Dental because the treatment they are set up to provide is probably not ethical--though they have plenty of Americans you can call as references. They may have been able to get me my letter for just $50.

Also, Serrano's place got me in the quickest: I called on Saturday, they got me in on Monday. Days less of having this hanging over my head. . . .

So I maybe paid more than I could have, and got more x-rays than maybe I needed. But they helped me with my letter--I should have written it out exactly, as it was they had to make a one-word correction. Serrano wasn't as alarmed as I was about my gums.

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Well I still am alarmed. It may be the main lesson of this whole thing (great writing eh?).

I need to not eat too much, so that the food doesn't come back up again. Really need to make a point of only eating things once--to eat each bite in such a way so I only eat my food once. . . I had got to (don't want to be any more) where I usually enjoyed the "re-eating". . . [but now with focus on damage that does to gums, ought to be able to reduce that.]

I think I can do this. I feel now that I have a heightened awareness of my gums--as I came to have a heightened awareness of of my hands and wrists after running them into intense RSI/carpal tunnel from excessive typing/computer use (not to mention my eyes)[--somehow ignoring the damage that was being done until hands began to lose function]. [~"don't broaden, but subtilize the mind" --_Moby Dick_, Ishmael commenting on whale's pinhole ear, eyes. Make the mind more sensitive. . .]

Last night I ate a ton, but kept it down and it was after a $40 (perhaps now a once a week habit) visit to Windmill Farms market (has lots of bulk bins and healthier food {I got bee pollen, wheat germ, among other things}, good prices, good quality, but is on the richer side of highway)--sometimes a challenge not to eat too much after that weekly visit. Plus. . . wanting more variety (variety can help make us fat) checked out Smart & Final dumpster. . . Got tons of AltaDeena cottage cheese (two 3lb tubs), yogurt (one 2-lb tub, plain nonfat). But I don't tend to overeat that [r u sure?]. . . Had the store been open, I probably would have bought sour cream (wanted more fat?), and not visited dumpster.

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My poor grandma--she could use more company, more to do. Partly her fault, partly the fault of urban, social design/lack thereof. [she seemed to be wasting away/not wanting to get up when I left (alone in house, nowhere to go all day), but was in good spirits when I got back--stopped by on walk with friend to let her know I got back. She gave friend date nut loaf she baked, told us about plane crash. Any opportunity she gets to yack seems a good thing for her.]

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[The other lesson is I can go to TJ for my 6-month checkups and not be afraid of losing $400 each time. . . And even if [I'm] not near Mexico, can probably use my new dentist-finding skills / confidence to find an ethical US dentist (some do exist, it turns out, but may have two-month waits for new patients).

It had been 3 years since I last went for a cleaning. I had been to one cheap dentist before the expensive one, but the cheap one seemed to be a waste of time and money (except that he told me how acid food can eat teeth's protective layer but saliva will restore it). [He did spend time with me and have good stories, but I did have some good questions to ask to start him off.]

{@ Serrano's} The front desk women at first perhaps couldn't quite get that I had no pain ('why *are* you here?'--I imagined that was in their minds).
]

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walking back from trolley now. Frat boys wearing red tights, jean shorts, red and white horizontal-striped shirts, santa hats. [dressed as elves]

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Tijuana is mostly overrun by cars. Peds aren't smiling, obvious why. Two whole lanes devoted to cars on the excessively wide streets should be given to peds, trees, benches, as on Ave Revolución (well, no trees there). Exhaust more noxious there than in CA. I still feel affected by it.

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My gums really want a break, they feel abused. . . by me before the appt, and by the cleaning. . .

Eating less fruit does seem to help appetite control as the author of crdiary.blogspot.com mentioned. . . . used to walk around picking fruit. . . citrus acid don't really help.

The fear is that the teeth will rot from sides, from the dentin(?) newly exposed by receding gums. I feel these sensitive areas. The dentist who scared me away from dentists found areas to work on on sides of teeth. . . [but not along gum line]

that dentist, now retired, would put the enamel (which hardens by UV light) on sensitive areas (and charge you). . . but I find, if teeth not abused, saliva and time fixes these--sometimes sensitive spots come from a chip, for example (biting on gravel in unexamined lentils).

went back to his [the guy who's now retired] office to get my old paperwork, xrays. . . it is now meganclarkedds.com. . . Saw her. . . image of driven, competent, up and coming. . . strong, casually (not overwrought) sexy. . . the new woman we sort of wish our women would be . . . [and are not sure what we'd do as men if they were.]

hardly glimpsed her, made a point not to look, and I write all that. Her receptionist was telling some guy the final payment on something would be $311.

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in the canyon [now, away from street and house lights], a three-quarter moon ringed in cloud.

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Thanks mom and dad (perhaps especially mom) for caring for my teeth, finding good dentists, etc. May finally be learning how to do that myself. . .

but if Weston A Price is not right (see skeptics on biological dentists, in del.icio.us links), why do so many need to go thru torture of braces? (with Invisalign[tm], life may now be better, but question remains).

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walk, kata, with neighborhood friend.

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will spend some of the money not spent on dentist on more new shoes (, inserts?), I bet. . . Feet could be the next abused area of body needing more care--dance exercises go a long way to helping. . . .

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The whole oddness of Mexico [for a long-time US resident] takes on a new dimension in the realm of dentists and when health is at stake. . . more could be written but I'm about dead out (asleep).

peace,