Tiong Teck King, Dentist

Wait here for the dentist to arrive. The wooden partition is more than 30 years old. The Teck Kwok (German) chairs are even older. Genuine ones too because I checked them. The label is at the bottom of the seat. These kopi tiam chairs are really marvellous. Notice the original English safe?

This is a very old equipment owned by the present dentist's predecessor. The glass cabinet was made in the 50's and the workmanship is excellent. The glass of yesteryears must be better quality too.

The Dentist, Tiong Teck King, on Channel Road, was really famous in Sibu in the 60's for teeth extraction. And I remember many of the local people were very amazed by his ability to make dentures or false teeth. One can still get a great treatment in the same clinic today.

Once when I visited him to have my front teeth extracted, a few women discussed the pros and cons of having dentures in the clinic. I was so scared that I promised myself that I would brush my teeth more than three times a day. But because of the diet of that time and the dental care available, many people of my generation had to wear dentures. This is actually rather sad.

Some of my classmates even had no front teeth for a year or two before they went for dentures. They did not feel anything untoward at all when they had no front teeth. I remember my class mate Rashid, who passed away after Form Five, having no front teeth for quite a while. It was so much part of our life that we were not bothered at all when our friends have no front teeth in their teens.

Actually when they started wearing dentures , after being toothless for a few years, they felt very uncomfortable. I remember a cousin was asked to make a set of dentures just before he got married. He had been saving his money for his wedding. And part of that money went to the dentist. He looked good with his new teethy smile!! And of course his bride was the proverbial beaming bride.

Besides dentures, Tiong Teck King also helped many of the older generation have their teeth capped in gold. My mother had one tooth capped for reasons better known to herself, or may be it was the style .The late Mrs. Lau Nguong Ting,my great neighbour, also had a gold capped tooth. One of my college mates had one too until he graduated!! And that was in the 70's. Many believed that having gold capped teeth would prevent dental decay.

I was glad that many older folks had dentures made, and paid for by their filial sons and daughters. I like their comments when they wear their dentures,"Now I can eat properly!! Thanks to these false teeth." they would often display their dentures in a glass of water. Whenever they ate, they would put on their dentures . So I found this habit of theirs most amusing. They prefer to be toothless when not eating!

A tourist guide told me this amusing anecdote. They were already in the air in San Francisco when an old Foochow lady asked him to turn back the plane because she had forgotten her dentures in the hotel! :) :)

Today the new generation of children have more calcium in their diet, drink more milk,etc. They are on to braces and other denta/orthodontological cosmetics!! Times have changed and this generation is luckier.

The Sarawak Government has to be commended for the excellent school dental service since the early 60s. (Another posting on this service)

Cheers to good teeth and good eating fortunes (Kow Fu)!!