Lupita tiene algunos dientes oscuros.
Medical Spanish for healthcare providers: dialogue 60 (Lupita has some dark teeth.)
cavities - caries
Mamá: Doctor, traigo a Lupita porque me dí cuenta que tiene varios dientes ennegrecidos.
(Doctor, Lupita is here because [I bring Lupita because I realized that] her teeth are turning dark. [Literally, "she has some blackened teeth."])
Dentista: Déjeme verla. A ver, Lupita, abre la boca así de grande. ¡Aaaa! ¡Muy Bien!
(Let me see her. Let's see, Lupita, open your mouth like this, big. Aaaa! Very Good!)
Papá: El año pasado, sus dientes estaban de color normal.
(Last year, her teeth looked normal [were of normal color].) Note: The word "estaban" is an example of the imperfect past tense.
Dentista: ¿Y Lupita se cepilla los dientes después de cada comida?
(And Lupita brushes her teeth after each meal?) Note: Literally, it says reflexively, "brushes herself the teeth."
Mamá: La verdad es que mi esposo y yo le cepillamos los dientes, pero a veces llora y se resiste, así que es difícil, y ella no quiere hacerlo sola.
(The truth is that my husband and I brush her teeth, but sometimes she cries and resists, so that it is difficult, and she does not want to do it by herself.)
Dentista: Eso debe cambiar cuanto antes. Aquí veo que la niña tiene muchas caries.
(That must change as soon as possible. Here I see that she [the girl] has many cavities.)
Mamá: Pobrecita, sólo tiene tres años.
(Poor little thing, she is only three years old.)
Dentista: Las caries nos indican que los dientes de la niña están debilitados, y algunos ya están totalmente dañados. ¿Ella toma leche con una mamila?
(The cavities tell us that the teeth are weakened [Literally, "indicate to us that the teeth of the girl are debilitated"], and some are already totally damaged. Does she drink milk from a bottle?) Note: The word "mamila" is used colloquially to mean "bottle."
Mamá: Ahora está usando un vaso, pero nos costó mucho hacer que dejara el biberón para quedarse dormida.
(Now she is using a cup, but it was very hard to make her give up the bottle at bedtime [for falling asleep].) Note: Observe how "costar," "dejar," and "quedarse" are used in this sentence. The word "dejara," is imperfect subjunctive, and would be technically translated, "to make that she left the bottle..."
Dentista: ¿Cuándo dejó de usar la mamila para dormir?
(When did she stop using the bottle for sleeping?) Note: Observe the use of the verb "dejar" to mean "stop."
Papá: Hace unos 3 ó 4 meses.
(About 3 or 4 months ago.)
Dentista: El residuo de la leche y la comida en la boca deben evitarse. A los niños se les debe cepillar los dientes, especialmente antes de dormir.
(The residue of the milk and the food in the mouth must be avoided. Children's teeth must be brushed, especially before sleeping.) Note: Observe the use of the reflexive to make passive constuction, literally translated as "To the children, the teeth must brush themselves."
Mamá: Entonces, no fue bueno dejarla tanto tiempo con el biberón al irse a dormir.
(Then, it was not good to allow her so much time with the bottle when going to sleep.) Note: Observe here yet another meaning for "dejar."
Papá: ¿Y qué tal el agua? ¿Hay algún problema porque tenemos agua de pozo?
(And what about the water? Is there any problem because we have well water?)
Dentista: Bueno, vamos a indicarle flúor en gotas, porque el agua de pozo carece de flúor, y este es necesario para los dientes. Además, es importante enseñarla a cepillarse después de comer, y al levantarse y al acostarse.
(Well, we are going to prescribe (for her) fluoride in drops, because well water lacks fluoride, and it [this] is necessary for the teeth. Additionally, it is important to teach her to brush after eating, and when getting up and when going to bed.)
Mamá: ¿Y qué podemos hacer ahora?
(And what can we do now?)
Dentista: Tenemos que hacer citas para curar los dientes que sea posible reparar, y para extraer varios dientes, que están completamente dañados. Ustedes deberán enseñarle hábitos de higiene dental, porque los dientes que salgan después de éstos, serán los definitivos.
(We have to make appointments for fixing the teeth that are reparable, and for extracting some teeth that are completely damaged. You will have to teach her habits of dental hygiene, because the teeth that come after these will be permanent.) Note: The word "definitivos" is an adjective, but the phrase "los definitivos" is just a contraction of "los dientes definitivos," or "the final teeth."
Aviso: Esta página no es para proveer consejos médicos o información médica, sino sólo para ayudar a las personas a comunicarse en español. Si tiene algún problema de salud, consulte a su médico.
Notice: This page is not for providing medical advice or medical information, but only for helping people to communicate in Spanish. If you have a health problem, consult your doctor.