Going to the dentist can be stressful, and it's even more challenging in a foreign language. This vocabulary list is designed to give you the essential words and phrases you need to handle a dental visit in a Spanish-speaking country. Whether you're making an appointment, describing a toothache, or understanding the dentist's instructions, these words will help you communicate clearly and confidently. This list focuses on practical, high-frequency vocabulary used across Latin America. You'll notice many words are cognates, meaning they look and sound similar to their English counterparts (like 'dentista', 'infección', and 'ortodoncia'), which makes them easier to remember. We've included words for common problems, treatments, and the tools you use for daily oral hygiene. Learning this vocabulary is a practical step towards managing your health while living or traveling abroad. With these terms, you can explain what's wrong, ask questions about procedures, and understand how to take care of your oral health, making your entire experience much smoother.
dentist
Tengo una cita con la dentista mañana a las diez. — I have an appointment with the dentist tomorrow at ten.
dental office
El consultorio dental está cerca de mi casa. — The dental office is near my house.
appointment
Necesito cancelar mi cita porque estoy enfermo. — I need to cancel my appointment because I am sick.
mouth
Por favor, abra la boca grande. — Please, open your mouth wide.
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tooth
Me duele un diente de adelante. — A front tooth hurts.
molar
Creo que tengo una caries en una muela. — I think I have a cavity in a molar.
gum
Mis encías sangran cuando uso el hilo dental. — My gums bleed when I use dental floss.
tongue
El dentista también revisó mi lengua y mis encías. — The dentist also checked my tongue and my gums.
baby teeth
A mi hijo se le cayó su primer diente de leche. — My son lost his first baby tooth.
toothache
Tomé una pastilla para el dolor de muela, pero todavía me duele. — I took a pill for the toothache, but it still hurts.
cavity
El dentista encontró una caries pequeña durante la revisión. — The dentist found a small cavity during the check-up.
tartar (plaque)
Una buena limpieza dental profesional elimina todo el sarro. — A good professional dental cleaning removes all the tartar.
sensitive gums
Uso una pasta especial porque tengo las encías sensibles. — I use a special toothpaste because I have sensitive gums.
an infection
El doctor dijo que tengo una infección en la encía y necesito antibióticos. — The doctor said I have an infection in my gum and I need antibiotics.
dental cleaning
Me hago una limpieza dental dos veces al año. — I get a dental cleaning twice a year.
filling
Necesito un empaste nuevo porque el viejo se rompió. — I need a new filling because the old one broke.
X-ray
Me van a tomar una radiografía para ver la raíz de la muela. — They are going to take an X-ray to see the root of the molar.
extraction
La extracción de la muela del juicio fue rápida. — The wisdom tooth extraction was fast.
anesthesia
Primero me pusieron anestesia y después no sentí nada. — First they gave me anesthesia and then I didn't feel anything.
orthodontics
Mi hija necesita ortodoncia para corregir sus dientes. — My daughter needs orthodontics to correct her teeth.
braces
Llevo frenos desde el año pasado. En España es más común decir 'brackets'. — I've had braces since last year. In Spain, it is more common to say 'brackets'.
to brush one's teeth
Es importante cepillarse los dientes después de cada comida. — It's important to brush your teeth after every meal.
toothbrush
Compré un cepillo de dientes nuevo en la farmacia. — I bought a new toothbrush at the pharmacy.
toothpaste
¿Me prestas un poco de pasta dental? Se me acabó. — Can I borrow a little toothpaste? I ran out.
dental floss
El dentista me recomendó usar hilo dental todos los días. — The dentist recommended that I use dental floss every day.
mouthwash
Uso enjuague bucal para tener el aliento fresco. — I use mouthwash to have fresh breath.