Dr. Subrata Kumar Barai

Dr. Subrata Kumar Barai is a dental consultant. BDS and some PGT in oral surgery. OMS. Dental clinics always smell like clove oil and rubbing alcohol. He probably has one of those big chairs covered in clear plastic. The ones with the little round sink on the side. People come in holding their jaws. Swollen cheeks from bad wisdom teeth. He just tells them to open wide. Pokes around with a sharp metal hook. The metal clinks against the teeth. Kids usually cry before he even does anything. He just waits. Adjusts the bright light hanging over the chair. Tells them they need an extraction. Or maybe a root canal. Writes down some painkillers on a small pad. Tells them to come back when the swelling goes down.

Pulling teeth takes a bit of muscle. He puts on a plastic visor. Uses that long metal syringe for the numbing shot. People always close their eyes tight. He just tells them to breathe through their nose. Waits a few minutes for the lip to go numb. Then he uses the pliers. Sort of just rocks the tooth back and forth. Makes a weird cracking sound in the patient's head. He pulls it out. Drops the bloody tooth in a metal tray. Clink. He stuffs a folded piece of white gauze in the hole. Tells them to bite down hard. Do not spit. Do not drink hot tea. They just nod because their mouth is full of cotton. He takes off his gloves. Washes his hands at the corner sink. That is it.