Friday, March 1, 2013

Ah the dentist trip - not so fun!

Yesterday I had to go in to the the second half of my dental work done. They took off the temporary crown and fitted it with the permanent crown (no root canal, just an ollllllld filling that needed replacing and it was getting so big, the tooth would be unstable without a crown to protect it). Then four fillings on the other side of the mouth - one was for a chip, the other three were cavities to be filled (two along the gum line... huh...) and then back over to the other side of the mouth, a tooth extraction for a broken tooth which was under a missing tooth. No reason to repair it without an opposing tooth up top.

So, a LOT of work. And, it wasn't pleasant.

Since I've been married (which corresponds to my weight increase), I've had problems getting numb at the dentist. I take care of my teeth but since forever, I've had soft and porous teeth. I tend to have a pretty acid system (I can corrode a watch band and get green marks right quick!) and perhaps that's part of the problem - I just eat away at my teeth. I don't know.

Anyway... so, I've had a lot of dental work and I've had problems getting numb. It's led to a lot of fear, almost phobic of going to the dentist, which then, of course, leads to me delaying going to the dentist as I am afraid. It's stupid really as the only person I'm hurting is myself, but deep fears are usually never rational.

A few years back I did sleep dentistry with this same dentist. It was 'mostly' great. I got knocked out. He did the ton of work, and I was unaware of all of it. Bad part was that I vomited as I was coming out of it and with my bladder issues that also meant I peed myself! Not so pleasant.

With this same dentist, he fit a crown and did some other minor dental work and I've had to have novocaine. And, no problem. My fears were beginning to ease up. Perhaps, my obesity had been part of the reason I had problems with getting numb? I was hopeful that those problems were long gone as I've had problems with feeling things you shouldn't feel - like feeling a root canal - way painful. Feeling a tooth extraction, and feeling regular drilling.

Yesterday, again, I had problems getting numb. Gosh darn it! I had so many shots of novocaine that my jaw is going to be tender for days and days and of course, it does nothing for easing my fears of the dentist.

The work is done and I'm just supposed to to take it easy today, but I guess the weight problem wasn't the reason I have problems at the dentist. I'm just "lucky" I guess and sometimes it just 'happens' for a variety of reasons.

I'll try not to stress out about it too much because that won't help me any!

Anyway... yesterday wasn't fun. Add to that, my teen has some bug and I hope it's not the flu. His appetite is OK, but he gets a fairly high fever if not controlled by meds and he is very congested. He's now missing his second day of school. AND my mother in law had very intensive oral surgery yesterday too. They did a bone implant to prepare for a dental implant to be an anchor for a bridge (that old tooth gave out under the crown and her bone structure isn't there enough to support an implant, but without an implant, she loses all back teeth on lower jaw as that back tooth was the anchor for a double bridge. So, it was a big deal thing.

Of course, she did another annoying thing yesterday. She was supposed to get general anesthesia. She opted not to. I  didn't go to the pharmacy to get my meds and was waiting at the ready to pick her up. She strolls in, already going to the pharmacy. Again, not telling me that a. she doesn't need a ride. and b. that she is going to the pharmacy before coming home. She thought about herself - not the sick kid with the flu at home. Not about me who also had dental surgery. She just went about her every day business. Sigh... So, after she came home, I went to the pharmacy to my pain medicine.

I feel OK this morning. I'm just taking a heavy dose of ibuprofen.

Good news though is that the scale dropped a pound for me this morning. It's about freaking time!!!! So, at least there is that.

1 comment:

  1. I have problems at the dentist. I'm just "lucky" I guess and sometimes it just 'happens' for a variety of reasons.click

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