Going to the Dentist Today

I have been in horrific pain at times over the past week and a half. It goes back farther than that, but things went to a new level just recently. Finally last Thursday I got over my fear of dentists enough to go and see what's wrong. I did find out, but they were unable to do anything about it that day and the next appointment they could give me was March 25. Called back on Friday and told them that I couldn't wait that long, and finally something opened up. I'll be going in again today in a couple of hours.

For someone who hasn't been to the dentist in a very long time, my teeth are actually in pretty good shape. The roots are okay, etc. I don't even have that many cavities and the ones I do have are small.

The trouble is infection. On Thursday something got mixed up. The dentist told me I had infection, but a different dentist at the same practice told me yesterday that my gums are abscessed in three places. She didn't know why I wasn't given a special antibiotic mouthwash or why they didn't get to me sooner. Anyway, that's what they are doing today. I'm going to get a very thorough cleaning and they're going to go below the gum line and literally dig this infection out. They say that after this is done I'll immediately feel better.

Another problem that I have is a broken wisdom tooth. Most of the cavities I have are in the other wisdom teeth, so all four will come out. Not until this infection in my gums is gone and they're a little more healthy, though. They said I could actually die on the operating table if they don't get my gums healthy first, and supposedly that's why I'm hurting so much anyway. So step one is today. Cleaning very deep. Step two is filling cavities, which isn't particularly urgent but needs to be done. Step three is extraction of my wisdom teeth. They said yesterday that the cavity filling is easy to work into their schedule whereas the deep cleaning and scraping wasn't. So after today things will move as quickly as my gums and bank account will allow. It should be all done within three weeks.

I call myself lucky only because I don't need a bunch of expensive root canals and am not in danger of losing any of my real teeth. While I know that I'm lucky, I hurt so much right now that it's really hard to think of myself that way. Over the last couple of days things have continued to get worse. I haven't had any sleep.

Therefore, in spite of my fear of dentists, I am very ready for the appointment today. Very ready. But I'm still nervous. What if they mess something up? What if this doesn't fix the problem like they say it will and I have to go on like this? I have a pretty good pain tolerance but what's going on now is too much. The only pain relief I can get is from an Advil now and then. If I take too much I get sick. No other OTC pain relievers do anything, and I can't have narcotics. Orajel will help a little but only for a few seconds. Most of my pain is much deeper. That stuff is for cavities, I think.

Read somewhere that you shouldn't take advil before going to the dentist, so I've had nothing for pain since about 11pm last night.

Anyway, it's an odd feeling to be looking forward to something so much but in the back of your mind be terrified at the same time. I realize this morning that I'm not really over my fear of dentists...I'm just hurting so much that I'm willing to do anything to stop it. I remember one time when I was 13, I came home from school and found my step father pulling out one of his teeth with a pair of pliers. Even though I've always been afraid of the dentist chair, I thought he was nuts for that. But I would have done the same thing myself during the last few days if I didn't know it wouldn't help me.

I don't really know what I'm afraid of. There's no way they could cause me any more pain that I'm already having. It's not the pain. I guess I just don't like people fooling around inside my mouth. Sedation was 200 dollars and I don't know why I didn't take that option, but because I didn't my anxiety countermeasures will really be put to the test today. I'm going to be wide awake while they fool around in there for nearly two hours.

Debaser,

I am here sending you tons and tons of teeth-and-gum-healing-vibes your way! ;D You will be fine. You will be amazed at how fast time flies when you're sitting in the dentist chair and they are working on your teeth. It will be over in no time. The deep cleaning is gonna remove all the plaque that was the cause of the infection in your mouth. After it is removed, your gum will regain its health and strength. You will feel SO MUCH better after it is completed. Let us know when you are back!!

Melodee ;)

Wow, that was quick. LOL Thought it would take more time.
So glad you are doing ok!! :D Good for you that you even calmed down during the procedure.
You will feel better (gum) in a week or two. You have to give it some time. It's not gonna be fixed overnight. :)

And when you have the wisdom teeth extracted, you will need more time to heal from that, too.
But you completed the first step today. Good for you!

Well, you are going to feel different types of pain and sensation in your mouth when you are having your teeth and gum treated. So do not worry. It's normal! :) And I know that your tongue isn't working right! lol. I hate it when that happens...but that will return to normal in an hour or two.

So glad you are doing ok though! :)

I don't think he was lying. I think he just meant that you'd be feeling better once it is healed. I don't know how deep or how bad it is but it certainly is not going to heal immediately after the procedure. It has an infection. Gum tissues need time to heal. Just like any cut or bruise in your body, the tissue needs time to recover and heal and it won't heal in a few hours or one day.

Yeah. But he literally did tell me I'd feel better the DAY this was done. It makes more sense that I wouldn't, but that is what he said. When I questioned him he said they were going to remove most of the infection by doing this.

Funny thing is, I'm not so numb anymore and I do feel better. There's not much soreness from when she worked on me. My jaws are really sore from holding my mouth open for so long, but my teeth and gums are definitely not hurting. I haven't taken an advil or anything, either.

Then again, there were a couple of hours yesterday in which I felt absolutely nothing wrong with my mouth. Occasionally it just all goes away. Right now could be one of those times...I don't know, yet, though.

Hello, Kitt.

I guess I wasn't clear somewhere along the way. After my dental work is done I will have to find an oral surgeon to pull all four wisdom teeth. All have cavities, one is impacted, and another is broken in half.

My understanding is that I have gum disease and they were abscessed, but not because I have messed up teeth. Supposedly my teeth are in very good condition for someone who hasn't been to a dentist in, oh, 17 years or so. They told me that one of the things they were doing today was removing infection. I'm not sure how but I'd guess they did that. I think they may have pulled my gums away from my teeth and sucked it out with that crazy vacuum thing, but I don't really have a way of knowing.

I have gone through surgery without pain medication. Narcotics make me sick as a dog. I can take a normal OTC dose of ibuprofen, but if I exceed that I'll get sick, too. Acetaminophen doesn't do anything for me. It's Advil or nothing, but I'm not hurting right now. When I have my wisdom teeth extracted I'm sure I will have some kind of pain medicine, but I doubt I need it for this. I have been in agony for weeks and there are narcotic pain killers in the house but I have had no desire to take any of them.

Found some informative videos for you.

This is what they probably did (deep cleaning)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QcAieLC8Po
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dBBfsCRBWw


You may not want to watch this lol...but see how it's done.
The vacuum is used here. (Root Planing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjef2SGj9dk


Scaling & Root Planing Post Op Instruction (what you need to do and avoid)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y00S9EWWLNc

Hang in there D.B. Bravo (!!!) for doing it, and I hope you're feeling better today;)
S.C.

Thanks, everyone.

Kitt, if your mouth starts hurting badly enough, you'll be begging to get into that dentist's chair. I was very nervous both times I have been there so far, but at the same time I wasn't going to walk out for ANYTHING. It has more to do with desperation than bravery, believe me.

Anyway, now that some time has passed, I can say that the root scaling and all that HAS helped. A lot. I'm not 100 percent better or anything, but I was able to start working at 7:30 this morning. I left here around 11 and got home about 20 minutes ago, so I got out for a good while today, too. Toward the end of it I started having some aches and weird shooting pains, but when I got back I had a bite to eat and for some reason they have mostly gone away.

I'll be really glad when this is over. My stomach is torn up from all the ibuprofen. I haven't slept in forever. I'll feel normal again soon, thank God.

debaser,

I agree with you , biting the bullet and going to the dentist is the right thing to do.  I remember on Christmas Eve back a few years ago I fractured one of my molers eating carmel corn so off to the dentist for a look-see.  The dx was my tooth was terminal as it had fracture all the way down into the gum line.  After I left the dentist I stopped in the parking lot at Target and cried over the death of my tooth.  Funny how that anxiety can kick in and melt you down.  I was looking for a crown and got a visit to the oral surgeon. 

By the way I hate carmel corn now !!! 

We take so many things for granted.

I am glad you pain has lessened but not being able to sleep at night is nasty - do talk to yuor dentist re help with the pain. 

I wish you the best of luck. 

Kindly,

Kitt

Went back to the dentist today. I'd received some very, very bad news just prior to my appointment, and so my blood pressure was way up and he didn't think I could sit still long enough to do a good job. Then I told him about the pain coming back last night, and he had another look at my fractured wisdom tooth. The plan has changed. He says it's abscessed and I need to get it out no later than next week. I have a consult with an oral surgeon on Tuesday. Don't really think he'll do anything that day, but I'm hoping for Wednesday. The dentist said that until that tooth is out, I will continue to be in pain on and off and there's really nothing to do about it. I start antibiotics tomorrow to get ready for surgery.

So that drags on and on. And the news I received today...well that was not good at all. My life is not that great right now.

Thanks, Kitt.

I'm dealing with the bad news. It's no simple matter, though.

Tooth has been okay today. Last night was awful. I think I went to sleep at 6am and woke around 9am. I filled my amoxicillin today and perhaps when it starts working the pain will be relieved somewhat. Strange that it the real bad pain waits until night time. I do have lots of discomfort during the day, but at night it's like plunging into the deepest circles of Hell.

While ago it started to act up. A little ahead of schedule. I thought I'd eat something to see if moving my jaw around would stave it off. Got an oreo cookie, and while eating it somehow a piece moved over to the "bad" side and I bit down on it with that abscessed tooth. The pain was incredible. I literally fell out of my chair and writhed on the ground. But the strangest thing happened. After the initial pain went away, so did the pain that was developing around the eyeball (the worst part by far) and ear. No idea why. A couple hours later I started to feel the pain around my eye again, and I got ran a washcloth under hot water and put it on my face. I guess I got to it early enough because it went away after a few minutes of that. It's the only thing that gives me any relief, and if the pain really starts going it won't do much.

These nights I've been having are seriously a low point in my life. I have never felt pain like that and wouldn't wish it on a mass murderer. I can't wait to have these things yanked.

No, he didn't advise me to avoid any foods. Generally chewing on stuff doesn't seem to bother it as long as I keep it on the right side of my mouth. The worst pain I'd gotten occurs late at night hours after I've eaten anything, and in the morning after waking up when I don't want to eat anything. The Oreo was just trying something different. Before my mouth started to go nuts, sometimes my gums would swell around my wisdom teeth. I always had a sinus headache when this happened, and if I got to it early enough sometimes eating a slice of bread would alleviate the sinus headache even before I swallowed it. Something about moving the jaw around, I guess. So I thought that Oreo might help. It was just the first thing I found.

And last night was no picnic but it ended up being one of the better nights I have had recently. I don't think the cookie had anything to do with it. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. This morning has been worse than most mornings but the mornings are usually tolerable compared to what happens late at night.