Thinking of teeth…and modern dentistry
For the last few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about teeth. Last Tuesday, I forget what we ate, but I thought I might have something caught in my teeth so I flossed. It still seemed a bit sore. Wednesday it was even worse — brushed my teeth and flossed about five times. By Thursday morning, I was resorting to over the counter pain meds and ice packs. A call to the dentist where he reviewed my previous set of x-rays and the symptoms and I was referred to then endodontist for a Friday morning appointment.
It was necrotic roots and the start of an infection. Verdict: I needed a root canal.
I currently have a great dentist. But even though he’s great, it’s the awful dentist from my childhood that gets my stomach roiling and my hands sweaty and my pulse racing. I keep trying to tell myself that everything will be fine, but while my head agrees, the physical side of me is afraid of that childhood dentist who liked to drill with no Novocaine (because “children don’t feel pain like adults”). And yes, I grew up in the dark ages of dentistry. My reaction to the childhood dentist was to brush often and well and hope to heck nothing happened because I wasn’t going back if I could help it. Luckily, because I was scared and that fear caused me to take care of my teeth — I haven’t needed to see a dentist very often.
This was my first root canal. I’d heard stories of how awful it was but to be honest — there was little to no pain once it was numbed. Of course by the time he got the tooth totally numbed I couldn’t feel the right side of my face from the middle of my lips to my ear and all the way up to and including my lower eye-lid. He was fast and efficient and it was over fairly quick. I understand that most of that was because the nerves were already dead and there were no fractures.
None the less, it went well. Mid-way through I calmed down and just remembered to breathe and think of calming images. Of course, because of the infection will take awhile for the pain to completely go away but so far it looks like the antibiotic will take care of it. I’ve got my fingers crossed that I don’t get any complications from that infection.
Mostly, I’m so glad that modern dentists seem to believe in explaining what they’re going to do before they do it. And will explain what they’re doing while they’re working on you and what you’ll feel and hear. It’s so much nicer than having to guess what’s going on and what those sounds and smells mean.
By the way, I love the smell of cloves. Each time I have to go to the dentist now — I’m really impressed by how much things have changed for the better. I hope eventually, my childhood fears will just melt away.