Friday, January 8, 2010

You Don't Have to Brush Your Teeth - Just the Ones You Want to Keep!


I have had some teeth problems for well over a year now. It started when I first got pregnant and then just escalated from there. My first problem was a broken tooth on my lower right side. That tooth was going to require a root canal and crown (which they would not do since I was pregnant.. I only had a small window). Not too long after that I broke a tooth on my upper left side, which has given me the most trouble.

I have been putting off going to see a Dentist for a very long time. Mainly because I know what I have to do and I’m scared. Another reason is money – it’s SO expensive! One of my goals (are you tired of me talking about my goals yet?) is to FINALLY get my teeth fixed. I decided yesterday that I was going to make the leap and get things started. I called the Dentist office and they were able to see me the very next morning!(Today!)

I was a nervous wreck but of course I was fine once I got back and they started doing the X-Rays. It seemed like they took probably 15 or 20.. must be a new thing! I got a cleaning, which went really well. It had probably been 3 years since my last one. I learned a few things during my cleaning and it’s enough to make me reconsider some of my beverage choices. After my cleaning the Dentist came in and spoke with me. We looked over my X-Rays and determined that the two broken teeth couldn’t be saved. I have to get them both extracted and then I have a couple fillings that need to be taken care of. To show you again how fast this is taking place – my first extraction is MONDAY. When I started this process, I figured it would be a while before the ball finally got rolling. Boy was I wrong! Before the end of January I will have both teeth extracted and then I can move on to my fillings. I hope to have that completed by the end of February and then HOPEFULLY I’m good to go for a while.

All of this has been enough to make me consider being an advocate for good dental hygiene. You have NO IDEA how important it is!

I’ve had my wisdom teeth taken out when I was in high school – but other than that I have no experience with tooth extraction. Has any of you ever had a tooth pulled? My Dentist mentioned something about medicine that will make me sleepy (but not put me to sleep) and won’t make me nervous, etc. Does anyone have any experience with this? I’m so nervous and I know that Monday morning I will be TERRIFIED so I need all the reassurance I can possibly get! ALSO – with this medicine (I’m assuming it’s a pill) will I be able to drive or go to work afterwards? I still have no clue! Ha!

I’ll keep you updated as I go through this process. Just please keep me in your prayers as I get very nervous and scared. I just want to be CALM. I know it has to be done and there isn’t anything I can do about it, so now I just need peace and assurance that I’m going to be OK and not experience a lot of pain!

4 comments:

  1. It's going to be a OK! I'm sure it's a wonderful dentist and they'll take good care of you. I've had some crowns done and that wasn't too bad. I've had TONS of fillings done and those aren't too bad either. Just hang in there and remember...tylenol is your friend!

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  2. Girl - if it can happen to your mouth, I've probably had it! You may or may not remember me talking about it, but I had my 2 top front teeth knocked out when I was 16. Had two root canals and I now have caps on my teeth! The whole process really wasn't that bad.

    I also had a tooth pulled once because it was absessed. Again, didn't bother me. The only "pain" meds they gave me were anesthesia via shots in my mouth. And again...those aren't bad. As a matter of fact, when they were doing my root canals on the front teeth - I had to have 13 shots in about 2 hours (and the front is where they are supposed to hurt the worst). It basically just feels like a bee sting. Not bad at all.

    If you are concerned about the medicine they give you to "sort of put you to sleep," I would just call and ask about driving after. Because that's something you really need to plan ahead!

    Good luck and I'm sure you'll do great! Just remember that it will all be over in a couple of hours (and maybe a lot shorter than that!)!

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  3. I actually just had a cavity filled and I was a nervous wreck. Not enough to have anything to calm me down, but still really nervous. I've had teeth pulled (years ago, before I had braces) and it wasn't bad. It doesn't hurt at all, they numb you pretty well and the shots don't hurt (like Rachel said). I did hear my dentist talking about giving another patient "somethign" and that something was (I believe) a nerve pill (like a Xanax situation). So you might need someone to drive you back!

    Dentists don't waste ANY time! I think it's cause there are SO many out there, they just want your business! Good luck! I'll say a prayer for you :)

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  4. Don't worry about it! I'm pretty sure its an injection they give you to make you sleepy but you'll still be aware during the process with no pain but forget about it all after it wears off. I'm in dental hygiene school right now and last semester I saw them do some extractions that way. If they give you the injections in your mouth it wouldn't make you sleepy but its not bad at all! We actually had to give injections to each other for the first time and there were no problems at all :) You'll do great!

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