I had my tooth extracted. I went in yesterday and found out that they were ready to get down to business, either by starting another root canal or having it extracted, so asked if I could just have it pulled. The tooth could have been salvaged, but it just didn't seem worth it to me because a) it's my very back tooth, which means I technically can do without it b) no one ever even sees it and c) there was the cost to consider. To do another root canal would have cost $1200 and taken weeks and weeks to get done. To get this tooth pulled? $110 and the actual process took about fifteen minutes. It was, by the way, one of the weirdest sensations I've ever felt. No pain, just a lot of pressure that left me gripping my armrests.
When it was all over they gave me a long list of instructions - no straws, no soup, no spitting, no smoking, but the key word they used was suction, or negative pressure. That's what it all comes down to. I'm not to create any kind of suction in my mouth, which I must say requires a lot of concentration on my part. I'm also supposed to keep my tongue away from the hole, so I fell asleep trying to keep my tongue in place and had nightmares that it had somehow touched the hole and now I had dry socket, the most feared consequence of oral surgery caused by tongue touching and allowing suction to exist inside your mouth. Also, it turns out that estrogen plays a factor in getting dry socket and I've been informed by leading experts that I have some of this so called estrogen right inside my body! But I'm not too worried -dry socket normally occurs when bottom teeth are pulled.
On the flip side, I have felt zero pain since I had this tooth removed. It does not hurt at all, which is a great relief. And I have found my new calling in life -napping. Also, Optimistic. brought me home a huge Jamba Juice that I spoon fed to myself very carefully (no straws, remember?) and it was delicious. I have watched 3 of the 4 Anne of Green Gables tapes, Mansfield Park, and something called Jane Austen Regrets. Granted, I am unemployed so there's a very good chance I would have watched all those movies and taken all those naps anyway.
P.S. I got to keep my tooth, and it is enormous! I am going to put it under my pillow and demand $1 from the tooth fairy i.e. Optimistic., and if he refuses I will chase him around the house with my tooth until he pays up.
P.P.S. M-Lite was kind enough to take me to the dentist because Optimistic. was at work, so thank you M-Lite -I will make sure your birthday gift is of extra-good quality this year.
1 comment:
They pulled one of my back molars when I had braces to make more room in my mouth and frankly, I haven't missed it.
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