A problem that bites....
Sometime soon, I'm probably going to have to break down and do something I've been putting off for years. Something both expensive and painful.
I'm talking about a visit to the dentist. One that's probably going to be painful, expensive, and otherwise suck.
I've been neglecting my teeth for years. When I was in college, I went to a dentist, and he did some drilling to fill a few minor cavities. I guess I have a low tolerance for pain, and when he did the other side, he decided it was causing too much pain to finish. So instead of drilling all the way and filling it with metal, he filled it with some temporary stuff and told me I should eventually get it done under anesthesia.
I went back a year or two later, he said there were some minor cavities but nothing major, but I should get them taken care of eventually.
I didn't. That was probably 4 years ago. Since then, the teeth on the side he filled in temporarily have started to get a ton of cavities - if I look in the bathroom mirror and open my mouth, I can see small brown holes. And once in a while, it starts hurting. Usually, if I wait long enough, it stops. It's been flaring up again the last few days, and hurting worse than it did before.
It doesn't help that in addition to not really being a big fan of doctors or dentists, I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. So I have ailments that may or may not exist that I worry about, but don't seek help for. I mentioned my tooth dilemnas to bsom, and he commented that if it gets infected, it could go septic, give me a blood infection, and kill me. Ever since then, I've started wondering if I have a fever - my forehead does feel kind of warm. If I do, it's probably more from allergies or a sinus infection or the hellish amount of work I have to do and the lack of sleep.
I'm hoping I can get by without too much pain or dying for the next month or so - we're busy at work, and I hate to take time off, especially for something that's my own fault for putting off so long. But at some point, I'm going to need to find a dentist, and this will probably cost me a fortune.
If I'm not dead by then. If I am, please feed the cat for me.
posted by mad anthony @ 6:31 PM
3 Comments:
Get thee some antibiotices PRONTO! Twice in the past I've avoided getting any dental work done, or postponed it, by simply calling my dentist and/or doctor and getting some amoxicillan. You will feel better in a few days - much better - once you start taking the antibiotic. Be sure to take it for the full ten days, even if you start to feel better. My last one, last month or so, my dentist was on vacation so I emailled my primary care physician and told her my predicament - tooth pain and dentist on vacation whom I would follow up with asap - and she send rx to the pharmacy for me to pick up. :-) This last time the pain was SO almost unbearably bad and I thought for sure I'd need a root canal, but at the follow up dental visit, xrays showed it wasn't as bad as I was fearing. So don't hesitate - get those antibiotics! Also, there are poultices they sell at the drug store for tooth pain that work pretty well, but the antibiotics are what you need to kill the infection.... feel better soon!
Oh yeah, also search the web for a GOOD dentist. I'd refer you to mine, but unfortunately he's not taking new patients as he's that good - hasn't for years.. I can go on and on about how great he is, though, with proceedures, cost, and flexible payments. I've been going to him for nearly two decades now. Anyway, do some internet searches, talk to a few people, find out costs before visit, etc.
The Dental Center on Bel Air Rd across from Chik fil a. It's actually right near the vet too. All the dentists there are awesome, and they are always on time, so you don't have to sit in the waiting room fretting for too long. They take our insurance too.
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