EEEEEEEEEK! The DENTIST!!!!!
Booties and hairnets are essential at this dentist!
So, as I've mentioned in a couple of previous posts, my mom is here from the UK, and when she is, she is trying to cram all the parenting she can into 3 weeks. Of course, as an adult, this normally annoys the hell out of me, but I have found my priorities and feelings shifting as my life has changed over the last year.
My mom insisted that I visit the dentist.
OMG.
I knew what was waiting for me, as I haven't been since 2013 and honestly, back then they said there were dark spots on my back molars that were very likely to turn into cavities. I opted to not have them filled or drilled at that stage because, well, I'm terrified of the dentist.
Of course, the sports did turn into cavities, especially my bog molar and the very back. I knew this anyway because of sensitivity issues, but the dentist said if we went ahead and tried to treat it as a cavity with a filling either I would experience extreme pain or the tooth would fall apart or both. Because the nerve was so close to the cavity, it was most likely going to end up as a root canal!!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!
Ok, let's go back 20 years to explain why I'm terrified of dentists.
My mom would take me on a very long train ride to Tygerberg Hospital, which is a teaching Government hospital, which sees the training of resident medical staff, from doctors, to medical staff to dentists.
I presented with an abscess on one of my molars. I was sent home with antibiotics a few times, but eventually it was decided that they would pull the tooth.
The dentist assured me that this was a milk tooth and it felt loose already, so there probably would be very little blood loss or pain. I was terrified. The 1st round of anesthetic did not work. My cheek was numb but because of the abscess, the nerve for my tooth could not be reached.
I went to go cry in the bathroom, they tried to give me more anesthesia, probably too much as my whole face on the one side and part of my neck were going numb.
When they pulled the tooth, I felt everything.
And there was so
much
blood
It was just horrible and a memory that never left me.
I tell that story every time I go to the dentist to beg for gentleness.
Anyway, back to yesterday's tooth drama, we decided to go ahead with the filling, also because a root canal is about 9 times more expensive than a filling, and I was blessed. The whole process was painless. In fact, the cleaning of my teeth was more uncomfortable than the filling! At least they did a very thorough job and the last of my tobacco stains were removed - I quit being a heavy smoker, cold turkey, in 2020 with the cigarette and alcohol bans surrounding covid.
All in all, It was actually a great experience. There are still two more smaller cavities that I need to have filled, but at least I am no longer terrified.
Thank goodness!
My nerves definitely needed a rest after all that!
It's @matthew-williams 's turn next! Hehehe. I'll let you know how that goes.
slightly numb and tired, but relieved!