January I had a tooth filled. It had been a long time since I had a cavity so I’m not complaining but I really am not a fan of the dentist. I dread going. It’s just bad memories from when I was a kid. The dentist I have now is very nice and never causes pain but I get the white-knuckle thing going on and it’s never going to change. I just sit and grab onto the sides of the chair like I’m going to be killed any second.
So when I was told I had a cavity I said I knew, that the top left area was a bit sensitive and he said why didn’t you come and see me? Now that was a silly question on his part because I talked myself into believing my gums were being sensitive and that is all it was.
I scheduled the appointment right away and the following week I was there getting it filled at 8am on a Friday. The dentist comes in and we were small talking and he gave me the Novocain on my top left side of my mouth. Two needles are required on the top all the time (I never remembered that rule?).
So he’s reviewing the x-rays as my mouth is going senseless and I hear OH SHIT (those weren’t his exact words) and he was apologizing to me, telling me I have the cavity on the top right side. I reiterated our conversation a week back when I stated my sensitive side was the left with him and he said, “No, your cavity was on the right side”. I asked if he had his coffee and if he was sure and he was still looking at the x-rays assuring me it’s the right. But I have no pain, no detected pain on that side and in all actuality I did not have any pain on my left side either (must of really been sensitive gums when I felt pain that one time).
So I got the right side Novocained up and was completely numb during the hours (seemed like hours to me) of drilling. I felt nothing and that was fine and he apologized about 5 more times before I left.
I was happy the traumatic experience was over and I was free for another 6 months. I was sensitive for the next day because I just had the work done on that area. Then I talked myself in believing it was sensitive for a week, then another week. Then I determined I needed the fancy expensive toothpaste SENSODINE to help my sensitive gum and when that didn’t work I tried Listerine to kill all the germs that were causing this sensitive pain.
Three months past and I finally bellied up at the bar and came to the conclusion it was a toothache. It’s been rather clear lately since every time I put anything in my mouth I get this shooting pain instantly in that area. I made the appointment with my dentist figuring he didn’t fill the entire cavity. The long dreaded appointment was today.
The good news was he didn’t have to drill. The bad news was he is sending me to the endodontist. Lucky me. I never had a root canal and now I get to experience what most of the adult world has experienced.
I called my insurance to verify coverage and if who my dentist recommended was on the approved providers list. This will most likely evolve into yet another blog as to what I found out.
In short, I have not made an appointment to do the deed. I’m still in some sort of denial as I try and drink OJ that is causing shooting pain on the right side of my mouth. I should put some vodka in which will help me forget about the pain.
