A Piffle Princess Story

A TOOTH STORY

A few months ago, I wrote about this certain tooth of mine which was giving me problems (read all about that HERE!). Well, it took me a really long while to have it removed. As in, really long long while. In fact, so long that my tooth actually got chipped in half because I didn't go see the dentist ASAP! And when I did consult him, he told me to get a dental xray first. Because of my work, it took me a while again to get that xray, and on follow up, he told me I need to drink some prophylactic antibiotics prior to extraction. So I took some meds but my gums got swollen, and he said "no can do" so I took another batch of antibiotics. Then I got so busy with work, so the effects of the medicine waned off. I started another antibiotics regimen, then my gums became swollen again, and I had to change medicine again. After that, I got so busy with work then I went to Manila. Until finally, last week, I told myself that I REALLY REALLY REALLY BADLY NEEDED to have that darn tooth pulled out. So I started myself on another set of antibiotics, and I was supposed to go last Monday, but I chickened out and went to watch a jologs movie instead. (一。一;;）But finally this afternoon, after I got off from work, I really FORCED MYSELF to visit the dentist...

...And I was most (un)lucky cos today was such a busy day for him, and when he finally got to see me, it was around closing time already! He was about to tell me to come back another day, but I was like, "NOoOOooOOoO.... DOCTOR! PLEASE REMOVE IT NOW!!" ヘ(>_<ヘ)

And he did~. THANK GOD!!! ∩(︶▽︶)∩

I've already lost count of the number of teeth I've had pulled out, and I really have a high threshold for pain. But earlier, I told my dentist that I was kinda afraid (which was really part of the reason why it took me so long to have my extraction! ⊙﹏⊙) and so he became quite cautious. He explained to me the procedure as if it was my first time, and reassured me by chatting with me, singing songs, and LYING TO ME!!! w(°ｏ°)w YES!!! He told me he was just going to massage my tooth but he actually pulled it out already!!! (⌒_⌒;) My dentist is super awesome! I did think that maybe he used a wee bit too much anesthesia compared to the usual, cos not only were my gums numb, but also my upper lip, and even part of my nose! (And I thought that was funny in a weird way ┐(‘～`；)┌) But tis OK cos I was spared the pain. Then he presented the tooth to me and I would have loved to show it off here but then that might gross out some people. So I made this masterpiece in MS Paint instead...

So what really happened here was that my normal, healthy tooth initially got a cavity and bacteria got in and killed it. YES! My tooth was already so dead cos the nerves got eaten by the bad guys and so it couldn't feel any pain but just kept getting infected. Later on the lower part of the tooth got brittle and kept chipping off bit by bit, and my gums (that's the pink part) kept getting this recurrent swelling cos of the persistent bacterial infection. I think the swelling occasionally subsides with antibiotics intake but it doesn't completely go away cos the cavity is so wide and deep and food (and bacteria) just keep getting in. The dentist told me that  when he instilled anesthetic to my gums, some pus actually came out (eew!) despite the fact that I religiously took my medicine. And then he pointed out that it's because an abscess sac has already formed at the root, and this gets chronically infected. But now that he has pulled out that bad tooth with the sac, he expects the infection to go away and my gums to completely heal. That was really a huge relief for me. This chronic tooth infection actually freaks me out cos I keep thinking that all these bad guys might spread up to my brain or invade my neck and I'll be in really big trouble. Thank God that I haven't reached that point yet!

Well, since I now have two missing molars in the upper left and two missing molars in the upper right, my dentist advised me to change dentures. That made me quite sad cos firstly, I just got my paycheck (a measly amount but money nevertheless!) and it all went to that new set of teeth! And secondly, the dentures I'm currently using are from two years ago, a memento from when I was still working in Camiguin. The dentist there made it for me before I resigned, and I got it really cheap. But it was well-made and was really comfortable. Sadly, because of my extraction today, that old denture will lose its purpose in life, and hence the need to replace it with a new one. So that makes me very sad. Also, the fact that I have dentures at my age makes me sad too (and actually blogging about it makes me even sadder, wtf! (┳Д┳)).

Before I left the clinic, we made plans to fix up the rest of my teeth. But I'm probably gonna schedule that early next year already cos right now I'm already dirt broke, and so I have to do more work so I can follow-up with my dental appointments, and keep my teeth clean, healthy and infection-free.