A Dead Tooth

Ever since I visited the dentist to renew the filling for my 2 front teeth, I had been having sharp little pains on 1 of them. Little pains became big and very sharp pains. So much that it really hurts even when I touched slightly on it. I hadn't been able to sleep well the past few nights, and I had trouble trying to eat (especially cold stuffs).

As much as I wanted to ignore the pain and of course, avoid visiting the dentist, I couldn't bear the pain any longer. Took a time off this morning and away I went to face my fear. Turned out my tooth is dying and to save it, I must do a root canal - a process of removing the nerve, filling the gap with some metal and then seal it up with a crown. Otherwise it will be dentures. I had no choice but to choose the former option - Just to save my poor tooth!!!

Although I was given a jab to numb that part of the gum, I could still feel slight pains and oh, I hate the drilling sound! I was in tears - What a wimp, right? The process is broken down into 3-4 visits, so I'll have to see him again this Sunday. I'm given Panadol to relief the pain, and Amoxycillin antibiotics. Apparently they help reduce the swelling, but if it still persists tomorrow, I'll have to go see him asap. The dentist was very kind to give me an MC. "I usually only give MC for extraction, but for your case, I give you, you go back and rest la". So nice, eh? I think because I kept telling him "Pain, pain" and he kept replying "Don't be scared, don't be scared". Hehe..

Went back to the office for a while to settle some stuffs and then home to sleep throughout the afternoon. Mum made me some porridge before she went out for shopping. She left me a plate of salted eggs to go with the porridge. Yummy!

I'm glad the first visit is over. I don't know what to expect for my next few visits. I suppose they shouldn't be so bad. After all, I did a surgery before so nothing else should beat that, right? It was during end of 1994, right after I completed my PMR exams. I had to extract 4 teeth to make way for braces. All 4 of them were suprisingly baby teeth, not permanent teeth. The horror part was that for 1 of them, there was a permanent tooth hidden within the gums. I must remove it! I had to undergo a surgery to extract the baby tooth, then drill through the gums and then remove the permanent tooth. Even with the jabs, it was so painful. The surgeon drilled, then x-rayed again and found out it wasn't deep enough, then drilled again. Mum and Sis accompanied me in the room. I was crying. Sis was crying. It was oh, so bad!

I still shudder whenever I think of the surgery. No more! No more! There better not be anymore permanent teeth playing hide and seek in the gums! Ok.. That's my story.. What's yours?