A root canal for Christmas: a (non-sarcastic) great holiday gift.

[oak]

Friends!

I'm getting a root canal for Christmas, and I couldn't be happier.

While this may appear to be sarcastic at first blush, I can assure I am wholly serious and deeply grateful.

I say this because my upper right canine tooth (11?) is dying/dead from trauma. After a week of mild discomfort, in the last 24 hours it went to strong pain from any warm food. Thankfully, I was able to get into my apnea/bruxism dental specialist today (Wednesday) who encouraged me to contact my endodontist who was able to get me in Thursday (tomorrow, Dec 22).

I am one lucky dental patient, which I'll post more about soon.

While anyone in this forum can identify with dental pain, perhaps our good friend Mental Fairy can confirm that dental pain is real trauma. It can drive any person mad.

I say this with all sobriety and solemnity.

Like all things dental, and mental health, this experience gets at many complexities of being an adult in a modern society, and stuff I need to face in 2023.

But I get ahead of myself, since I have to face the thing itself tomorrow:

I'll post about any anxieties beforehand, immediate afterwards woe, and bouncing back.

While I'm grateful for the opportunity to post about all sorts of matters in this forum, I am especially grateful to be able to post about dental matters.

I am firmly decided that dental health is mental health.

[snoringdog]

Yes, dental pain can drive you mad.
(Remember the drilling scene in "Marathon Man". It made quite an impression in its day. )

We were fortunate as children to get fluoride (before the conspiracists were a thing), so I haven't needed a lot of work.

I did get an implant for a damaged front tooth after the nerve died. and insisted on only local anesthesia. General makes me nervous.

If the cowboys in the movies can do it with whiskey and biting on a bullet, then so can I.

[oak]

Well said, SnoringDog.

Update!

Friends, at the risk of jinxing it, I must admit that I feel good.

I mean, it generally sucked and I understand tomorrow will be worse, but four hours after I feel pretty good.

Or at least much better.

Thirty years ago this would have been traumatic, but nowadays good health care professionals (such as my excellent endodontist), do two things:

1. Offer to stop at any time.
2. Explain what is happening and what is about to happen.

I'll update soon friends, but if my goal was to (1) endure it, (2) make it home, and (3) eat a little something while taking ibuprophen, then today is a success so far.

Edit to add:

The endodontist reported that the nerve was indeed dead (“necrotic”, which is a word I’m lucky enough to not hear everyday), and that we made the right choice to root canal.

[oak]

Friends! A brief update:

1. I woke up this morning feeling fine.

I had “pain” of a 1 or 0.5, so I took two ibuprofen. My appetite is good, I’m excited for the future, and am doing everything as instructed by my beautiful endodontist.

2. Between the dental recovery, holiday, and winter storm I am taking this as a signal to slow down. I’m off til Jan 3, so my plans for the next week are to walk to the store.

Society can get by without me for awhile.

Sometimes life sends a little katabasis.