A troublesome wisdom tooth
Early in March I started to get toothache. On 7th I went to the dentist and he said there was a crack in my top right wisdom tooth. He put in a temporary filling and told me to come back in three weeks and he’d put a permanent one in.
I am such a wimp with the dentist! It’s a good thing our dentist is so nice… He’s very friendly and he helps me relax. We usually have a good laugh along the way.
So I went back on 27th March and he put the permanent filling in. I thought that was it.
A filling falling out of another tooth
The next Sunday, 31st March, a filling in a bottom left molar fell out! I go for months, if not years, not needing anything done at the dentist, and now this! My hubby made me another appointment and the dentist saw me a couple of days later on 2nd April.
I thought this would be an easier job than the wisdom tooth, because it was just a question of putting a new filling in. Unfortunately it was worse, and I wasn’t a bit happy about it! Still, it was soon done, and away I went.
More trouble from the wisdom tooth
My hubby told me it was quite normal for teeth to hurt a bit just after a filling, so I didn’t bother the dentist about it. The lower molar soon settled down, but the wisdom tooth continued to ache on and off. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong, because it should have settled down by then.
Last Sunday, it was aching quite badly all day, so I knew something wasn’t right. My hubby phoned the dentist first thing on Monday morning, and took me in straight away. I was rather nervous because our own dentist wasn’t there and I had to see his colleague, but she was so lovely, and just as kind and gentle.
She checked the tooth and said a small piece of the filling had come away. Apparently a deep filling can sometimes affect the nerve for some time afterwards, which was the probable explanation for my trouble. She did an X-ray and said there was no infection at this stage. We could either leave it alone and hope it would settle down, or she could do a root filling. I pulled a face at this.
I explained that I may well be due for further abdominal surgery in the near future, and she said it was important not to risk any infection in a tooth at this stage. To be doubly sure I wouldn’t get any trouble, she suggested taking the tooth out altogether.
Plans to extract the wisdom tooth safely
I have agreed to this. If it is likely to go on causing trouble, it would be much better removed. Also, since it was filled, I am finding it harder to clean between. Being a wisdom tooth, it isn’t going to leave an unsightly gap, and I won’t have any further problems to worry about.
I don’t relish yet another appointment at the dentist but she reassured me that it wouldn’t take long. She would completely anaesthetise the area and all I would feel was some pressure. I am going back on 23rd April.
She could have taken it out then and there, but when I told her I was on rivaroxaban (an anticoagulant), she said I would have to stop taking it at least 24 hours before the extraction. As I had just taken one, it was not possible, so I’ve got to wait. My appointment is early, and I can take my dose as soon as I get home.
Since then, the wisdom tooth has not been aching so badly, and it is only intermittent. The dentist said that if it settled down, I might change my mind about having it out, but I said I definitely wouldn’t! Better out than in!
I told her that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), not bad teeth!! She was very amused at this and said as long as it wasn’t the fear of the dentist! She said she would remember that one.
We are very fortunate to have such a good dentist practice. We have been with them for many years, and decided to stay with them when we moved. It is rather a long way to travel, but worth it for the peace of mind
