Angry Tooth... you may meet your end.

I work in a hospital you would think that I take pretty good care of myself...

yeah right...

Take for example my jaw, a few weeks back I started having some pain on one side of my jaw for no real reason. I ignored it for about three weeks. Why did I ignore for three weeks? Because I'm tough like that and I really dislike going to the Dr's office. I have more important things to then sit in a office and be told how badly I'm not taking care of myself. If I wanted that I would go visit mom at least then I don't have to pay a copay and I get fed.

So I make a appointment for the dentist, and get an appointment for the next day. Wow what a difference dentists offices are in Phoenix compared to Kingman. It's like a Jiffy Lube for your teeth. So I'm in the dentists office and they poke, prod, and x-ray. Come to find out that I have had the crown of a tooth collapse and it's not doing so hot back there... and oh yeah it's my wisdom tooth in the back of my mouth. Joy!

So I'm given the option of either getting it pulled or a root canal done. I've heard horror stories about root canals so I opt for the tooth pulling. Have you ever read about how your tooth gets pulled? You should turns out that only school you really need to goto is the "school of hard knocks and better dentistry" these folks offer classes online and on campus just in case your interested.

I'm also given the option of Nitrous Oxide or full general anesthetic... Well hell I've always heard good things about Nitrous I will take that doc! So I get an appointment with the oral surgeon for a week later to get the tooth pulled. I guess if it hasn't killed me by now it isn't going to kill me in the next week.

So a week rolls by and it's time for my appointment...

I get my nitrous

I get my local number (3 shots!) (OH BOY CUZ I LOVE SHOTS ALMOST AS MUCH AS I LOVE DOCTORS!)

I get 10 minutes to myself to contemplate the deeper meanings of life while breathing Nitrous Oxide with a contraption that bears more then a passing resemblance to Miss Piggy's nose attached to my nose.

The doc starts to do his thing and says "Now let me know if this hurts"... HOLY CRAP THAT HURTS!! Like bring tears to my eyes hurt... so I get 2 more shots of the numbing agent and I now have enough on board for a "horse"

Wow if it takes that much numbing agent for or a tooth what other things are are horse like about me? My appetite? My Attitude? Other things?

So I get another 5 minutes of contemplation before the doc comes back this time he's pulling and pulling and tells his assistant "Yep this is a classic angry tooth"

What the hell, it's bad enough I'm pissed off half the time but now my tooth is too?

So one or two more good yanks and the tooth comes out. I get my gauze and some post op instructions and am sent on my merry way...

48 hours later the only thing that hurts is my jaw when I open real wide other wise I'm fine. I'm sure your all concerned.

The moral of this story? If your getting your tooth pulled and you have the option for a local anesthetic take that.