![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Nervous
I'm nervous.
Not very nervous. Really not very nervous at all. It's just that I have an appointment for my regular six-month dental cleaning tomorrow at 5, and I'm a little bit on edge.
It's much better than it used to be, of course. In the old days I'd have been staying up all night, for weeks in advance, shivering in terror (and that's not an exaggeration). Now...well, between nitrous oxide, and my experience of many cleanings and a few fillings without trouble, I'm only very slightly nervous. My forehead is slightly beaded with sweat, but that may partly be because I'm sick.
I haven't had any more pain than before; my teeth twinge now and again, but they've been doing that for twenty years. And I know that I'm hypersensitive to tooth pain, and all too ready to panic. But I also know that I have a nasty sinus infection right now, and every pain I have is the same old pain I always have when I have a sinus infection. Logic tells me that there's every reason to expect that things will be fine tomorrow, just as they've always been.
But I'm still a little nervous.
If worse comes to worst, I suppose, I might need a root canal. There's a part of me that would almost welcome that - almost. I've been dreading that for years, and it would be good to be able to finally put that fear behind me forever. And at the moment, I'm less afraid of the prospect of a root canal than I've ever been. Partly because I know so many people who've had one and been okay. Partly because my dentist told me that from my perspective it wouldn't be any different than having a cavity filled (and I believe him). But even more because last year I saw a guy who'd just had two root canals - he'd literally just left the dentist's office - and he was okay. He looked and seemed to feel the same way that I look and feel after a filling.
It's a comfort to know that nitrous oxide will be available to me - I wouldn't have to feel much fear during the procedure, if any. And afterwards, it would be over, so there'd be nothing to fear. It's just before that would be scary. That wouldn't be pleasant, but I'm sure I could handle it.
I'll turn 43 next week. I'm too old to let my life be ruled by fear. This has to stop.
And anyway, if I needed a root canal, wouldn't I feel some pain pretty often?
Sigh. My mother used to tell me horror stories when I was younger about her dental procedures. I wonder if that's part of the reason I still get nervous? Sebastian's as brave as can be at the dentist, although of course he hasn't had a painful experience there yet.
Time for me to sleep.
Not very nervous. Really not very nervous at all. It's just that I have an appointment for my regular six-month dental cleaning tomorrow at 5, and I'm a little bit on edge.
It's much better than it used to be, of course. In the old days I'd have been staying up all night, for weeks in advance, shivering in terror (and that's not an exaggeration). Now...well, between nitrous oxide, and my experience of many cleanings and a few fillings without trouble, I'm only very slightly nervous. My forehead is slightly beaded with sweat, but that may partly be because I'm sick.
I haven't had any more pain than before; my teeth twinge now and again, but they've been doing that for twenty years. And I know that I'm hypersensitive to tooth pain, and all too ready to panic. But I also know that I have a nasty sinus infection right now, and every pain I have is the same old pain I always have when I have a sinus infection. Logic tells me that there's every reason to expect that things will be fine tomorrow, just as they've always been.
But I'm still a little nervous.
If worse comes to worst, I suppose, I might need a root canal. There's a part of me that would almost welcome that - almost. I've been dreading that for years, and it would be good to be able to finally put that fear behind me forever. And at the moment, I'm less afraid of the prospect of a root canal than I've ever been. Partly because I know so many people who've had one and been okay. Partly because my dentist told me that from my perspective it wouldn't be any different than having a cavity filled (and I believe him). But even more because last year I saw a guy who'd just had two root canals - he'd literally just left the dentist's office - and he was okay. He looked and seemed to feel the same way that I look and feel after a filling.
It's a comfort to know that nitrous oxide will be available to me - I wouldn't have to feel much fear during the procedure, if any. And afterwards, it would be over, so there'd be nothing to fear. It's just before that would be scary. That wouldn't be pleasant, but I'm sure I could handle it.
I'll turn 43 next week. I'm too old to let my life be ruled by fear. This has to stop.
And anyway, if I needed a root canal, wouldn't I feel some pain pretty often?
Sigh. My mother used to tell me horror stories when I was younger about her dental procedures. I wonder if that's part of the reason I still get nervous? Sebastian's as brave as can be at the dentist, although of course he hasn't had a painful experience there yet.
Time for me to sleep.
no subject
I had a root canal, and at one point, I nearly fell asleep in the chair. It was so restful! If only they'd propped my mouth open instead of making me have to do it consciously, I'd have drifted right off.
The worst was a somewhat eughytwingy bit when one the roots somehow wouldn't deaden completely (though they tried squirting more anesthetic in), but compared to the horrible pain that had been creeping up my face and cheek and eye... (thus prompting the root canal, prompting it to be moved up because the ibuprofen wasn't cutting it anymore, and causing me to say, "I'd be here if it were a dark alley and you had pliers") ...it was pretty minor.
Anyway, good luck -- and luck with your sinus infection. Sinusitus is one of my dreads, since it landed me in the emergency room once, for Xmas day...
no subject
no subject
Kiralee
no subject
The problem for me is that this damned sinus condition - whatever it is - apparently causes a lot of pain that can be interpreted as tooth pain. But I imagine that if I really needed a root canal, the pain would be continuous and more extreme.
Plus they'd have noticed it last month when they x-rayed my teeth during my regular cleaning, of course.
no subject
An aftereffect of one of my root canals is that the tooth is particularly sensitive to pressure from my sinuses. It feels exactly like a tooth ache (in fact, I've talked to the dentist about it, which is why I know that it's caused by sinus pressure.