Question for Dentists/Tooth experts... (1 Viewer)

[Saint77]

Calcium crystal buildup, you say? Hmm.

Did it hurt all the time, or just when you tried to open past a certain point?

'Cause I am right there at the moment. The usual TN stuff, but I can't get my teeth wider than maybe 3/4 of an inch without it hurting like a mofo. With Thanksgiving coming up, I am getting a little antsy about it.

Usually just when I tried to open my mouth. Though, I recall sometimes when I woke up in the morning, I felt like Stone Cold Steve Austin had been beating on my jaw all night, right at the joint.

Yawning was absolutly horrible. I suspect I was doing that or grinding my teeth while I was sleeping.

Anyway, I told my dentist about it, and he told me a trick to get it to loosen up long enough to allow me a more comfortable eating session. Take a washcloth, soak it in water, stick it in the microwave for about 5 seconds, or until its really hot(I did it in 5 second bursts about 3 times) yet not too hot for your skin, and lay on your side with the washcloth drapped over your jaw for about 10 minutes or so. I guess it loosens everything up in there and I can verify, it did work. Do ita few times a day for a few days and you will find you can open your mouth slightly more each day.

 

[Mamba]

Yeah, after much deliberation, I think I'm going to probably get a 2nd opinion from another dentist, then if it's inevitable, I'll get the root canal (after thanksgiving of course).

 

[kanona29]

Sometimes it's not even an issue of being thorough. Sometimes it's how the canals go on the inside. I had a root canal done about 6 years ago. Then about 2 years ago, I had to have a specialist redo that root canal because there was a "rogue" canal (one that couldn't be seen initially) that got infected again.

But then this year, I started having pain in that tooth again, and I went in, and it turned out that the infection in the very end of the canal that wasn't able to be cleaned out had spread to my gum, and I had to have oral surgery to open up the gum to remove the infection. Yay!

Actually, I wasn't referring to a root canal when I said about having a thorough dentist. I was talking about a normal cavity filling. If your dentist does not drill and scrape away ALL of the cavity before placing in the filling there is a very high chance that cavity will spread straight to the root leading to the need of a root canal. and I hear you about having a 'hidden' canal. I had one too, but they discovered it before the root canal procedure. I had to go 2 days just for that one tooth so my dentist could fill up all the canals.


Taurus,

Wow. Sounds like you had a REALLY bad infection. I had an absess as well once and while it was very painful and extremely umcomfortable, I think yours was alot worse. I remember my face being swollen and my gums being filled with puss or whatever that junk is. and I kept rinsing my mouth with salt water to help relieve the pain before I could get a prescription filled. I was living in Baton Rouge at the time and my dentist was in New Orleans. The wait for pain relief was no fun.


Another thing, I don't know where you live Postman, but if you're in New Orleans maybe you should see about getting into the LSU Dental School program. I was a patient for years over there and the work they do is AWESOME and you get everything much cheaper than you would at a regular dentist.

 

[CT Saints Fan]

Yeah, after much deliberation, I think I'm going to probably get a 2nd opinion from another dentist, then if it's inevitable, I'll get the root canal (after thanksgiving of course).

Why wait until after Thanksgiving?

 

[Taurus]

Taurus,

Wow. Sounds like you had a REALLY bad infection. I had an absess as well once and while it was very painful and extremely umcomfortable, I think yours was alot worse. I remember my face being swollen and my gums being filled with puss or whatever that junk is. and I kept rinsing my mouth with salt water to help relieve the pain before I could get a prescription filled. I was living in Baton Rouge at the time and my dentist was in New Orleans. The wait for pain relief was no fun.

Thanks, 'Nona.

Yeah, that one was my upper-right canine tooth. I swelled up so bad, my glasses didn't fit right anymore and the way the nerves run in there, it hurt all the way up to my eyelid.

This is why I am now totally down with the "take care of it immediately" program.

 

[Mamba]

Why wait until after Thanksgiving?

Because it's only 1 week away, my tooth feels fine, and I don't want my mouth to hurt while I'm eating all of that turkey.

 

[CT Saints Fan]

Because it's only 1 week away, my tooth feels find, and I don't want my mouth to hurt while I'm eating all of that turkey.

It won't. There is no pain. It's just like getting a cavity filled, so once the novicaine wears off, you are good to go. So like 1/2 a day, tops.