Monday, April 28, 2008

Pottymouth

Well, I have to get another crown tomorrow. Ames told me I've got so much porcelain in my mouth, she's going to call me "Pottymouth" from here on.

But here's the deal: I've had this cracked tooth for years, and I've been told (by 3 dentists) to put off fixing it until it hurts. Fine. So in the last couple years, it's gone from hurting once in a while to hurting more frequently. Not constantly, not even close to constantly, but everytime I hit something hard on that tooth. Crushed red pepper is the worst: those seeds are small enough to escape notice, but when one gets in that molar, I know it.

So this morning, the last day before they grind it down and crown it, I hit a blackberry seed in my breakfast. That hurt. It's been a couple hours, and it still hurts. I couldn't have waited one more day...

My last crown was on a live tooth: they decided I didn't need a root canal. That sounds good, except I lost the crown a few months later in a sticky bun. Caramel on a live nub is not a pleasant feeling. So while I hope I don't need a root canal tomorrow, I'm not sure it would be a bad thing. Live tooth under a crown is like a ticking time bomb: crowns eventually come off, and that live tooth is all ready to let me know about it.

4 comments:

Ames said...

My teeth hurt just reading this post.

Gwen said...

"Pottymouth" is the funniest thing I have ever read. I read this about an hour ago and I'm still laughing.

Sorry about the pain, though.

Shan said...

Seriously, I am cringing here. Even just the term "live tooth" gives me the wiggins.

As you know, root canals are not bad, if they're on a molar. Front upper - different story.

"Pottymouth" is so very, very funny.

clumsy ox said...

The novacaine is wearing off now, and I can start to feel that side of my mouth again.

I remembered the dull throb of the gum that gets pushed away from the tooth so they can jam the crown down in there, but I had totally forgotten the itchy sensation of the live tooth under the crown. I know it goes away in a couple weeks (I don't even notice the crown right above it), but an itch under porcelain is really aggravating.

I mean, I'm glad I didn't have to get a root canal (yet... the dentist still wants me to keep an eye on that tooth until the permanent crown goes on), but live tooth is a bit of an adventure.