Tooth Trouble II: Oh Shi...!
I had already resolved to get a mouthguard to wear at night so that I could avoid further damage to my teeth. I found a dental lab that will ship you the putty so you can make your own impressions, ship them back to the lab, and then get your custom mouthguard a few days later, and I had already ordered one. Then about an hour and a half after I got to work today I noticed one of my teeth felt kind of weird when my tongue touched the side of it. Definitely didn't feel right. I went to go check it out in the bathroom mirror and I saw a large chunk of that tooth missing. SHIT!!!! I was panicking there for a while because tooth problems really freak me out, and my dentist is closed on Fridays. Not to mention that a root canal and crown would cost me $1600 or more since my dental coverage only covers basic cleanings and basic x-rays.
I really do try to live by the principle that you shouldn't freak out about things that you have no control over, and also that you shouldn't freak out about stuff too far in advance. Wait until it's time to freak out before freaking out. This situation has really challenged this idea. I've been trying extremely hard not to flip my wig. I think for now I have gotten a bit of a grip. I'm going to the dentist in the morning, and I'll wait to see what they say before the next freakout. I purchased a discount dental plan that will cut my cost on the root canal and crown (I'm assuming I will need these) to "only" around $1000. The plan won't kick in until Tuesday, though. I'm hoping to hear that I can at least wait until then to do anything drastic to the tooth. It doesn't hurt, which is a very good thing. I can wear the crappy store-bought mouthguard (that really hurts my jaw) that I have until I get the good one. And I can hope that it's not too late to forestall any further damage to my chompers.
The whole thing just really bums me out. I always thought that tooth problems happened to people who didn't take care of their teeth, and I do take care of mine. I brush and floss religiously, and I use mouthwash to prevent plaque. They always tell you as a kid that that's the deal - be good to your teeth and they'll be good to you. I guess grinding or clenching your teeth at night really doesn't have anything to do with how well you take care of your teeth. They don't know why people do it, and they don't know to make them stop doing it. I guess it's one of those "what can you do?" situations. So much for that new camera lens.
I really do try to live by the principle that you shouldn't freak out about things that you have no control over, and also that you shouldn't freak out about stuff too far in advance. Wait until it's time to freak out before freaking out. This situation has really challenged this idea. I've been trying extremely hard not to flip my wig. I think for now I have gotten a bit of a grip. I'm going to the dentist in the morning, and I'll wait to see what they say before the next freakout. I purchased a discount dental plan that will cut my cost on the root canal and crown (I'm assuming I will need these) to "only" around $1000. The plan won't kick in until Tuesday, though. I'm hoping to hear that I can at least wait until then to do anything drastic to the tooth. It doesn't hurt, which is a very good thing. I can wear the crappy store-bought mouthguard (that really hurts my jaw) that I have until I get the good one. And I can hope that it's not too late to forestall any further damage to my chompers.
The whole thing just really bums me out. I always thought that tooth problems happened to people who didn't take care of their teeth, and I do take care of mine. I brush and floss religiously, and I use mouthwash to prevent plaque. They always tell you as a kid that that's the deal - be good to your teeth and they'll be good to you. I guess grinding or clenching your teeth at night really doesn't have anything to do with how well you take care of your teeth. They don't know why people do it, and they don't know to make them stop doing it. I guess it's one of those "what can you do?" situations. So much for that new camera lens.
posted by JC at 8:24 PM
1 Comments:
I'm guessing you're doing the dentist bit on Saturday with the hot doctor.
Ok I'm like you about trying not to freak, but sometimes it is a little shocking especially when it's a health issue. It will be taken care of, you're handling it well.
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