Tag Archives: pain

My tooth hurts…

“My wisdom tooth is bugging me,” I told my husband last Tuesday. A gnawing pain in the back of my mouth had me slightly on edge and in a mood. I figured some Advil before bed, though, and I’d feel better.

Wednesday night, though, the sharp stabbing pains started, when I touched my far back molar — not the wisdom tooth. Crap. Not the first time I’ve experienced that sensation, but again, I figured some Advil and I’d be fine. I added in my favorite “toothache remedy” of chewing on a garlic clove. It’s helped me kick many random toothaches through the years. Surely that’s all this was.

Thursday, I woke up and discovered several small mouth ulcers in the area of the pain. My gland under my jaw was tender and swollen, but that always happens with an ulcer. I’d just have to suffer through this.

And suffer I did. All weekend. The ache in my teeth and in my cheeks from what I thought was just an ulcer was not a new sensation, but nor a welcome one either. Advil dragged me through.

Monday came and I seemed to feel a bit better. We debated my seeing a dentist after I admitted that the ulcers had subsided, but the toothache remained. I felt better! But not well. So the next morning my mom called a dentist for me.

Yes, my mom called. I’m 32 years old, and I still love that Mom will call a doctor or dentist for me. And I am not ashamed to admit that. I’ll do it if I have to, but I love that she’ll still do it. It’s such a subtle comfort for me.

The dentist saw me an hour later. My old dentist I had years ago. Walking in the office was actually more like a hug of help than the pangs of fear I usually feel about dental work.

I left with an antibiotic, pain killer and an appointment for a root canal. Abscessed tooth definitely took the win on this one.

Tooth – 1. Denise – 0.

Anyone who has ever had a toothache like this can understand why I’ve been MIA. No interest in anything. Just that evil ache. As of yesterday, I discovered I can only open my mouth about 2 cm, making eating a challenge. I can open it a bit wider if I massage my jaw muscles to loosen up and let go a bit. I notice as I write this that the pain has subsided greatly, and my focus is slowly starting to return. The little bit of swelling in my gland has drawn up to expose the goose egg on my jawline. That, too, seems to be very slowly shrinking. I welcome the relief and hope it continues  subsiding. I’m ready to be back to normal… I’m ready to be me again!