Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Gathering up some courage
I am a chicken. When it comes to the dentist, that is. Pre-pregnancy, I loved going to the dentist. Why? Because, hello! I didn't have any cavities! It was just a simple cleaning with the hygienist complimenting me on my lack of plaque. It was fun. Getting complements on your clean pearly whites is nice.

Now it's not so nice.

After the first trimester, I started getting tooth sensitivity. It hurt to eat raw carrots. I went in & got checked out. Without x-rays (because there was a little Logan still growing inside), the dentist saw a handful of small cavities. She recommended that once Logan was born, that I get them filled. Awesome. I had my first cavities thanks to stupid HG. And not only did I have imperfect teeth, I also had gingivitis! Freakin' fantastic, isn't it!

So, the months of pregnancy waned & my teeth became increasingly sensitive. Logan was born & I justified my procrastination because I was nursing & couldn't partake of any painkillers, if needed. Logan has been completely weaned for a few months now & I still haven't gone in. The new excuse was that we don't have dental insurance, so it will just have to wait.

Ugh. I can't wait anymore. I have to bite the bullet & just go in now.

Yesterday I took a bite of a salmon sandwich & it was very sensitive. A sandwich! Sensitive! I can't even eat cold fruits or vegetables either. My trick of chewing on different sides isn't working anymore. It's to the point that if I wait any longer, I will officially be the dumbest person on Earth because my simple cavities will get big enough for me to need a root canal. That procedure will not be saving any pennies, either.

I've been making some phone calls this morning trying to figure out the best option. None of them are cheap. It looks like the family vacation to Portland that we wanted to take this summer is going straight into my mouth.

And to top it all off, I'm freaking out that the dentist is going to give me a shot (in my mouth!!) & drill into my teeth. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

5 comments:

Dawn @ Bent, not broken said...

Ahh yes! Teeth issues!! How I can relate BIG TIME! I have, how should I say it?..bad bad teeth. Thanks to my first visit to the dentist being put off by my parents until I was in my teens.
Well, your health is extremely important and now that research is starting to surface now, where prolonged tooth problems can cause so many other health issues, it's even more important to go. It's so expensive...and dentists and doctors overcharge so much, but you'll be glad you got them fixed. I can't wait to have this baby because I have a few teeth that need to be taken care of to! Good luck and don't worry. When you're in that chair getting them taken care of, think of how pretty they'll look. lol

liz said...

I. Hate. The. Dentist. HATE!

but dude, drugs. take the drugs and the gas and the novacaine and whatever they offer you. it may be the closest 'parking lot' experience you'll get for a while!

good luck! i've been avoiding my once-every-five-years visit, myself.

Reesh said...

Well I'll be lucky if I'll have nay teeth left after this pregnancy is through. I put off going to the dentist after Lily was born because I was still breastfeeding and them WHAM and done got myself knocked up again! I was growing my own wheat grass and swishing it around my mouth for a minute or two before swallowing and I really felt like it was helping. But I can't take wheat grass while I'm pregnant cause it makes me want to hurl my gutts out. Anyways, good luck, I hear your pain, but at least you are doing something about it now before you're toothless for the rest of your life...

Anonymous said...

Shots. Ugh!
Shots in the mouth. Double Ugh!

Anonymous said...

Hmm... I can't identify with you on this at all. I loved my dentist, he was amazing. So gentle and sweet and uproariously funny (caused me more than once to nearly drown on my own spit because he had his assistant crying from laughing so much and she couldn't concentrate on sucking the water out of my mouth). I hadn't been to the dentist in about 12 years when I saw him (had 12 cavities - 1 for each year, not too shabby! lol) and he was just so awesome.

I er, actually even liked the needles. Does that make me weird? :\ It was such a really pleasant little bitey sting. Definitely preferred that to the numbness wearing off! :) Hope you have a great experience when you finally get to going. My fear is that I'll never find another dentist like him. :(