I'm a wuss...

[Blue_Fedora]

My filling replacement didn't go well. It's a little filling - thankfully, no crown. But we discovered that the sedative they gave me to take the edge off wires me. And I have really sensitive teeth.

It seems the new filling is "just supposed to hurt" for 8 weeks?! I can't breathe through my mouth without it hurting (or brush with my electric toothbrush). I tried to make the point that I needed something better just waiting for exercise because breathing hard HURTS (can't they coat it or something?), but they said just tape a bag over my nose to warm up the air (I am NOT kidding).

Time for (another) new dentist.

I discovered I was allergic to Lidocaine during my endodontic work. I had no idea that the incredible, crack-fiend-like intense itching as it was wearing off meant I was allergic to the stuff. Good Lord was that itching just awful.

As for the fact that you can't breathe through your mouth without it hurting that is a real problem and if you have not mentioned that specific problem to the dental staff, you definitely should. If you have and it wasn't addressed beyond "that's just how it is" I would find a new dental office. I had the same experience with two of my incisors that were crowned. They were not root canal'd but as you know with crowns they have to remove a LOT of your existing tooth. The fact that inhaling air-temperature air through my mouth was causing excruciating pain in those two teeth was an indicator that what was left of the exiting tooth was waaaay too close to the nerve (not enough protecting it). I opted to have both incisors root canal'd thru the crown to remediate the situation.

Definitely, definitely, definitely take action to have the "can't breathe through my mouth without it hurting" problem resolved. It's not normal and I know just how painful that is for you.

HUGS!

[Biciclista]

yeah, I agree with Blue Fedora. Sounds like you need a root canal. This happened to me recently we replaced an old cracked crown (that wasn't bothering me a BIT!) they put the temp on and my tooth just started throbbing, day and not. Not badly, but always there. The Dentist said this happens sometimes and the only cure is to kill that nerve.

I get a kick out of root canals. I have a cute young endodontist, he uses all kinds of really strange tiny saws and things, there's no pain at all... it's not like it used to be..

[Blueberry]

I'm going to give it a little while to see if it calms down. According to my dentist, it is a very shallow filling and shouldn't be that close to the nerve. They're surprised it's bothering me, but they said that in a very few cases it does (I did mention air hurting) but they've never had it NOT go away. Maybe I'm just cursed with sensitive tooth nerves? If that's the case, I might have to go the root canal route. Thank God for good dental insurance.

Thankfully, it feels better today than it did last night (and it had been improving from Monday until she had to file it down last night because it was way too rough and causing more problems). I'm OK until I get on the bike - that air flow is too much still. But cold doesn't hurt - go figure. If it isn't better in a week, I'll find someone else to take a look....

Thanks for all the sympathy. Dental issues just suck.

[Veronica]

I'm thrilled that it's not just me who has "dental" issues. Maybe I'm not such a basket case after all.

For the last year I've had my cleanings every two months. I've got some deep pockets in my gums in the back and my hygienist kept threatening me with the oral surgeon. Knowing I'm seeing the hygienist makes me floss. The pockets are better, so we're moving to every three months this year. Yeah, I end up paying out of pocket. But that's what flex spending is for. Plus I realized the other day, my mom got her dentures when she was about my age. I'll pay the dough to keep my teeth for awhile. Gotta keep flossing...

Veronica