My Dental Depression Story

Hello friends,
 
            Today I am getting real with y'all and perhaps, as you can tell by the title of this blog, a little dramatic.

              Let me start from the beginning, first off, I hate the dentist. As in, I don't think hate is a strong enough word. I have always gone to the dentist growing up but after I was no longer under my parents dental plan, I stopped going. Dental work is outrageous and I simple could not afford it with my part time jobs. Obviously not going to the dentist is fine and dandy for so long before it can become an issue.

              My teeth have gone through their share of problems but about a month ago, the worst happened. My gums normally go through their moments of slight discomfort because, as mentioned, I have not been to the dentist in a while. My gums swelled a bit but I ignored the pain because I thought it would simply go away. A week goes by and I start noticing my cheek is getting swollen. I am laying in bed that night and ofcourse, like every person does when they have strange symptoms, I started searching online. Here is a choice tip for all you sufferers of any illness, DO NOT GOOGLE IT! Doing so will only make you nervous and could possibly even make the situation worse. I tossed and turned that whole night scared that my face was going to be deformed or that I would die in my sleep from a fatal tooth infection.

             The next day, I was at work and I felt ugly. In short, I looked like Marlon Brando a le Godfather.

                I ended up leaving work early and going to a clinic to get an antibiotic. At this point I am still trying to avoid the dentist. Eventually, the swelling and pain subsided and I booked an appointment with a dentist so try and get it fixed. In the meantime, I again researched it online (stupid, silly girl) and all signs seemed to point to a tooth abscess. Funny thing was, I was not experiencing the sensitivity to cold/hot or the severe pain. I had to wait a month for a dental appointment.

                  So, today was the day and I woke up feeling nauseated and unsettled. I think what made me nervous was the thought of not knowing what was about the happen. When I got there, all I could think about was how much I wished it was all over. After all the xrays and limited options I had, the final verdict was, ether leave the tooth in and risk major infection or get it removed. The tooth was rotten and could not be repaired. Obviously, I got it pulled.

                 Now comes the dental depression part. I have had the same tooth but on the other side pulled before, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see the gaping hole that was now in my mouth. But feeling and knowing the tooth is gone is kind of making me feel ugly. I am very fortunate to have great looking front teeth, I get compliments on them all the time and I have never had braces. I guess when you know your teeth may shift around a bit and your mouth now has a void spot, it can make your uneasy about your appearance. I know once the hole close up and my bone structure regenerates that I will feel normal again, but I have experienced some real depression today.

                  Thanks for listening friends. Until next time...