Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tooth

My root canal... it tickles?

raztaj — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:18:52 -0800

What is this sensation I'm feeling after getting a root canal? I had a root canal on a molar exactly three weeks ago. Some of the alveolar bone between the roots had been lost, but when I went back to the dentist today to have a post put in, the x-ray indicated it was healing extremely well, and showed "significant" bone restoration - (way cool, and yay!).

But every now and then I feel a slight tingly (not painful, not sensitive, not uncomfortable), almost fizzy feeling under the tooth in question. It sort of feels like tiny seltzer bubbles, but the feeling lasts only 1-4 seconds. I don't feel it every day, but when it does happen, it's usually in bursts of a few times an hour. I forgot to ask the dentist about it since I haven't had the feeling for several days, doesn't cause any discomfort, and doesn't appear to be indicative of any post-root canal problems.

What is this sensation? What is causing the fizzy feeling? Might the feeling have something to do with bone growth? Is it even possible to feel bone growth?

Help. I'm a pansy.

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:04:31 -0800

This is so shameful. I haven't seen a dentist since 2005. I've always been terrified of the dentist, but now it's been more than four years. When I finally go again, it will be so much worse. My teeth hurt sometimes, so I probably have cavities. What if I need a root canal? And the scraping! I know this sounds stupid, but for me, the scraping is the worst part. It's the way it sounds and the way it feels. It's not just the stabbing my gums with metal hooks, which novocaine helps... nothing helps the scraping.

So I can't go on like this, things will just get worse and worse. I have to go. I tried googling to find a sedation dentist... I feel so paralyzed by anxiety. I got nowhere.

Here are my conisderations. MetaFilter, please help me get this done. You are far more rational than I am and I need someone's objective, unemotional guidance.

Nutshell:

I need to see a dentist. I need a cleaning and to figure out if I have cavities, and if I do, I need to have them treated. I don't know what else I might need.

I do not have dental insurance. I do not have any money. I'm living without a cushion right now. My parents said they would pay for a visit to the dentist as a birthday present, but there is a limit to what I can ask them to pay.

Because of the financial constraints, I feel like I have to get it right the first time. If I go to a dentist who does a bad job, I will be stuck with it. This contributes to my anxiety and paralysis.

Sedation dentistry seems perfect but incredibly expensive. Do I need to accept that this is not an option for me right now, or are there reasonably-priced sedation dentists who are also reliable and good?

I'm in NYC.

teethwhitening, teeth, tooth

SweetTeaAndABiscuit — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:18:11 -0800

I'm looking for an effective and relatively inexpensive way to whiten my teeth. Every time I shop for a product, I leave emptyhanded, confused about all the choices. I drink a lot of tea, coffee and soda, and so my teeth are badly in need of whitening. I'm not fond of dentists and my budget is fairly tight, so I'm hoping for something effective I can use at home. Strips, trays, brush on gels, it's all so confusing!

What have you used to whiten your teeth that was 1) effective, 2) inexpensive, and 3) (bonus) didn't make your teeth terribly sensitive?

Thanks, MeFi!!

What to do in the 2 weeks before the root canal?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:10:54 -0800

Big throbbing hole in my tooth. Two weeks until the root canal. No instructions on what to do in the meantime. I flossed out a very large filling the other week. I went to my local clinic on an emergency basis when I started feeling pain, and they said I'd have to schedule a root canal elsewhere. I've got an appointment...and it's in two weeks.

The initial consultation was done at a overburdened clinic for people on state medical/dental benefits, so no followup care/info is available there (I didn't even have anyone to explain to me what needed to happen next, beyond getting the actual referral--total time with dentist was 2 minutes, and I was lucky to get that....non-emergency appointments have a 6 month waiting list at this point).

I don't know what I should/shouldn't be eating, drinking, or doing to minimize the chances that the tooth will crack open, the decay will worsen, the pain will go from nagging to unbearable before the appt, etc. I don't even know if 2 weeks is a normal wait time for a root canal (not that I can afford to go anywhere else--the specialist I'll be seeing is one of the only ones in the state who accepts Medicaid).

I have the temporary filling cement you can buy at the drug store, but I don't even think that's a good idea.

Please help!

Porcelain or MetalFilter

PhoBWanKenobi — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:00:43 -0800

How bad is tooth sensitivity from gold inlays? I just got the bad news from my dentist that, despite brushing and flossing daily (really, I'm a nerd about flossing!), I need a whole bunch of cavities filled. Several of these are on teeth with existing fillings, on which he wants to place inlays.

I have the option of either getting gold or porcelain inlays. I actually kind of like the idea of having gold in my teeth; I'm not terribly bothered by the aesthetic aspect, since they're back molars that already have silver amalgam fillings in them. And gold fillings would cost about fifty dollars less a tooth after insurance--which, considering the inlays are going to cost around five hundred dollars each, isn't a huge savings, but it's still a nice dinner out.

This previous ask.metafilter post suggests that gold fillings are superior in most aspects except for aesthetics (again, not a concern) and sensitivity. Back then, a mefite described a gold crown as "exquisitely cold-sensitive." I already have some sensitivity in these teeth because of the caries, but, well, I love a nice hot tea. And ice pops in the summer! Do you have any experiences with gold inlays and tooth sensitivity? Is it really so bad that I'd be better getting porcelain, despite issues with wear and fragility, and despite the fact that I find the idea of gold teeth to be sort of wickedly awesome?

Less than a Filling.

I, Slobot — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:22:13 -0800

How careful do I need to be with eating and brushing around a large temporary filling from a root canal in progress? Had my first ever root canal today (Yippee!). I had neglected a fractured tooth and then the pain became unbearable in the last week. I don't have a good track record of regular dental visits and it'd been a while. The dentist was great when I went in yesterday to get it examined. He said there was an infection and I needed to get it taken care of ASAP, so he got me in today to start the root canal. I will be going back for a second visit to finish the process.

The procedure itself was intense as I didn't know what to expect and the infection was, apparently, pretty bad. I left in a daze with a numb face and a prescription for Vicoden and without much instruction from the Dentist on caring for the large temporary filling.

So my question is, should I avoid chewing on that side of my mouth? If so, for how long? (I won't be going back for three weeks due to the Doc going on vacation) Can I brush like normal and use mouthwash? What other precautions should I take, if any?

(Tooth in question is my second molar on the bottom right)

Chip off the ol' molar

Riki tiki — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:00:53 -0800

How worried should I be about my chipped tooth? So I found this previous question, which is almost tailor-made to my situation as of tonight. I'll be following the "don't sweat it, maybe get some over-the-counter temporary filling" advice from that thread, so I'm less panicked about that than I was earlier tonight.

However, I am concerned about why it chipped. There was no impact, no particularly hard food that caused it. I was just flossing back there, felt a little snag and assumed it was a piece of food, and came back instead with two prongs of my top right molar. I have no pain or anything like that and my teeth look more or less fine, but is it possible that the looks are deceiving and my teeth are about to fall out en masse due to some unnoticed systemic decay?

I exaggerate a bit, but I am troubled. I'm currently without dental insurance, haven't been to a dentist in two+ years, and not in an awesome financial position to have to take on a bunch of medical bills.

Do I need to bite the bullet (not literally) and make an appointment even if it means my credit cards will have to wait a while longer to be paid off? Or is this something I can put a band-aid on (not literally) and postpone until I hopefully find a job with dental benefits in the nearish future?

is my dentist a quack?

Jason and Laszlo — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:07:25 -0800

My tooth cracked. Is it my dentist's fault? (bonus question: is it causing my tonsillitis??) I had a filling in my tooth. Several months passed and the dentist had to replace the filling with a new one. Now, the tooth feels cracked. Is my dentist a bad dentist? Is this his fault or is this a normal complication for a filling?

Bonus question: too much googling and hypochondria has led me to believe that my untreated cracked tooth has become infected (although not painful) and is causing swollen tonsils. Is this correlation accurate? Has this happened to you? (yes I have a doctor's appointment scheduled).

Holy Rotten Baby Teeth, Batman

swilkerson — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:50:39 -0800

My three year old just had his filling break off (or fall out) his front tooth a mere seven days after having a dental procedure. Needless to say, it looks AWFUL. Is there some dental technique I should ask my dentist about to get something that will provide a more permanent(ish) solution until his adult teeth come in? Lots more below. We had been giving our son on-demand Milk + Carnation Instant Breakfast as a weight-gainer of sort since he was about 18 months old -- on our doctor's recommendation. Apparently all of the sugar hit his front teeth constantly because he was taking it through the sippy cup resulting in - yep, a handful of cavities on the front teeth and incisors. The pediatric dentist said he needed fillings, and he ended up undergoing a fairly length dental procedure that involved sedatives, nitrous, and being strapped to a papoose (and heartbreaking crying and screaming). We were not told that there were any restrictions on regular eating habits or that the fix had been anything less than successful.

Four months later, when my son was eating carrot sticks, I was horrified to find that one of the fillings had broken out, leaving two huge holes in the front tooth and incisor (the filling had been between the two teeth, and apparently they did a fair amount of drilling to make a place for it, as the cavity itself was very small from all outward appearances when we took him in initially). We took him back to the dentist again and went through the whole ordeal of sedatives/papoose/etc again. This time, he also got a root canal, a new filling, and a crown. The dentist (a different dentist from the first go-round) told me that he shouldn't eat whole apples/carrots/other hard foods that put a lot of pressure on the front teeth and indicated that there was a good chance that the filling could break out again, because it was hard for a filling to bond to the smooth surface of the front teeth.

Seven days later, we're back to a broken filling and a huge hole. We've been very diligent about not letting him bite into hard things with his front teeth (or at all, for that matter). Is there really no good way to fix baby teeth in the front?

(FYI - I'm waiting for a call back from the dentist now ... as it's a Saturday, all I could do was call his answering service)

PS - I'm not interested in "they're just baby teeth; ride it out" types of advice. Kids can be cruel, and I'm not sending my kid to preschool with a rotten broken tooth right in the front. You can disagree with that decision, but I'm not looking for advice on it.

Why is my root canal being done in two visits?

J Parker — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:40:55 -0800

Just had a root canal this morning, but have to go back next week to finish it. Why didn't they do it all at once? From what I understand, they went in and removed the nerve and filed the canals a bit. Then they filled it in with a temporary filling until I can come back next week to have the canals filled up.

If you're already in there with everything opened up, why not finish everything up while you're there?

My teeth just took over my life.

springbound — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:35:04 -0800

ThinningToothEnamelFilter: So my latest trip to the dentist (three weeks ago) was a bit of a nightmare, in which I was told the enamel on my teeth is "very thin". Looking for advice on anything I can do to keep what's left, and (dubious) whether there's any way to get it back, as well as what I can expect from here on just generally. A few questions inside for those who have experienced the same thing, or others who genuinely know anything about the problem. 1. From most of what I've read, it's impossible to get back enamel that's gone. I've come across the odd website created by people I suppose are probably quacks, telling me this isn't the case if I take their super special blend of exclusive herbs and spices or whatever; that's bullcrap, right? Or can anyone tell me is there anything I can do to make it, uh, come back?

2. I read something about synthetic enamel having been developed by dentists in Japan but it not having been released. The article I found online was dated a few years ago, though. Does anyone know anything about this?

3. I'd like to keep what enamel I have left by paying attention to the acidity of the foods I eat, but lists I come across starkly contradict one another. The list my dentist gave me said that cauliflower and broccoli and mushrooms are "very high" in acid, for example, but other lists I've seen online indicate that these are fine. What gives? How do I know what I need to avoid if I can't find two lists that agree with one another? Basically I trust my dentist, but the list she gave me doesn't contain *everything* that I'd like to eat, so I need some way of working out if I need to be finding substitutes for stuff, and it's alarming and confusing to come across things online indicating quite the opposite to what she's said.

4. Is there anything else I could be doing that you've had success with? Any other advice? Stories? Anecdotes on what to expect? How they fix this if it degenerates further? Are my options for dealing with this the same everywhere in the world? Are my odds such that I should be getting me some private health insurance right about now? Anything else you can offer?

I'm 30 years old, for what it's worth. Female. Vegetarian. Living in a city that has fluoride in its water, but only as of early this year.

What I'm doing at present:

* Giving up all soft drinks, entirely. (I was having 1-3 a day before this, for much of my adult life.)
* Limiting my eating as best I can to three meals a day (eliminating all the snacking I've always done in between) so my poor abused enamel gets a chance to reharden (remineralise?) between meals. If I want a chocolate now, I eat it at the end of a meal and not between meals. Mostly cutting out the snacks entirely though.
* Rinsing my mouth with water at the end of every meal.
* Drinking more water generally to get more saliva happening in my mouth. (I've always been bad with drinking enough water.)
* Becoming a gum addict for the same reason. (But not chewing 'til 30-60 minutes after I eat, so that no enamel gets polished off by my chewing!)
* Brushing twice a day, gently (apparently I've been brushing too enthusiastically all along), with Sensodyne, and not 'til 30-60 mins after I've eaten. Flossing once a day.
* Using Tooth Mousse morning and night.

Please ask about anything else that might be relevant. Thanks!

Am I shining my teeth right back to stubbly knubs?

lottie — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:32:55 -0800

Can I scratch or otherwise harm my teeth by occasionally polishing them with bicarb soda? About once a week I dip my toothbrush into a mouth wash with peroxide in it (1.5% w/v), and then into bicarb soda, and give my teeth a polish with the gritty moosh this makes. I do this because it makes them shiny, gives a wonderful cleaned-by-a-dentist feel, and I've heard it's a good, cheap way to whiten them.

My questions are should I stop? Am I doing them any harm? Am I scratching my teeth, or doing something else I don't know about?

For what it's worth, I haven't noticed any problems, and I keep the stuff well away from my gums, because I know it may be too abrasive for that area.

I've googled around, and have only managed to find glowing endorsements for the practise by folksy sites, or references to bicarb soda being safe because it's not a deadly poison - the rationale being that we use it in cooking), but I haven't found any comment about whether it's safe for teeth.

I asked my dentist, but he only gave me a vague reply that it's probably not the best thing to do because it's untested. When I asked him why it wouldn't be safe when many toothpastes have bicarb soda added, he suggested that it may be a different grade or type of baking soda. Any truth?

Help my gum sockets stop itching (or at least itch a bit less)

NikitaNikita — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:36:43 -0800

How can I calm my itchy wisdom tooth sockets? My gums are crazy-itchy at the sites where I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted last Thursday. I know that this is likely a sign that they are healing, (and at least this isn't the dry socket pain I had two days ago!) but is there any way i can calm this insane itching of my gums? It's making me quite bonkers today. The oral surgeon said he never heard anyone complain of itching before, so no suggestions there either.

Thanks!

Please reassure me about dental bridges!

feathermeat — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:34:27 -0800

My husband will be getting a couple of dental bridges and I am looking for reassurance and advice. My husband recently began going to the dentist again after 15 or so years of neglect, and had to have a couple of non-wisdom teeth pulled (in addition to lots of other work). He can have them replaced with either implants or bridges. The implants would be a huge problem financially, as they are $1000 each and not covered by insurance. We would have to get some sort of new line of credit to pay for them. The cheap alternative involves fixed bridges. However, I am worried that they will not last or that they will involve too much damage to surrounding teeth. I am also concerned about function. Will he be able to chew with the bridge, or is it purely for aesthetics? So does anyone have any long-term (or short-term) experience with a bridge that they could share with me? If he gets bridges, could they be replaced with implants later in life when we are more financially comfortable? Are bridges a reasonable solution, or are we going to need to suck it up and go into debt for the implants?

Toothache questions

anthy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:05:19 -0800

I noticed today that when I prod my top right-most molar with the tip of my tongue that it aches dully. I DO intend to make an appointment with a dentist, but don't have too much experience with tooth problems of any kind (I've had two cavities ever), so I wanted to get opinions on what this might be before I go. I have no dental insurance right now. I was laid off last month, and my previous dental insurance has just expired today (and would likely have not covered much, since the premium was so high). I have a nest egg, but still would like to pay less if possible, so any tips on that would also be welcome.

Details:

Tooth only seems to ache when I push the middle of it with the tip of my tongue. It does not ache when I push at it with my finger or fingernail, even in the middle. Tapping with my fingertip is a little different...it doesn't ache, but is sensitive when I do that (I can feel a slight sensation, where I'd usually just feel pressure).

I read online that an infected tooth is usually sensitive to extreme temperatures. Tried very cold water and holding a ice cube to my tooth, and nothing. Hot water, however, did produce the same dull ache.

General tooth care info: I brush daily, usually after eating. Sometimes twice. I do not floss regularily (flossed maybe twice this year). I haven't been to a dentist for at least 7 years. I'm having trouble remembering, but last time may have been in college.

Might possibly be sinus-related, since I sometimes have sinus problems, and I am stuffed up right now. I'm guessing that's not it, though.

All four of my wisdom teeth were removed during surgery 10+ years ago, as well as a couple of my other top teeth (because my top row was too crowded).

Although I'm hoping that it's a cavity, internet research tells me it could be an abcess or an infection that might require either a root canal or removal.

So, my questions:

Anyone out there have a good idea of what this might be? I want to try to prepare myself ahead of time.

I am a big baby about pain, and about needles in particular (I have something approaching a phobia about needles). If something needs to be done, is it okay/normal to ask to be gassed first? Any complications if I do that?

This tooth is on the very end of the right top side of my mouth, and my top teeth are pretty crowded, even after the surgery mentioned above. That particular tooth is very tight next to another tooth. If I'm told that I need a root canal, should I ask for the tooth to be yanked instead? What are the differences between those two options, in terms of pain, money, complications after the procedure?

Any advice would be appreciated. (Can you tell I'm nervous? Yeah.)

Tooth issue. Should I go see a dentist?

querty — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:49:40 -0800

Tooth issue. Should I go see a dentist? One of my lower front tooth has been weird lately. Is as if I can feel the nerve endings inside the bottom of the tooth. The feeling is sort of a tickle or a slight itch. Not painful, definitely not a cavity (right?), but an annoying tickle. I thought it would go away in a few days, but it's been almost a week now.

Is it time to pay a visit to the dentist?

Things to note:

- toothpaste used - Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Extra Whitening (have been using this for many years)
- no recent changes in eating habits (sugar intake is low; no candy/pop/junk food)
- brush twice and floss daily

Blow nose, drink water - experience great tooth pain

royalchinook — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:07:02 -0800

My wife has a funny combo, if she blows her nose, then drinks cold water she gets major pain in one of her teeth (upper row, mid way back) She also gets a similar pain when descending in an airplane - doesn't happen every time but enough times to be nervous on descent. She describes the pain as though someone is ripping out her tooth. Anyone get this or know what it may be? Probably a trip to the dentist would uncover the secret, but I was looking for a mefi preview.

Am I paying too much for Root Canal?

minsid — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:08:44 -0800

I have Delta Dental and The dental is asking me for 1700 to do 2 root canals. Is that too much I have Delta Dental Premier.

I haven't been to dentist for a long time and this time i went the dentist said to do two root canals.

they gave me price of 1700.

i postponed till a later date.

is that too much? or is it reasonable.

Wisdom tooth chip right after my insurance ended. D'oh

special-k — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:28:52 -0800

I seem to have chipped a tiny bit of my upper-left wisdom tooth. My dental insurance also ran out a month ago. Now what? This evening I was trying to dislodge a piece of food but instead took out a tiny chip off my upper-left wisdom tooth. It doesn’t hurt but I can feel the jagged edge with my tongue. My dental insurance also ran out a month ago and I will not have one until I start a new job (January at the earliest, possibly as late as March).

What should I do? Is this something that needs to get fixed immediately before it gets worse? Or can I just be extra careful, taking all preventative measures to prevent bacteria from accumulating there until I have the insurance to cover this? I am not broke and can spend a few hundred bucks to fix this (but I fear that wisdom tooth removal may be in the thousands).

I live in the bay area if it matters.

DIY Dentistry: always a bad idea?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:20:11 -0800

Should I pull this tooth out? My father and grandfather both lost all of their teeth by the time they were 40. At 31, I'm currently sporting nine broken teeth myself, but eight of those are just context to my question. The ninth one is the problem. The nerve is exposed, and this is causing a periodic radiant zing of agony down my jaw and neck, and into my chest. I don't care about saving the tooth, but the pain is pretty awful, and I am concerned that this is starting to take a toll on the rest of my body.

I can't afford proper dental care (no income, no savings, bad credit, no insurance of any kind, surviving on the generosity of a friend). Am I better off trying to pull this sucker myself, or leaving it to fester? Which is more dangerous/insanely stupid? Do I have professional dental care options which have not occurred to me? Or do you have any advice for dealing with this kind of pain on an ongoing basis?

I am in Columbus, Ohio, if that makes any difference. Throwaway email account at zinginghelltooth at gmail.com, for for sharing tips and terrifying self-dentistry anecdotes.

Bye Bye Baby

plinth — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:45:15 -0800

Question about dentition and brass instruments After 40 long years, it looks like one of my two remaining baby teeth is giving up the ghost. I asked my hurried dentist how long the process takes from start to finish - he said about a year. I asked if he knew if there were issues playing trumpet through the process - he didn't understand and answered instead the question "can I play trumpet with the post?"

I'm an active amateur player (I gig about a dozen times a year) and I need to know what to expect as far as playing is concerned during the transitions.

I've found a few scant things via google, and a request for participants for some research from the International Trumpet Guild that hasn't been published.

Any anecdotal experience?

Which electric toothbrush should I buy?

Tu13es — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:25:24 -0800

Which electric toothbrush should I buy? I've decided it's probably worth it to plunk down the money for an electric toothbrush. I don't have the best tooth habits (I always brush twice daily and floss once or twice a week, if that) and now that I'm done with college I'm prepared to start giving them a little more TLC.

I've got my first dentist appointment today in the last 15 or so months...this is probably something I should have done earlier, but too late now.

Anyways, after searching all morning (mostly Amazon) I think I've got it narrowed down to this and this. I'd like to buy something that's not ridiculously expensive, but at the same time I realize it's probably a worth investment. It seems I can get the Flexcare on eBay for about the same price as the Triumph, so between the two, price isn't really an issue.

I'm open to other suggestions as well.

One of my teeth is pink. What is this??

mintchip — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:03:50 -0800

One of my teeth is pink. What is this?? I just had a dental cleaning and the hygienist said that I have a "pink tooth." She said that this tooth has what seems to be a "huge" cavity on the x-ray. Unfortunately I don't have an appointment with the actual dentist until next week and the hygienist wouldn't say any more except that it was "very strange" that my tooth has a pink color and that she was unsure as to what the cause was.

I looked in the mirror and this tooth (it's in the back of my mouth) *does* have a pinkish hue to it.

I'm a little worried; basically because I don't have dental insurance and dental work is SO expensive. Also, I brush and floss EVERY day and haven't had a cavity in years so I'm wondering what in the world could cause a "pink tooth" (whatever that is) and how much of a cause for concern this is. I do not want to have a root canal!

P.S. everyone, DO NOT put off your dental cleanings/exams. I used to go like clockwork every six months and never had any dental problems at all. Just recently I tried to start going a little longer between cleanings...maybe 8 or 9 months. Now suddenly I've got dental problems to worry about. I was trying to save money. This sucks!

How did you get a recalcitrant toddler's teeth brushed?

chesty_a_arthur — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:49:28 -0800

How did you get a recalcitrant toddler's teeth brushed? He's 19 months. He's teething, but has a whole bunch of teeth already. He clamps his mouth shut, writhes and shouts NO NO NO NO! when we brush his teeth. It's the worst part of bedtime and I dread it. I've tried all the advice in What to Expect: The Toddler Years or whatever it's called, and it's all "make brushing fun! compliment him on how well he brushes his teeth!" whereas in our house there is little to compliment. He has his own electric toothbrush that looks like a crayon, as well as his own manual toothbrush. He will happily suck toddler toothpaste off them, which can be a brief entree into the mouth for his crafty parents, but not long enough. It's getting to the point where getting his teeth brushed takes two parents and force verging on the violent. Has anyone dealt with this situation? We've exhausted the advice of the doctor and the dentist and the aforementioned book.

Increasing but not particularly disturbing numbness after a wisdom tooth extraction

d. z. wang — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:37:40 -0800

About 84 hours ago I had four wisdom teeth extracted. The bottom left, though, has been the most painful and swollen post-op. I've also noticed a strip along the left underside of my tongue was numb and, more significantly, that strip has since spread around the tip of my tongue. Should I be worried/what should I ask my doctor (whom you are not)? I had lidocaine and a few minutes of the nitrous (got uneasy with the systemic effects and asked that it be stopped). The top and even the bottom right went fine, even though the surgeon said it would be the hardest and had to crack it in half. My temperature is 99.7 F (about a degree and a half elevated for me).

I'm on 300mg clindamycin every 4-6 hours for seven days. I took 7.5mg hydrocodone twice the day of the surgery and have since been on 600mg ibuprofen with food every 4-6 hours for inflammation and pain. I have been rinsing with salt water a few times a day, with no blood or (additional) pain.

I'm very young and the surgeon said pre-op that my roots were short so nerve damage was basically impossible. I also realize that someone just hacked bits out of my jawbone with things that wouldn't look obviously out of place in a carpenter's hands, and considering I only took 2 of the 20 hydrocodone tablets prescribed, my pain is probably minimal.

My current plan is just wait and see what the surgeon says when I follow up seven days post-op. If you know of something so serious I really need to think about it right now, please tell me. Also mention if there is anything (possible complications, bad signs, useful tests) I should know about going in for follow-up.