Dentistry, Decay and a Difficult Day

First call of the day was dropping off Julia at work. The second was visiting the dentist, which proved to be the start of the decline.

The X-Rays showed a suspicious spot at the base of one of my teeth. It looks like decay. It also seems that I have strangely-shaped roots. After what happened with my wisdom tooth and its strangely-shaped root the words “strangely-shaped root” do not fill me with optimism.

To remove a wisdom tooth with a strangely-shaped root takes a team of medical students, power tools and just over an hour in the chair. It also involves a fair amount of pushing and pulling and the smell of burning.

There are three choices. One, go to a specialist, who may be able to save the tooth, but who would charge around £1,000 whether he saved it or not.  Alternatively, I could have it removed and have an implant fitted. That will be £1,500. Or I could just wait.

When the inevitable happens, and I am groaning in agony from a major abscess, I will have to go down to the dentist for emergency treatment and an extraction on the NHS. That will cost £56.30.

Tricky choice…

I then went to the pharmacy at TESCO, where they refused to supply me. One item is, it seems, difficult to get, so they suggested I try elsewhere. A second was out of stock, so they suggested trying elsewhere. They then handed me the prescription and suggested it would be simpler to (yes you guessed it) get it all elsewhere.

From there I went to the surgery for my blood test.

This didn’t take long as, for once, I bled extensively.  This would seem to indicate that the anti-coagulants are doing their job. I then continued to bleed, which was tricky.

From there I visited the pharmacy I used to use, who don’t find anything too difficult and who had all the necessary items in stock. Strange how a small shop can do things a multi-national can’t be bothered to do.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, looking for a birthday present for Julia. Yes, straight after the wedding anniversary and just before Christmas. It’s a tricky time of year.

 

21 thoughts on “Dentistry, Decay and a Difficult Day

  1. Pingback: Things That Worry Me | quercuscommunity

  2. Lavinia Ross

    A happy upcoming birthday to Julia! Your poor tooth doesn’t sound good though. I had all 4 wisdom teeth carved out under Novocaine when I was 20. I was awake for the whole procedure. I hope they can get your tooth taken care of without too much trouble.

    Reply
  3. arlingwoman

    So why don’t they drill out the decayed place and fill it? Isn’t that what dentists do? I am greatly puzzled. I wouldn’t go back into that store that told you to go somewhere else, either. Yipes, what a day. I hope you weren’t to cross to find a nice present.

    Reply
    1. quercuscommunity

      Apparently they don’t have enough room to work so it requires a specialist. Past experience suggests that the NHS don’t pay the dentist enough to make him want to do it – he can make more from polishing and poking. I’m still looking for a present.

      Reply

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