Food stuck in gums. Aaaah! Anxiety is 6.

[Dg6300]

Hi friends.

My month from heck continues, as I have good reason to believe I have a bit of food stuck in my upper gums.

My anxiety is a 6 of 10.

Here is action I have taken:

1. Left a message for my backup dental clinic (My primary dentist is closed Friday-Sunday), asking if I can get in Friday or Saturday.

2. Saved the numbers of my secondary and tertiary dental clinics in my phone, so I know to pick them up when they return my calls.

3. Requested my new prescription ID card (my employer changed prescription plans six months ago, and I neglected to get it since then!)

4. I tried flossing and waterpiking, and it did not come out.

I've done all I can for tonight, Thursday, so here are action steps I can take early Friday:

1. Call my tertiary dental clinic (they offended me six months ago, but all will be forgiven if they get me in within the next 36 hours).

2. Call off of work due to a dental emergency.

Thank you for helping verbalize my anxiety. I am happy to say my anxiety is now a healthy 3.

I'll let you know how I do.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Dg6300,

What a very well thought out plan you have.. ! I know it may not immediately help the irritation in you gum.. (and pain?) but.. having this plan and knowing what to do is great both for now and later.. I really hope someone can get you in and that everyone is helpful and understanding from the dental office to your work if you need to take off! May everything turn out to your favor and get resolved quickly.. This is great your anxiety went from a 6 to a 3. Hope you can get some rest tonight.. though I'm sure maybe difficult. please let us know how it goes tomorrow

 

[Enarete]

Hi Dg6300,

love your updates and your perfectly logical and structured way to deal with the anxiety, you are such an inspiration! I believe we cannot turn off the anxiety, but we can pack it by the horns and ride it to better places which is exactly what you are doing now.

By the way it sounds like you have quite a lot of backup clinics, so nothing can go wrong!

No matter if your gums get back to normal by themselves or if you will need the help of a dentist, I know you will grow from this experience and benefit from it long term.

All the best wishes and keep us posted!

 

[MountainMama]

Good plan! Is it causing pain? My son had a piece of apple peel stuck in his lower gums, in the front, and it actually had a hole through the gums, where you could see the peel. However, he said it didn't hurt at all. After a panicked call the the dentist's after hours line, we were talked through how to get it out, and once it was out, the gums swelled like crazy, then calmed down.

 

[Dg6300]

Thank you guys sooo much for your encouragement! It was a great help, our dear KR, our guru Enarete, and the very picture of courage and determination, MM.

Everything went great, and I am all set.

I called my tertiary dentist this morning, and they got me in an hour later. I brought them Reese peanut butter eggs, as chocolate is an appropriate gift for seeing me that quickly.

The dentist saw said food in said gum, and I was touched that he was actually caring enough to check in to see how I was doing as he was using that lovely instrument (seriously! I was very glad to see it that darned hook thingy, as it was going to fix me momentarily).

His excavation hardly hurt, but he offered to numb me, if I said the word (dentists sure have gotten more caring in my lifetime).

Since I didn't want to go a long holiday weekend with food rotting in my head, I asked him if I was right to come in. He said yes, and after a brief and friendly lecture about flossing, declared me good as new and sent me on my way.

Soon thereafter I was crying in my boss' office: they were happy tears, though she didn't know that at first. I explained my gratitude that (a) she employs me, with dental benefits and (2) I could take time off with zero notice. I know there are people dying in America of abscesses, and many other people suffering immensely with them. I also know that many Americans can't get time off.

All in all, I stayed aware of my body, acknowledged a problem, felt anxiety, came up with a plan, began effecting that plan, took immediate action when indicated, and expressed gratitude.

Instead of hoping and worrying that nothing went wrong over a holiday weekend, perhaps getting in Monday (at the very earliest), I was all set by 10 am Friday.

Anxiety urged me to action. I had to learn that the hard way, over too many years, but I must admit it feels good to be on the other side of today's dental anxiety.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

What an amazing testimony DG6300!!!
So many great things about this!! You truly example of courage yourself. and awesome you brought them chocolate pb eggs too. ..

 

[Enarete]

Reese peanut butter eggs.. you are a dream patient, Dg6300!

Really glad the dentist was not too bad (apart of the flossing lecture) and touched about you crying in your boss' office.. being able to get dental care is a thing to be grateful for.

By the way, seeing a dentist that is not your usual one is a huge thing too and only shows how far you have come..

Give yourself a pat on the back for this further achievement, keep us posted and enjoy your holidays!

 

[MountainMama]

Yay! I am glad it went well and you can have a relaxing holiday weekend!

 

[Dg6300]

Thank you, friends!

Though this happened almost four years ago, I still vividly remember my gratitude.

Two lessons I’ve taken away:

1. Have multiple practices to go to, in case one can’t fit you in for an emergency.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for last-minute or holiday emergency treatment.

3. In addition to a dentist, have both an endodontist and periodontist on your team.

Example: at 4 pm Tuesday I called my backup dentist to get a root canal test. They got me in Wednesday morning, confirming my suspicions that the tooth is dead. I called the endodontist from the dentist’s parking lot, and got on their schedule for today.

So from dental agony on Tuesday morning to a completed root canal Thursday, we can quickly take action, especially if we are already an existing patient.