Tooth extraction yesterday

[Tori999]

Yesterday I had an upper right, back tooth extraction and it was awful. The tooth did not come out whole, but in fragments, and it hurt ... a lot. The procedure took 2 1/2 hours to complete. I was on nitrous for anxiety/ panic but it didn’t help. When I got home I took some pain meds and iced my cheek for 10minutes every 20-30 minutes and it helped quell the pain. On a clear diet. My question are: why so much pain when what I read said there was little to none? Why weren’t dissolvable stitches used instead of thread that needs to be manually taken out in a week? What else can I do for pain since gums and cheek are still very sore? 30 years ago I had all my wisdom teeth removed and there was no pain afterwards. Not so, yesterday. I’m so freaked out I don’t want to go back ever much less a week. I was also planning to get a bridge, but ... Appreciate this site.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Tori999, sorry to hear that you had such a crap experience ? . Was this dentist new to you, or have you been seeing them for a while? And what did you make of them?

We have a page on reasons for incomplete numbing - you can find it here:

Can't Get Numb

Find out why you may not get numb enough, what dentists can do to get you numb, and how to ensure your treatment is painless.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Actually, ignore the bit about red hair on that page - we're in the process of updating the website, and there's actually not much evidence that being a redhead makes a difference.

The dissolvable vs non-dissolvable stitches issue is a matter of personal preference - apparently, dissolvable stitches can be a bit of a pain in the butt because they either dissolve too quickly or else they last too long, which can get really annoying. But it's understandable that you don't want to go back to have the stitches taken out considering your bad experiences there ?.

 

[Tori999]

I’ve been seeing him for a few years, but I’ve mostly had cleanings from a hygienist I really like and appears to be good at her job. A cavity or two were filled and a crown, so it was very strange that he seemed sort of impatient. They’ve been swamped w/patients since the pandemic but that’s no excuse for what I thought was not good treatment. Am I overreacting? One more thing... they make me sign two papers re:Covid and they have me swish peroxide and mouthwash twice for 30 seconds at a time. They say it helps kill the virus. I’m pretty sure I it doesn’t work that way unless you stick it up your nose which I’m pretty sure is not recommended. Your thoughts? I appreciate your responses. Trying to make a big decision about this practice.

 

[letsconnect]

I'm not a dentist, but I've read some news articles about the mouthwash thing. The general consensus seems to be that using mouthwash before procedures may reduce viral load. Here's a paper about it:

Use of mouthwashes against COVID-19 in dentistry

The proximity to the patient during dental care, high generation of aerosols, and the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva have suggested the oral c…

www.sciencedirect.com

Regarding the painful treatment, I don't think you're overreacting. Personally, I would switch dentists. It doesn't sound as if they were very apologetic about it, either...