My Journey Towards Better Health

[maggiedemi]

He said I didn't have an infection, that one of the rcs went very deep. He had prescribed a mild narcotic that barely helped.

The pain was after you got the root canal done or before? What happened, how did you get the pain to go away? I hear so many bad stories about root canals.

I finally got my horrible leg pain to go away! The antibiotic didn't help, so I tried 2 other different things. So I don't know which one worked. I tried stretching exercises for my leg. And I also switched to a more expensive Calcium/Magnesium supplement. So unfortunately I don't know if it was the stretching or the tablets. Probably the stretching I think. I got the idea from Google when somebody mentioned that it might be a misfiring quad muscle. The stretches were pretty simple. Just bend my leg slowly back until my foot is touching my butt. The pain was completely gone the next day.

 

[muffy]

When I was a kid I had a lot of dental work and I had a good dentist. I went to him for 60 years and he just retired about 5 years ago. All I ever had was Novocain. I never had Nitrous although I always wanted to try it. Those big Novocain needles used to scare me to death. They still do.

I think I am going to need dentures. My teeth are wearing out and getting lose. They are already almost all capped. I had to have 2 of them pulled last month. I have insurance but it only pays about $3,000 a year and that won't pay for implants.

 

[maggiedemi]

I think I am going to need dentures. My teeth are wearing out

Yeah, I think that's what I'll have to do too eventually. But I just know that I'm going to hate glue-ing them in everyday. What a hassle. I wish the price of implants would come down.

 

[Lari]

M maggiedemi - the power of stretching can't be overlooked! When I got some tendonitis in my shoulder this past summer, my sister who's a PT gave me some stretches to do that helped way more than icing and rest.

I've only had one cavity and that was in my early 30s after not going to the dentist for like four years, and reading all your guys horror stories is making me feel really grateful.

 

[maggiedemi]

the power of stretching can't be overlooked! When I got some tendonitis in my shoulder this past summer, my sister who's a PT gave me some stretches to do that helped way more than icing and rest.

Yeah, I never would have believed a little stretching could cure it. It's like a miracle.

 

[Jem]

Yeah, I never would have believed a little stretching could cure it. It's like a miracle.

Yay for stretching!!! My offer still stands if you need some specific stretches and exercises moving forward.

 

[maggiedemi]

Yay for stretching!!! My offer still stands if you need some specific stretches and exercises moving forward.

Sure, thanks. This stretching was supposed to be done laying on my stomach, but I did it standing up because I don't think I'm supposed to lay on my stomach yet. I am so glad that I don't need surgery on this leg. I was so scared. I just can't go through all that again.

 

[neely]

I hear so many bad stories about root canals.

The old saying rings true, "don't believe everything you hear."

It's best to have a root canal performed by an endodontist, i.e. specialist who has completed two or more additional years of training beyond dental school. Both my husband and I have had a root canal and although I was scared to death it turned out very well. As with any dentist you need to do your homework and research the dentist or specialist you choose.

 

[Willow's Mom]

Yeah, I think that's what I'll have to do too eventually. But I just know that I'm going to hate glue-ing them in everyday. What a hassle. I wish the price of implants would come down.

I couldn't stand going through life gagging on a foul-tasting lump of plastic. Sorry about that. Yes, I experience a lot of classism but ultimately I decided that I don't care enough about what random strangers think to put myself through that.

If you don't like what I look like, your neck should have come with a handy swivel feature; if you are having difficulty with it, you should talk to your chiropractor.

There is no law that says you have to take out loans you don't want and endure pain you don't want just to look a certain way to make other people comfortable.

Now, about that pain. This is going to sound like underkill, but I swear it works: take some hydrogen peroxide from the dollar store,dilute it half strength, and swish it around the ouchy area up to four times a day. IIRC, I had to go one week on and one week off during the process of what we can politely call a "natural DIY extraction", but other than that, the pain usually goes away long before that and you forget because you're too busy living your life.

I expect to get flamed for this post. I usually do when I talk about teeth, lol.

You are more than your teeth. Anyone who defines you by narrow rules about what people are "supposed to" or "allowed to" look like is not somebody you would want in your life.

Be happy and smile nice and wide because it keeps away that kind of evil spirits.

/soapbox

 

[maggiedemi]

It's best to have a root canal performed by an endodontist

My new dentist is an endodontist. But so was the last one. And my root canal got infected and so did two other people that went to her.

You are more than your teeth.

I do need them to chew though! I'm a real foodie.

 

[maggiedemi]

That root canal tooth had a long, strange history. First the crappy childhood dentist filled it sloppily. Then half of it broke off a few years later, so I had to go back to him. He goes "I can fix that easily!" But instead of putting a crown over it, he took the mercury filling silver colored stuff and built half a tooth over it himself. It looked ridiculous. And of course it didn't hold, it fell out. That's when I went to the other lady and got the root canal & crown. I had problems with it for 15 years. Every time I ate something spicy it would swell up and sometimes ooze. Then one day the root popped out of the gum and I had that open wound in the gum for 3 months hoping it would heal itself.

 

[DreamerRose]

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It was a really bad experience, and neither of those dentists did a good job. I hope the one you have now will help you much better. You don't have to have everything done at once; just have one situation taken care of every six months.

 

[Mia6]

The pain was after you got the root canal done or before? What happened, how did you get the pain to go away? I hear so many bad stories about root canals.

I started taking Ibuprofen along with the narcotic and after about 4 days the pain got a bit better, where it was tolerable.
I think back to then and laugh because the pain from that was a nap compared to what I now experience on a daily basis.
How is your mouth feeling now?

 

[maggiedemi]

How is your mouth feeling now?

It's fine. It feels good to not have the tooth pain there anymore. It's just weird brushing my one tooth, the second molar, that's all by itself on the right side. The wisdom tooth on that side fell out many years ago. I still have the other 3 wisdom teeth.

 

[Mia6]

Are you still eating soft stuff?

 

[maggiedemi]

Are you still eating soft stuff?

No. I just chew on the other side. I don't even know how I'm going to chew on the right side. There is only one molar there on the bottom.

 

[Mia6]

No. I just chew on the other side. I don't even know how I'm going to chew on the right side. There is only one molar there on the bottom.

Well you have Medicaid and they will pay for dentures till you save up for implants

 

[maggiedemi]

Well you have Medicaid and they will pay for dentures till you save up for implants

It didn't say they covered dentures on that card they gave me, but maybe they do. I could never afford 28 implants. That's just a pipe dream.

 

[Kat0121]

It didn't say they covered dentures on that card they gave me, but maybe they do. I could never afford 28 implants. That's just a pipe dream.

They may. Call them. The problem could be in finding a dentist that will take Medicaid. That's the biggest hurdle that some people I know had to deal with.

 

[maggiedemi]

The problem could be in finding a dentist that will take Medicaid. That's the biggest hurdle that some people I know had to deal with.

My new dentist takes my Medicaid. I have to drive 45 minutes to another county though! It's stupid that I can't go to a dentist in my own town.