Tooth problems

I’ve not been too well lately. I’ve been having problems with a tooth since early May. The dentist said I had an infection in it and the only way to save it was root canal treatment. The trouble was the earliest appointment to fix it was for July 19. It wasn’t too bad until just over a week ago when it started giving me hell. My husband rang the dentist and got me an emergency appointment, but after doing half of the tooth she found there was a problem. Apparently when a tooth is infected it starts to fill up the root cavity as a defence. Three of the small root channels in my tooth were now so small she couldn’t see what she was doing. She put in a temporary filling and offered me three choices. She said she could do her best and finsh the job next week but there was only a 30% chance of success, or I could be referred to a specialist who had special instuments, but that was not available on the NationalHealth and would cost £500… or I could have the tooth out.

After the anaesthetic wore off the tooth was worse than ever. I had to come home and lie down after taking pain killers. I decided to have it out if it didn’t settle, but after a couple of days it got a bit better. There’s no way we could pay £500 to save one tooth. We don’t have any spare cash and would have to get a loan, so I am going to let my dentist do the best she can and see what happens.

It seems wrong to me that essential dental treatment is not available on the National Health. I really need to keep this tooth as I have lost two bottom teeth and this is the one that meets the one that’s left! I’m also wondering whether waiting for an appointment so long is what caused the problem.

I hate having to take pain killers for this as I am already on far too many for my migraines. I use about three Zomig a week and codeine combinations twice a day just to keep them at bay. It’s too much, but if I don’t take them I’m ill all the time and life is pretty pointless. When the tooth was bad I had to increase that to four times a day, but fortunately I’ve manage to stop that now.

I’m working on staying positive. My appointment is next Tuesday which also happens to be my late mother’s birthday so perhaps that’s a good omen.