Got my wisdom teeth removed this morning

[Spc. Scott]

WOW!!!

Are we certain this was a dental procedure and not an "enhanced interrogation"?

They must just do things a little less gingerly in TX.

It's likely the military dentistry thing. I got all four of mine out at Ft. Bragg and what I got was enough Novocaine, or some caine derivative, to bring a rhino to it's knees. One of them was really badly impacted and the doc said "you'll feel some pressure here". What he did was drill a hole in the side of the tooth and then take an "L" shaped tool and used it to break the tooth. Then pulled out the pieces.

Some painkillers and a few days quarters and good as new. I hope you mend up quickly Meghan.

[Dale Seago]

It's likely the military dentistry thing.

Nope, it was my grandmother's family dentist and I was 16 at the time: TMI is a private JROTC military academy my parents sent me to to keep me from flunking out of high school because I was bored. I hated it so much that I buckled down and graduated a year ahead of my peers just to get out of there.

I got all four of mine out at Ft. Bragg and what I got was enough Novocaine, or some caine derivative, to bring a rhino to it's knees. One of them was really badly impacted and the doc said "you'll feel some pressure here". What he did was drill a hole in the side of the tooth and then take an "L" shaped tool and used it to break the tooth. Then pulled out the pieces.

Sounds about like what I got; I'm just glad I wasn't awake for it! Out of all my time in both the Marines and Army, my worst memory of military medical treatment was as a young Marine getting both of my nether cheeks pumped so full of massive amounts of penicillin that I couldn't sit normally for a week or more. Trust me when I say that acquiring the condition which made the treatment necessary was not enough fun to justify it in the end.

I just figured Dale would get his teeth out while practising his martial arts.

Well, perhaps miracles do still happen. I've been training some 44 years now, the past 28 of which has been in the Bujinkan. Both deliberately and by accident over that time I've been punched in the face, kicked in the face, smashed in the face with a wide variety of weapons so many times I finally figured out I needed to start getting out of the way. It's a wonder I haven't gotten anything broken (a couple of chipped teeth don't count, surely) or lost an eye.

Meghan, bless your heart -- and I mean that in the best way! Do please be careful the next few days, and you should end up just fine.

[PatG]

Good luck Meaghan - regular salt rinses worked for me. Perhaps another day I will tell you about my cannibal tooth. ;)

[Grizzly]

Enough already of the grisly tales, I have a wisdom tooth which has broken off at the gum line. Was supposed to go to the dentist today but they cancelled as the dentist was ill, now have to wait until the 7th Feb. Am already having palpitations as there is nothing for the dentist to get a grip on so will probably have to have the gum cut and then it either drilled out or levered with some sort of crow bar. They dont knock us out over here, just a hefty dose of novocaine, think I might have to grab his cahones and say "now we are not going to hurt each other are we?"

[Steve of Lansing]

I have a wisdom tooth which has broken off at the gum line.... Am already having palpitations as there is nothing for the dentist to get a grip on so will probably have to have the gum cut and then it either drilled out or levered with some sort of crow bar....."

Nothing to worry about, bud. All 4 of my wisdom teeth and another one, further on, were like that, and I was worried the same as you. My dentist reassured me that as long as the gum hasn't closed in over top of it they'll be able to get at it with the regular tooling.

[Grizzly]

Phew thanks Steve thats good to know,

[Gryphon57]

I had 5 removed all at once. I had an extra. They asked me if I wanted them done all at once or 2 now and the rest as they come in. I opted for all at once. I didn't have dry sockets, but I did rinse with salt water regularly and they gave me this curved syringe to clean the empty sockets. Some of the worlds worst tasting stuff seemed to get rinsed out.

It sounds like you are one the road to recovery if slowly. Yogurt will be your friend for a few weeks, but you'll be back on "real" food before you know it.

Take care and follow your doctor's orders. He probably does know what he's talking about. Really.

[Peter Crowe]

Like Gryphon 57 I had five removed (four impacted wisdom teeth and one back tooth they had damaged) all at once in 1995 (I was 28) and it was hard to stop the bleeding at once. I remember eating lots of ice cream, mince n' tatties (US-ground hamburger and mashed potatoes), custard and soup for a couple of weeks but it all healed up well.

[James Hood]

OW!!!! Sympathies!!! All our daughters had theirs out, they were US Olympic Pathetic Team contenders for gold medals, afterwards.

Be nice about the jibes about hippies and "recreational chemistry"...some folks are sensitive.

Re military dentistry, no complaints here...still have fillings from a Navy dentist...long, long ago...and still have the wisdom teeth. Best of fortune in your recovery.

[Meggers]

OW!!!! Sympathies!!! All our daughters had theirs out, they were US Olympic Pathetic Team contenders for gold medals, afterwards.
.

I think I could take them for gold after this. Not only does it hurt while healing but I had some pretty bad reactions to the medication. A lot of tummy aches, nausea, restless sleep, and near fainting spells went on until last night. Today, I was able to put aside the vicodin and take ibuprofein instead which isnt killing my stomach.