Posts will appear as short, concentrated shots, like strong coffee.
My blog tracker tells me that 10 % of readers view the blog on mobile platforms, including telephones. I am sure they will appreciate shorter pieces, as they will have to do less scrolling down to get to the end.
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As I get older, I need to have things written down.
I visited the dentist in the Thon Buri market where Maiyuu and I used to live.
We moved into town 18 months ago, but I still visit my old dentist because he is so good.
Anyway, I went to see him with an aching molar on my right side. It has been throbbing away for weeks, and I didn’t know what was wrong.
'I wish you had come to see me earlier...you have left it so late, you have a huge infection,’ he said.
The dentist diagnosed me with an abscess under the tooth. I was so pleased to hear that it was just a gum infection, rather than a problem with the tooth (which was filled years ago), that I gave him a jovial thumbs up.
‘Actually, it’s not such good news...not good at all,’ he said.
I should have taken heed.
After lancing the boil, or whatever dentists do with infected gums, the dental nurse told me not to eat on the tooth for half an hour.
Well, I thought that’s what she said. In my old man’s fug, I misconstrued her direction.
It was actually: ‘After half an hour, you can rinse your mouth. But try to avoid eating on that aside, and we’ll see you next week.’
In succeeding days, I did eat on that side, with the result that the pain spread to my tooth. I was in so much pain, I called the dentist and made an appointment to see him one day early.
‘You have cracked the tooth, which we will now have to extract. The roots are long. It’s such a difficult job, you will need surgery,’ he pronounced grimly.
‘Why didn’t you listen?’ he asked.
I did...well, I thought I did. Can ‘t you write these things down?
As I get older, I can only take one sentence at a time.
Surgery is on Saturday.
6 comments:
ReplyDeleteAnonymous16 March 2011 at 21:00
the exact same thing happened to me. a thoroughly distressing procedure. i had to go straight home and lie down for hours...
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Michael Lomker17 March 2011 at 06:48
I was just talking to a friend that is a couple years younger than me (late 30s). We're both going to be getting our first crowns soon. I've taken pretty good care of myself but that part of the journey is ending.
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Bkkdreamer17 March 2011 at 06:57
Ah...crowns! I have had one or two of them. Are they the same as bridges?
My Thai dentist, who is very good, recommends flossing every day. When he asked me once whether I flossed daily, and I replied yes (untrue), he said he didn't believe me.
He was right to be sceptical, but if he knows that almost no one flosses that regularly, why bother giving the advice? There must be some happy medium.
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Michael Lomker17 March 2011 at 08:32
A bridge is a replacement tooth for one that was removed. A crown is putting a cap over a tooth, replacing the whole outside. Back when I was a kid they didn't hesitate to put in big fillings. The problem is that they eventually chip off or even break the tooth since they are harder than the tooth.
I do floss at night. He knew that you didn't due to the condition of your gums. Flossing is more for the gums than the teeth.
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Anonymous17 March 2011 at 12:11
Hi from Bill back here in Reno,
Ouch I can sympathize with you, reading it almost made my mouth hurt! At least good dental care is still reasonable in Thailand. Wishing you the best! Bill
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Bkkdreamer17 March 2011 at 18:35
Michael: One of the dental nurses told me that flossing was about protecting the gums. I didn't know.
Bill: Thank you. Yes, dental care is cheap.
The guy who will take out the rest of my tooth (my regular dentist has taken out the 30% which hurts as a temporary measure) is a surgeon, and will perform the procedure at my regular clinic.
The extraction could take up to an hour, I am told, but the cost is unlikely to exceed B1000.
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