The joy of a root canal

Really, I’m not kidding.  I’ve heard it said that you need a root canal when you look forward to a root canal.  I was there today, let me tell ya’.

I’ve been a bad dental patient for about 3 years. I haven’t been going in for regular cleanings and check-ups.  The dental gods punished me this summer for my transgressions. An old crown broke in June and forced me into the dental chair.  The crown was replaced and teeth were cleaned and X-rayed.  Three cavities were discovered. The dentist warned me that one filling was very large and would most likely need a root canal. Things were hunky-dory for about a month after the fillings.  Then the tooth began to hurt. A lot. As in, pain radiating from that lower left molar to my left ear and down my neck.  The dentist tried a last option of antibiotics and pain meds.  I made it 5 days before I was ready to beg for a root canal.

The deed was done this morning. The pain is not entirely gone this afternoon, but it’s already much less than at any time in the past week.  I learned I have an unusual molar characteristic.  The dentist said most people have 3 nerve canals in the molar he worked on. About one in 20 or 30 people have 4 canals.  I have 4.  Not such a great thing when all four need are being drilled out, but interesting.

I’ve been lounging around the house recuperating all afternoon, alternating between reading a John Sandford novel and watching NCIS reruns on TV.  I am not much of a TV watcher.  I mean, won’t there be plenty of time for TV when I’m in a nursing home?  I’m not sure I’ve ever watched an entire NCIS episode before today.  TV, I must say, is a great thing when you are recovering from root canal surgery.  You don’t even have to push a button at the end of a Kindle page. You just lay there like blob and let it all flow over you.

Well, you could do that if you didn’t have DOGS!!! Not just any dogs. One type of dog in particular: a young golden retriever. Those three words (Young. Golden. Retriever.) should strike fear into the hearts of convalescents everywhere. Maple has kindly tolerated my slothfulness for the afternoon. (After all, I’m usually at work that time of day.) Now, the evening has arrived and she is ready for action. Groan.