#tooth problems

It's not genetic and it's not caused by any type of behavior I did, so I guess that's heartening; my record for taking good care of my teeth remains intact. And the progression may have spontaneously halted, because sometimes that can happen. It's something that my dentist has had kind of on the radar as a possible issue, but not confirmed, for several years now, but she just referred me to an endodontist to get it actually checked out

It may take years for the tooth to actually die. Right now it looks and feels completely normal; I would never know there was something wrong if I hadn't seen the x-rays. This kind of thing would normally be fixed with a root canal, but because of where The decay is located inside the tooth, the doctor says that's not a good option – they would need to take bone away to do a root canal, and that would cause problems later on if it failed and I needed an implant

... which means that I'm probably more likely to need an implant someday anyway, I guess. He showed me the x-rays, or I might be concerned that he was in the pocket of big dental implant. But I digress

There's not really anything to do except try not to think about it and deal with the situation when it worsens. Which is really hard for a chronic worrier like me

I know I'm in the relatively privileged position that I will probably be able to afford an implant when the time comes, and I'm very grateful for that. I also know that this is definitely not the end of the world; it's not like I'm losing a limb or dealing with something life-threatening. It's just… I don't know. there's a feeling of failure, like I did something wrong even though the doctor assured me that it's not anything I did or could've prevented. I'm also very annoyed that it's a front tooth, and that means that when something happens, I'll probably have a very visible missing tooth for at least a few months. I'm worried it will impact my speech. I'm worried I'll wake up one day completely out of the blue and something will have happened. I'm just very worried, and there's nothing I can do

Some of it is almost certainly hypochondria, but I can't stop feeling teeth pains now. They're all on the right side of my mouth, but I can't tell if they're signs of cavities or if they're signs I've hurt my teeth via clenching or if I'm having wisdom teeth growing in again or what. I can't tell what's going on with my teeth. I really can't tell, because it's not like I have a dentist on call to reassure me or explain to me what's going on, honestly. I hate the teeth pains, but the mystery of it all is what makes me feel ten times worse than anything else.

The teeth that are sore seem to be in the molar region. I almost just felt a fear run down my spine that I was having a tooth grow loose and I really don't want that. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm really easily worked up about this stuff. Especially because one of teeth really does feel sore. I think I'm convincing myself I have a cavity with each passing moment, and I don't like that at all.

If I do have a cavity, I don't know how I'll cope with that. Last time I had one was when I was around ten years old. And at that time, I dealt with it really freaking poorly. They had to pull one or more of my teeth out. I agreed to take anaesthesia, because the idea of being awake while getting dental work of that extreme nature done really scared me. What I never counted on was how the anaesthetic tasted, however. So I woke up from being under. All my problems had been fixed.

But that taste… godawful. It tasted like powered strawberry or something, and it made me feel sick. I wanted to go home immediately because I felt absolutely miserable. But they wouldn't let me go home. So I had a massive meltdown, and I was inconsolable with rage. My mom tried to calm me down, and I lashed out. I kicked and punched and led a full assault.

My teeth are sore still. Up in the top right molar area, I think. And yet I still don't know if it's a cavity or if it's all in my own head. No matter what I do here, I feel like I can't win. But it's all stressful for me regardless. I keep getting in my own head, and I just feel miserable because of all this stuff.

I'm scared of having dental work done again. Especially since this old anaesthetic memory lives in my head. It's an old source of trauma, and I don't feel ready to face the fears head on and go down for another anaesthetic based dental operation. But I'm slowly getting myself prepped for the absolute worst case scenarios. I can't even think of a best case scenario here. I want to think of one, but I just can't. I just can't. It's really frustrating, and I'm getting myself all sweaty and hot and bothered again. I hate it.

I've been so worked up about this dental work thing that I haven't mentioned my consistent sore throats and dry throats and everything. For like the past few days now, I'd had a dry throat and a sore throat on a semi-frequent basis. I think it began on…I want to say last tuesday? I don't fully remember. But since it began, I've had a sore throat either every day or every other day. And frankly, I'm getting sick of feeling pains in my throat. The pains aren't enough to stop me talking, they're just enough to make me feel uncomfortable with my voice. And in a weird way, that almost feels just as bad to me.

I'm sure there's more paragraphs I could be writing now. But it's about an hour before bedtime for me when I'm writing this. I mainly wrote this because I felt I hadn't written anything sufficiently in detail to discuss my two newest issues. Because these two things are my two newest and biggest issues lately. The stomach pains are still there to a point, I won't lie. But this has helped eclipse a lot of stuff for me. I really, really don't like it. I just wish I knew where all these problems were coming from, and I wish i just knew how to deal with it.

My teeth on lower right side have been bothering me. Called my dentist on Thursday and got an appointment for today. Thought my mouth guard had given out - not sensitive to hot or cold and I can brush and floss. But pressure? O W I E !

Took muscle relaxers every night before bed to help keep me from clenching my jaw while I slept. But hoo, boy, I was in a lot of pain.

Saw my dentist - the root canal I had in 2011 may be failing. So on a broad spectrum antibiotic 3xs a day and I have an appointment with an endodontist next week. Also, Advil because hello, pain.

Will be making soups in the coming days.

I have two molars that are failing me despite copious amounts of dental treatment to try and save them.

I'm on a wait list for an emergency last ditch root canal for a tooth that is rotting from the inside out and quite literally falling apart. The other is scheduled for an extraction in the new year. I'm doubtful that either tooth will hold together as long as I need them to, but when the dental surgeon is booked up until February, there's not much more I can do but wait, take my meds, and do a little magic🦷

Carved beeswax molar: tangible poppet, antibacterial.

Himalayan salt: preservation, calm.

Juniper berries: protection, luck to get called in before the end of the year to get the issues dealt with/the teeth to hold out to the new year.

Echinacea petals: healing, immune booster to protect against infection.

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT APOLLONIA The Patron of Dentists Feast Day: February 9

Ask anybody that has gone through it: there's nothing quite like a toothache. Did you know that dentists and toothaches have a patron saint? Her name was Apollonia.

Apollonia was one of a group of virgin martyrs who suffered in Alexandria during a local uprising against the Christians prior to the persecution of Decius.

According to legend, her torture included having all of her teeth violently pulled out or shattered. The most reliable and contemporary historical account about St Apollonia is from Eusebius' church history. Eusebius records a letter from Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, written around 249 AD. In it we read that men seized Apollonia because of her Christian faith and 'by repeated blows broke all her teeth.'

Then a woodpile was built and the men threatened to burn her alive if she refused to repeat after them impious words… Given, at her own request, a little freedom, she sprang quickly into the fire and was burned to death.

Because of the nature of the torture she endured rather than deny her faith, St. Apollonia became the special intercessor for those with tooth troubles and, naturally, the patron saint of dentists and those suffering from toothache or other dental problems.

Surely this saint was much called upon for her prayers during medieval days, when the only real solution for an abscessed tooth was to pull it out – without anesthesia!