Teeth issues are fun. In the same way that I’ve been through so much debilitating anxiety that I feel like I could be a counselor in that realm, I’ve had so many teeth issues that sometimes I feel like the road to becoming a dentist would feel very familiar and the transition into dentistry wouldn’t be so difficult.

Actually, I was going to write a post about how I feel like by the time people are age 30 many of us are weighed down, sometimes permanently, and our minds and identities are defined by the experiences we’ve had – and I feel like we need a refresher. A bone-deep refresher; to be reborn. Our minds hold the key to this potential.

But, there’s really only so much thinking I can do when I’ve been dealing with an exposed tooth nerve.

I had braces in 4th grade and had them on for around 4.5 years. This I believe not only weakened my teeth but it made it very easy to get cavities on top of my not-so-great childhood brushing habits. I also am naturally prone to cavities. Whether it be prone to more bacteria forming in my mouth or the lack of enzyme required to break down food quite as well, I don’t know, but there is such a thing. Some peoples’ teeth can withstand a certain amount of not brushing enough. Mine couldn’t. When I got my braces off, I had 14 cavities that needed to be filled.

Fast forward through many years, about 13 years, of not visiting a dentist, an overly sugary diet (as most typical Western diets are) due to not knowing better, somewhat better brushing habits (but still pretty lacking in my current opinion) and the progression of age. Once I finally visited the dentist after all this time, I started to get the picture that hey, this shit matters, it cost many monies and many more monies over time. I started brushing more and flossing more, but the teeth just wanted to crumble.

Fast forward to now – I’m 30 years old, haven’t had an actual cavity in a while, excellent oral hygiene, but am still very likely encroaching upon my 4th root canal (if this exposed tooth nerve does not fix itself) and I also have a missing molar. Occasionally I have to do things like replace old fillings that aren’t holding up well, etc. I have thousands of dollars invested in my teeth and have even driven down to Mexico 3 times to have them do a root canal when I was sick and tired of paying 2k for the entire procedure here. I still only paid A QUARTER in Mexico of what I would have paid here, and that includes gas money. I still don’t know how they did, because truly, only time will tell.

Mexico (Los Algodones) is really great for teeth care though, if you do your research and find a reputable dentist. It is just extremely cost-effective. However it was quite a different experience than what I’ve experienced here. Multiple dentists worked on my tooth during different parts of the procedure and they don’t talk to you much. Even though they knew I spoke Spanish, they didn’t quite have the bedside manner that I’ve experienced in the U.S. They were there to get the job done and that’s it. This root canal was the only one I had ever had done on a bottom molar, and the procedure itself hurt like hell, which was a first too.  They kept sticking those measuring needles into my gums and would occasionally hit a nerve (I am guessing) and the pain would sear through my jaw. I kept raising my hand telling them I was in pain and they would numb me up a bit more but it just wasn’t reaching that area. I also wondered what they used for a numbing agent and thought maybe it wasn’t as strong, but really I just think where they were hitting was deeper than the area that was being numbed up.

So that was fun.

But pre-root canal tooth pain is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. Ever. But a couple times I had no idea anything had gotten to that point of needing one. Many people who don’t have teeth problems will say “just visit your dentist regularly and don’t let your teeth get to that point.” Well, sometimes it’s not that easy. I am at the dentist’s office what feels like all the time. Unless they are frequently doing rescans of your entire mouth, sometimes it’s impossible to catch something before it needs a root canal. In my case, they are usually doing cleanings or working on other areas that needed help that were detected on the original xray. Sometimes nothing hurts at all so there is no pain indicator. Sometimes you just have an exposed nerve because some dentist did a shitty filling that took up a lot of the tooth and shit just fell apart. That’s why understanding how cosmetic dentistry can transform your smile isn’t just about aesthetics, it can also play a role in preventing bigger dental issues before they become painful emergencies.

Anyway, I know a lot about teeth issues, and I’ve been to many different dentists. I have certainly found that it is always wise to get a second opinion in dentistry. I’ve had the occurrence multiple times now of some dentists saying I needed something done and others saying I didn’t. I do not think it is uncommon that they prescribe work that doesn’t really need to be done.

I also avoid root canals at all costs unless I’m in unmanageable pain, which is why I am sitting here tonight taking colloidal silver (after much research on the product), oil of oregano, grapefruit seed extract, eating lots of garlic and onions, using hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, the occasional ibuprofen and praying that it will get better on its own without the need of a root canal.

But that is all for tonight on teeth. I’m beyond exhausted and am going to try to sleep through the night — the dark, quiet night, which is just when my exposed nerve likes to get extremely angry at me. Wish me luck.