Wisdom tooth woe

It has taken some years for my teeth to decide that it is time to be wise; something that my brain has yet to take into consideration! Yesterday was D-day for extraction of one such tooth that had decided to grow horizontally towards my molar, causing all manner of potential problems.

I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why dentists persist in using vast metal syringes rather than the rather natty disposable ones favoured by nurses, but it does little to encourage a relaxed state of mind as something capable of knocking out a horse at ten paces looms towards your face!

I had obeyed orders and partaken of a large breakfast, but the combined effect of the numbing gel and two syringe dose of local anaesthetic, caused my throat to become numb and me to feel as though I could neither breathe nor swallow, in turn becoming grateful for the support of the dental chair as a feeling of nauseousness swept over me.

Scalpel, pick-axe and wrench took their turns, followed by a long needle and some fishing line resulting, I'm told, in a relatively 'clean' extraction. During the grinding and crunching when I wondered how long my jaw would hold out, the dentist uttered those immortal words, "You're doing well and we're nearly there." I was pinned with afore-mentioned weapons in my mouth otherwise there may have been a similar response to that given to just-out-of-college midwives who tried to reassure me during hours 20-30+ that labour and childbirth didn't really hurt at all - 'So how many children do you have?'. I'm not sure how many wisdom teeth have been pulled from my - very good and kind - dentist, but there may have been an admittance of potential pain if such treatment had been undergone.

Nearly 24hours later and I still feel as though I've gone a few rounds with a knuckle-duster wearing Mike Tyson, but I did manage a little porridge this morning and my combination of painkillers is doing something to dull the pain.

The good news - another wisdom tooth began to come through at the weekend!