The oral surgeon got the remaining parts of the tooth with only the usual amount of pressure, disturbing sounds, abrupt jars when the pliers slipped and the occasional worrisome muttering and requests for even more obscure tools -- "H'mm, I'll need the Number 12 Snivvy forceps, no, make that the Number five... And a pitching wedge...."
Now it's bleeding and bleeding. The Novacaine is wearing off and... And I'm an idiot. I took a couple of pain pills right before I left and because I didn't want to eat anything, I took Tylenol. Go now and loop up Norco or Percoset, drugs I happen to have been prescribed in the past and have on the shelf. (They wrote me some more Norco today, just in case.) Yes, they consist of a narcotic pain reliever and (drum roll please) Acetaminophen. Paracetamol. In a word, Tylenol. In a word, dammit. I can't take one until about, let's see, carry the t, divide by e to the x, h'mm, 11 or 11:30 a.m..
Maybe I'll have some pudding and a frickin' Ibuprofen. Because that's way more convenient than taking a couple and eating a cookie would have been, around about 7:20 this morning when I wasn't having to hold a roll of gauze over a bleeding hole in my gums. Also I just misspelled seven owrds in the prgious tw sentences, much as you see in this one. Oh, I'm Just Fine. Fine. No pain. Well, some pain. But no gain and I'm out $23, even, for the non-covered part of the extraction.
Laters. Gah.
Soak a tea bag, and hold it against the spot where you are bleeding. Something about the tannins helps stop the bleeding.
ReplyDeleteLearned this from a dentist, and it seemed to work when my mother had teeth pulled.
I did that when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. While I'm not sure it worked any faster, it was much more pleasant than a wad of gauze.
DeleteGood Luck!
ReplyDeleteI've the misfortune of bad teeth, no insurance, and the inability to pay. And the last dentist I trusted moved 200 miles North! (when I had insurance and funds).
gfa
I had a problem tooth extracted a couple of months ago. I had been complaining about it to my dentist for years. He couldn't see any problem in the x-rays. It was an upper pre-molar and the abscess had now eaten clear through to the sinus cavity. The Oral Surgeon stuffed it with some sort of granular bone graft material and the bone seems to have filled in quite well. I'm trying to figure out a way to justify the expense of an implant. I may have to settle for a bridge anchored to the somewhat questionable teeth on either side.
ReplyDeleteMilkshake is your friend, ben there done that. I used to be a pepsiholic.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably too late for you Bobbi but I wouldn't take ibuprofen with ongoing bleeding as it has an anti-coagulent effect.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better soon.
No IB. There's a reason why Tylenol (acetaminophen) can advertise that it's the most prescribed painkillers in hospitals: it is not an anticoagulant - an important consideration for surguries. Ibuprofen, Naproxin, and aspirin (the three OTC NSAIDs) all are anticoagulant. If you're have bleeding problems, they're not a good option. OTOH, for me, they work. Tylenol does essentially nothing in the pain relief department for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, acetaminophen will trash your liver if taken in large doses, or for an extended period of time, but the recommendations on the label were written by lawyers, not doctors; i.e.: they have a very large safety margin built-in. A double dose is not going to shut down your liver.
Bobbi, if you go for a milkshake (my favorite post-dental treat) be sure to enjoy it with a spoon rather than sucking through the straw.
ReplyDeleteDon't want to disturb the clot and end up with the much dreaded dry-socket. Nasty and takes a great while to heal.
Meanwhile, Norco is your friend!
Bud:
ReplyDeleteA sister worked for a research physician in the late 70's-80's, and he told her that they were seeing liver damage even at the recommended dosage levels. He advised her to avoid the use of it.
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You may be able to have the doctor prescribe the pain med without the added Acetaminophen or IB.