Monday, May 19, 2008

Tastes Like Burning

I just got back from the dentist. There is something very unpleasant about smelling - and tasting - your own burning flesh. And the right half of my lower face is numb. But lemme explain.

My stupid wisdom teeth - actually, they're pretty good compared to most. They came in straight, but the bottom two never quite finished poking through the gums. I had little flaps of gum covering the back end of the teeth, and that made them hard to clean. Also, little, hard bits of food would sometimes get stuck under the flap, and they would be a bitch to get out. And the gum flaps would get inflamed once in a while. So today, I had the smaller but more irritating of the two flaps removed.

It started promising enough: topical anesthesia. Then we moved onto the dreaded needle. Why did he have to jam it in there so many times? Anyway, that just stung a little bit. Then, it was down to the twisty, curvy sharp things and the cauterizer. Imagine smoke raising out of your mouth and through your nose as little bits of burnt flesh splatter on your tongue. No, it did not taste like beef or chicken. Burning gum smells much like burning hair. And he was gagging me with mirror he was using to hold my tongue out of the way. It was getting very warm in there, and my gut was writhing in my belly.

By then it was over. The dentist asked me how I felt, and I said I was hot and a little nauseous. So he gave me smelling salts - ammonia. Pure, wholesome ammonia. What was he thinking!?! OK, I didn't puke, but it was awful. Next time, if there is a next time, I'll avoid the evil, little ammonia capsule.

4 comments:

tom said...

Ouch! I know that smell; it's similar to the one an incinerating dog makes. Hope you heal fast!

John said...

When I had my wisdom teeth out (I was stationed in Spain at the time), I was given the option of local or general anesthetic. I said, "That's a really stupid question. 'Bored, uncomfortable and annoyed for two hours', vs. 'Go to sleep and wake up without wisdom teeth'. Hmm, let me think about it."

Jac said...

Thanks, Tom. I'm glad I was never around while your dad was cremating.

Ha, John. Exactly.

ddjango said...

Dentists are all xtians:

they hurt you like hell, then you go numb.