DENTAL EMERGENCY

Today I had to leave my house.

I was supposed to have my six month dental check up a few weeks after shelter-in-place.  Obviously that did not happen.  I have been taking very good care of my teeth for four months.

For about two months now my tooth has been feeling funny. Suddenly I could feel where my partial met my tooth.  This is not a good sign.  The bonding is supposed to be seamless.  The partial also had a filling which I think had chipped.  No matter what, I had a rough edge that kept rubbing against my tongue.  It was annoying and you know that anything annoying in your mouth you keep messing with.  I kept rubbing my tongue against the rough bit on my tooth. 

Then I bought a dental kit online to look at it closer.  It did not look good.  There was a black space between the partial and my tooth.  I knew that was not good.  I felt that sooner or later my partial was going to come off or my filling was going to crumble.  It was a waiting game until my tooth fell apart. 

Well, that time came and luckily my dentist made an emergency appointment for me.  She explained all the Covid procedures they had and told me they would make extra precautions for me. 

I didn't sleep at all last night.  I was SO worried about this and Lucky is not doing well.  I was up all night.

This morning I wanted to cancel the appointment but I didn't.  I had to get this done.  My usual way to get teeth fixed is that the tooth falls apart on a holiday weekend or the day before I left on a trip and I had to scramble to get it fixed.  During Covid there is no "scramble to get things fixed". 

I got myself ready to go an hour ahead of time.  I got my Covid bag ready.  Mask, gloves, face shield, door opener, and wipes.  I wore long pants, long sleeve shirt and a jacket.  I got in my car and drove directly there.  I parked in the garage and took the elevator to the lobby.  There some people got in and I got out.  I waited for the next elevator.  The door opener was SO helpful.  I used it to open the doors and push the elevator buttons.  I did not touch anything all the way from the car into the dentist office.

When I arrived there was another person in the lobby so I waited in the hallway for a few minutes until they moved him into a room.  Then they took me right into a room.  I was asked a series of questions most of which were answered with "I haven't been out of the house or near anyone in 136 days."   Then I was asked to take off my gloves and wash my hands and take off my mask and put on their mask.  Then they took an x-ray.  My dentist came in and she barely touched the partial and it popped off. 

There was SO much decay around the partial that I had to make a decision: 1) get a temporary now and get a whole crown in a few weeks or 2) just get the original partial cemented back in and hope it lasts until after Covid.  Since we all don't know how long Covid can go on and how bad it could get in the winter, I opted to get a temporary now and a crown in a few weeks.

My dentist cleaned it out and I have the temporary.  She has agreed in three weeks to put the new crown in and also arranged to have my teeth cleaned on the same visit.  That way I won't have to come back for a long time.  She is so great!  She also heard that I am having trouble finding tofu and she said if she remembers, she will pick up some tofu for me. 

I left their office and did the same thing again with my door opener, not touching anything and drove right home.  When I got home, I stripped and put my clothes in the washer and went right into the shower.  I am going to use my Coral UV machine for the first time to cleanse my keys and phone.  It is amazing.  I put my items in the machine and 10 minutes later they have been zapped and (supposedly) cleaned.  If nothing else, it makes me feel better.  I have to read if it will zap masks. 

I am now cleaned and de-infected (I hope) and have not caught Covid.  It has been suggested that I wait to have a Covid test until after the second appointment which is in three weeks unless I have symptoms. I hear it will take some time to get an appointment for a test anyway. 

What a day! 

Update on Lucky: the vet thinks Lucky may have hurt her leg or hips jumping on something so she is on a no jumping/stairs and bed rest prescription for a few days.   

Until tomorrow...