This is probably much funnier to those New York people I know

[terrypurple73]

Today I met a doctor who used lots of code words. She said "decay" when I'm pretty sure she meant "cavity." And she said something about the "possibility of a root canal" when I'm pretty sure she meant "possibility of getting punched in the face." Chris, did I decode this correctly? Please advise.

Then I went and worked on my story about the gay teenage girl from Iowa. I AM A WRITER!

(I am a writer WITH A CAVITY.) Oh well.

There's still not a ton of plot, but it's getting there. :)

Comments

[readfreeordont.livejournal.com]

That doctor means you harm. RUN AWAY, THERESA!

Fun fact: Today I had my continuation-of-root-canal appointment and they mixed together a batch of anesthetic that totally, totally worked.

Here's what I have learned about decay, cavities, root canals, etc:

Decay and cavity are initially the same thing. Bacteria that doesn't get adequately (and regularly) cleaned off the surface of the tooth starts eating its way in, like the roots of a tree spreading out. That bacteria leaves necrotized material behind, which is the decay that can be spotted on x-rays.

If that dead material is small, and not too deep in the tooth, you got a cavity and that's easy to fix.

If you're an idiot like me, who goes eight years between check-ups, then that bacteria keeps chomping until it's burrowed through your enamel and reaches actual organic tissue. Then it's time to get punched in the face.

Your root canal might not be so bad. My decay went down pretty far, so they excavated the crap out of me. They might not have to do too much to you.

[terrypurple73.livejournal.com]

I've only been a half-idiot, since it's been about four years since I hung out with a dentist who looked at my teeth. (I know some dentists and to-be-dentists who do not examine my teeth!) My coworkers tell me that a root canal is digging digging digging to pull out the nerve, since, I guess, NERVES ARE WHAT MAKE YOU FEEL PAIN. (Listen, so do exes and also annoying people. Who is paid to extract THESE from my life?) But they won't know about whether I need my roots canaled until they start filling my "decay." HOpefully, it won't have to do it, or that it at least won't be too bad/deep. Other than that, my teeth are wonderful and perfect, it seems.

[pueo77.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Sounds terrible. Novacane novacane!

You know, for some reason the whole novacane injection thing is what gets me really. As long as they do that enough then I'm ok... of course I never had a root canal though.

Hopefully it's only a cavity.

I should floss more.

[joirerson.livejournal.com]

I can tell you that root canals are not that bad. I had approximately four (it was while ago, I don't remember the exact number) without any pain medicine at all. Of course, it was because I had trauma to my teeth, and then the nerve inside died and then rotted.

I didn't care about the green pus and the abscess, since by that time the nerve had died and I hadn't had the horrible pain I couldn't get the dentist to care about. They sure cared when green pus was coming from my gums, though- looking back, I realize that I possibly could have gone septic or it could have cut off my ability to breathe. The root canals were not bad at all, really. If your tooth hadn't died yet I could see where it could be painful.

Just make sure she spells out everything she does first, preferably with pictures. Informed consent isn't everything it should be these days, in my opinion.

Hope you feel better, I know tooth pain is one of the most intense pain. Good luck with the dentist!