h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Had two teeth taken out today I've been ordered to keep a couple of gauze pads in my mouth for six hours, meaning I'll be mute until 8pm. Then I have to rinse my mouth with a salt solution. Which will probably hurt

Fortunately, it wasn't painful. The dentist emptied two huge syringes of local anasthetic into my gums, which numbed not only my gums but my lower lip as well. So when I try to speak, it sounds like I'm mumbling. Hmm, maybe the salt water won't hurt after all. I hope not.

The dentist gave me a leaflet on how to cope ("So you're having a tooth out"... just kidding! it's just an A5 sheet) which says "Try not to disturb the socket by eating food on that side"... a bit hard, since I've had a tooth out on both sides

What now? Well, about a month and a week from now (to let the sockets heal) the brace proper is fitted. The two teeth were removed to make room for the front teeth to move back - the front of my jaw is overcrowded, causing some teeth to be useless and, more importantly, look ugly. (Yes, more importantly. I have no trouble eating.) In the meantime, the bridge I already have will keep the back teeth from sliding forward.

And the worst part... I can't have a beer on a Friday!

Awww. Poor you, Pete.

I went through all that when I was wee. I had four teeth out, and luckily my lower jaw adjusted itself. I had to wear a top brace for about 18 months (I think) and then a retainer for oooooooh years (the dentist told me I should just never stop wearing it, but I got sick of it after a while and just stopped - nowt wrong with my teeth).

~

Well, at least I can eat soup and meatballs. But and are off the menu, for the time being.

The reason I have no trouble eating is in fact that my teeth have moved into a position where they work against each other... even if not against the right ones

Hmm. Ow. I remember discovering that toffee was off the menu when I got my first and only filling (I found out the _hard_ way)... not fun. Now I've learned that anything sticky goes on the _other_ side of the mouth...

~

Well, I got rid of the gauze just before tea, and the sockets appear to have clotted. Which is good.

The worst thing about it (besides lack of !oBooze) is the paralysis in my lower lip. It's nearly woken up again now (7pm), but it WAS very hard to spit, making the mouth-rinsing process a bit messy (saliva all over my nose instead of in the sink).

Not to mention the salt water...

Nothing that a few episodes of "The Simpsons" won't fix, of course. (Ooh 'eck, it's on now...)

I have a lovely here now, mmmmmmmmmm...



That's for being a Sky-fiend... I only get one Simpsons a day, on bbc2, and that's already finished.