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

I had to go to the dentist today as a few days ago I noticed an odd swelling on the right hand side of my jaw, the size of a small marble, and a flatter but bigger swelling under my nostrils. I've had this before and it's been an infection (though only under the nose, not in my jaw), so I was hoping that's what it was this time.

It is. Apparently the jaw swelling is an infection caused by bacteria getting in where my wisdom tooth has been breaking through the gum, and the nose swelling is from where my two front teeth got broken in an unfortunate accident involving me, my friend Kiz and a swinging tennis racket when I was about 14. She tells me the tooth is dead and recommends me to eventually get root canal. I'm supposed to talk to my usual dentist about it at my check-up in September.

The title of this thread comes from this scene in The West Wing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojhg1zTOef8, which was running through my head the entire time.

Does anyone know enough about dentists to know why my dentist was called "Dr XXXX"? She seemed too young to have done a dentistry degree and a PhD or a medical degree then converted.

I can't answer your question, but with the treatment.

Sorry you have to face dentistry but I am glad it is nothing more serious. Some strange things come to mind about your dentist which I won't go in to.

Take care. Love your photos on Flickr by the way. You do get to some nice places.

Websailor

Hah. That West Wing scene is exactly what I thought of as soon as a dentist told me I needed a root canal. I'm glad I got it, too. I had a molar on my left side which was in just awful shape, and really painful. The root canal itself wasn't too terrible. I don't remember it being very painful, just uncomfortable and boring. And I was able to enunciate more clearly than CJ.

These things happen. Good luck.

with the dental treatment Elentari

Thanks everyone. Hopefully it won't be too bad, but I must confess, the idea doesn't thrill me, especially as I don't have any pain.

Websailor, thanks for the nice comment about my flickr. I do like looking at yours; I especially liked the night-vision badger shots.

Yep. Root canal next Tuesday. That will be fun.

Hope all goes well.

Websailor