Yep, I did what I promised just a couple posts ago…to never ever do again.   I googled an ailment.  I wonder if there is a such thing as ‘googleitis’, because it sure is a real sickness.  Maybe a mental disorder of sorts? 

For the past couple months my sinuses have been pressurized.  A week before Thanksgiving I got some sorta of cold/drainage/pressure….and not only were my sinuses killing me, but my right ear as well.  THEN the lower teeth started hurting. 

I know from much experience (8 root canals in my short life) that you just don’t mess with teeth.  I also know what tests I can do at home before inducing panic in myself over whether or not I need a root canal! 

Tests:

1.)Tap on the tooth.  If it hurts, you are in trouble.
2.)Eat or Drink something hot.  Like tea or coffee.  If it stings like someone is stabbing you in the tooth with a red hot poker…you are in trouble.
3.)Do the reverse….cold drink/food.  If the cold acts like the poker, you’re done for. 

Although I’m confident that a couple of those root canals were unncessary because it was done during a sinus bout.  I’ve learned that the sinus can affect the teeth and to ride it out and see if it still hurts afterwards.  Until today, that is, when I stupidly googled.

If you google “lower teeth/sinus pressure you’ll read page after page that says, ‘only the top teeth are affected by the sinus’.  And you’ll also ‘learn’ that when the lower teeth hurt, it couldn’t possibly be related to the sinus.  That’s it’s ‘most certainly a bad tooth in need of a root canal, a bad cavity, an abcess or TMJ’.      

Buzzzzzzzz  WRONG-O!  And I know this because two dentists told me so, today, in the office….along with two hygienists (just to be safe, I ask everyone…I even tried asking the old lady in the waiting room)

So yeah, I figured for sure (since googling told me so) I had an abcess or some such dire emergency.  I called the office…my regular dentist, who is right up there next to God (in my book) had the nerve to go and have a baby again…and won’t be in til next month.  Aghhhhhhh!  Now I’m so anxious I need a shrink because I only trust MY dentist.  (I’m fairly certain that she keeps having babies only because she knows she can count on our family to put them through college)

So I make the 1/2 hr trek each way and blow over a quarter tank to learn my fate.  I’m praying that the $600 I saved by cutting back this Christmas isn’t God’s cruel way of telling me I need a root canal.

And then…in walks the hygienist that I dread.  Helga or Ingrid or some such wonderfully German name.  She has a thick accent and scares the bejesus out of me.  

She takes two x-rays and says, “Uh-huh.  MMM-hmmm” 

“mmm-hmmm, what?” I ask?

“I cannot say.  I not authorized to tell what I see.”

What?  You can’t do that (I’m thinking)  “What do you see?”

“Well, looks…to me…you have two large filling on back teeth that are ‘leaking’, you see here?” (points to x-ray)

“Does it look like I have cavities?  Or need a root canal?”

(looks at me very concerned)  “I cannot tell you”

Now my heart is pounding and I’m wondering what charge card I’m going to have to max out.  Then the ‘new’ doctor walks in.  A young girl probably half my age.  Just started at the office.  Greaaaat.  She looks at the x-rays and says, “I don’t see anything leaking, it looks like you need crowns….your uppers show sinus pressure on the teeth and that can cause the lowers to hurt.  I’ll give you an antibiotic in case it’s a sinus infection”.

Hmmmmm.

When she leaves, another hygienist comes in with my script.  I ask, “What do you think of that new doc because I’m not sure I trust her judgment”  If in fact something is ‘leaking’, why would she put a crown on it?  Then when the tooth got infected, they’d remove the crown…what a waste of money!  The new girl says quietly, “My mom saw her and didn’t care for her.  She hasn’t been here that long” 

That’s about all I needed before requesting a different dentist to check my teeth.  There was one dentist at lunch who she interrupted to look at the x-rays (what a nice guy!).   He came right in and did an exam on my lower teeth.  Poked them, prodded them.  (unlike the other girl).  Looked carefully at the x-rays and said nothing was leaking.  No cavities.  He carefully explained all about the nerves in the face/head and about sinus and ear pressure on the teeth. 

I left just $28 poorer, but with peace of mind.  My teeth are still sore but I’ve decided to just not chew on them for awhile.  Or eat a lot of soup.  Or Cream of Wheat.  Or have the kids chew my food for me first. 

Oh, I also will wait to fill my prescription.  Of course, though, I WILL fill it.  There’s nothing better to prevent an infection then to have an unused antibiotic in your medicine cabinet.  Once it expires, however, you’re sure to get sick….but I’m thinking it won’t expire for at least 6 months.  Yea!

And, hello?  McFly!  No more googling medical problems!  I mean it!