So I'm a dentist with a medium-bad toothache...

[PCIntern]

And have been living through the weekend on Advil/Tylenol combo and antibiotic.

Now one of the interesting things about this particular brand of toothache which I have is that it demonstrates what we term its Swan Song: it hurts and hurts, and then, in a final paroxysm of fury, hurts like hell for a short, finite length of time and then it becomes quiescent, such that it barely registers at all and then disappears. They say that swans scream as they die, thus the term.

I had that moment at 4:30 this afternoon for about ten minutes…and then nothing. I’m going for treatment tomorrow of course but it is a fascinating clinical course.

So I hope to feel this when Kamala is declared the winner of the election (please spare me your righteous indignations of “GOTV!!” and “We assumed that in 2016” and “Only one poll counts”).

I plan to scream out a mega-sigh of relief on that blessed day which will consign that other piece of protoplasmic trash to the garbage heap. He will shortly become a footnote and known as the exception which proves many many rules.

From The Shawshank Redemption:

[MotownPgh]

1. Aleve is the only thing that helped

my mouth pain. Long story.

[iemanja]

20. Aleve is better for me too.

[usonian]

2. But who takes care of the toothache? You probably can't treat it yourself.

So, I am reminded of the two barbers:

There is a small town in the midwest with exactly 2 barbershops, one on each side of town. The barbershop on the west side of town is pristine. Its floors are spotless, the windows are always perfectly clear, and the air always smells fresh. The barber has a friendly smile, shined shoes, a well-groomed head of hair, and a fancy shirt. The barbershop on the east side of town is a mess. Its floors and windows are dirty. The barber always has a grimace on his face. His skin is oily, his hair is short and ragged, and he has food on his clothes all the time.

A man travelling through the town realizes he needs a haircut. Knowing the stories of the two barbers, the man decides to go to the dirty barbershop on the east side of town. Why does he do this?

You know the answer.
Get well soon!

I heard a slightly less gross version of this. Poor slobby barber!

[BOSSHOG]

8. We live in a one barbershop town

Less options for old guys works pretty good. Great barber. Does a steady business. Hardly ever a wait.

[usonian]

11. Take good care of the barber.

Before I moved, a lady named Tami did good work.

I now do all my own haircuts. Using the graduated combs that come with the trimmer, I start long and go short.

Comes out well every time, not very short, because short hair really exaggerates unevenness.

Since I always wear a mask in public, and taking it off and on messes my hair, I always wear a hat.

But living in the boondocks, I don’t go out in public that much.

in the west, a hat’s a given, because the sun is strong and the hat affords some eye protection.

[BOSSHOG]

12. He is awesomely customer centric

I’m follicly challenged and wear a ball cap all the time inside or out. It’s like a thermostat. If I take it off I start sneezing. I do have a rather large collection of ballcaps.

[usonian]

13. I'm of the Italian persuasion and it's hard to keep up.

I don’t think that one can convert.

Anyway, I’d do it no matter what because the sun is strong — few clouds all summer in CA — and will seriously hurt your eyes and make driving tougher without one.

Caught a few clouds at sunset this evening. Going to process them now.

[Klarkashton]

3. GTFO. That's it.

[magicarpet]

4. Cloves (used to jab in a ham) work,..

... nicely. Just pack around the gum area of the offending tooth. It is like novacaine it numbs things up and subsides the throbbing pain so you can focus on life issues or sleep around bed time absent throbbing pain.

Soak the cloves in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften them up. Let cool. Then insert around the gum area of the painful tooth.

[PCIntern]

6. That often does work

This one may have a vertical hairline crack. Not good news. Could be cold steel and sunshine for this one.

[NJCher]

16. that just happened to me

Cost me $3500.

Vertical hairline crack and I have no one to blame but myself.

The RG sends me chocolate from Italy and I freeze it so I don't lose control and eat it all in one session.

One night I had a craving, didn't want to wait for it to thaw, so I was biting on frozen chocolate and cracked a tooth.

When my dentist saw it, he looked at me in awe and said, "You are the luckiest person. That is probably your only tooth with a dead nerve."

Even luckier: I had gotten a surprise $3000 check in the mail a week before, so it was almost paid for before the bill even came.

[iemanja]

21. Antibiotics help.

Because it’s probably infected.

[NJCher]

29. the first thing my dentist did

was prescribe antibiotics and he told me to get them right away. Not even wait for the mail service I usually use--he had me drive to the drugstore to get the prescription filled.

[DFW]

26. Marathon Man!

Is it safe?

[markodochartaigh]

27. Clove oil, eugenol, used to be commonly sold.

Now it seems benzocaine 20% is the only common choice. I'm also suffering with a toothache at the moment. There is a free clinic in a few weeks and I will get it pulled then

[BOSSHOG]

5. Swan Song Records

Produced my almost #1 favorite bands records. Bad Company.

Shawshank Redemption. Great Movie. The line from the movie that sticks out, so to speak is Andy telling somebody “anything gets put in my mouth gets bitten off.”

Yes My Friend, toothaches and anal cysts and trump. The maga magi bringing pestilence, heartache and destruction. Looking forward to seeing it stopped.

[unweird]

7. On that blessed day there will much rejoicing.

When the PA count was called in ‘20 there were folks out in the streets cheering and yelling and drinking.
We plan to revisit the celebration again this year after waiting out the mail votes.

[PCIntern]

9. I think you mean '20.

[unweird]

10. Yep, off to edit

Tx

[Hekate]

14. Love the analogy, Dr PCI . Hope you are well soon, and that the country is too

[H2O Man]

15. Feel better!

Years ago, my sisters called me. They were at my brother's house. He had taken too many head punches in his amateur and pro ring career -- even though he won most fights. There was really only one fight he lost where he got hurt. Anyhow, post-boxing, he took up substance abuse. This is common among ex-boxers, especially those who took punches. My brother was not well at this time, as Irish fighters tend to use extreme amounts.

The Irish Flu altered his judgement. He had seen something on television about tooth decay and problems associated with failing to get professional help. Thus, he got out a pair of pliers, and started yanking. My sisters happened to be bringing him groceries, when they found him. He had pulled out the majority of his teeth. Blood all over him when I arrived. Luckily, he agreed it was time to go to the hospital.

I'm not sure what reminded me of this in reading this OP/thread. Thought you might find it interesting.

[LeftInTX]

19. OMG!!

[Lulu KC]

17. Since you are a dentist, you must know about this

It got me through some painful oral surgery. Fill a sock with rice, tie it with a ribbon or string, pop it in the microwave. It conforms to the shape of your face and is so comforting.

(But what always cracks me up about it is that when people tell you to do this, they will often begin with, "Start with a clean sock." Right. A clean sock. Do not make the mistake of using a dirty sock!)

Best wishes for relief of the swan song.

[GAJMac]

18. Brings to mind

The time that my wife, the one for whom I would happily die for, had a "bit of a toothache" over the weekend (years ago). When she made to to the dentist on Monday, he barely tapped the tooth, and it fell out.
I have no idea how she made it so long, maybe it's through the situation of which you speak, the Swan Song. I only know that at the time I basically thought and said, "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din"

[Ilsa]

28. If you and she have kids, that's probably

why her pain threshold was so high that she could tolerate it. And it isn't just about childbirth. It's also all the times something ached and she put off seeing a doctor or dentist because she was too busy!

[GAJMac]

32. OK, so based on your signature line

I thought you may want to hear this. Or maybe you already have. Or maybe you have and you don't remember. Anyway, I hope you enjoy...

[Ilsa]

35. I remember love that song! nt

[HeartsCanHope]

22. Hope you feel better soon, PCIntern!

Looking forward to that Judgement Day myself!

[Permanut]

23. The best time for a dental appointment is tooth hurty.

[Puppyjive]

24. Check for abcess

My dentist kept ruling it out. Had ct scans and mri's. Seeing white lights and the trigeminal nerve was attacking my face. I was ready to check out. Turns out, I did have an abscess. It wrecked me.

[PCIntern]

31. This is a hyper-vital tooth

But thanks for the concern.

[Jack Valentino]

25. Funny how such a blinding pain can be there, and then be gone, yes? lol

[PCIntern]

30. Yes....remarkable actually.

[tavernier]

33. So sorry, Doc...:(

Just one question. Are you afraid of going to the dentist?

[PCIntern]

34. Nope. Not for an instant

[BannonsLiver]

36. Is it annoying to you as a dentist

To have people who are not dentists giving you advice in the thread like “be sure and check for abscesses”? Because that would annoy the shit out of me.

[PCIntern]

37. Well...I'll say "no" to keep the peace and

They mean no harm. It is sort of funny…as a dentist I’ve heard everything.

My favorite thing which occurs once every two or three days is a new patient whose first words to me are, “I hate dentists.“ My response to this instantly is, “Well, I’m not too fond of the patients myself, so we’re even.”

I’m all better now and appreciate everyone’s concern and caring.

[RJ_MacReady]

38. I have had my share of toothaches

all the way up to excruciating pain. Eventually I had to get all my teeth extracted and got 8 implants placed.

[PCIntern]

39. Do you have two "all-on-fours"?

[RJ_MacReady]

40. No

They were too expensive even at the dental school. I go implant supported overdentures instead. Basically snap in dentures. Next best thing one step below all-on-four.

[PCIntern]

41. I hope they're working out for you!

Great restoration -I’ve done many.

As I used to say: prosthetics do not replace teeth…they replace NO teeth.

[RJ_MacReady]

42. so far so good

I can eat most things again and no more pain!

[PCIntern]

43. Yay!