Good Experience at the Free Clinic

I had 5:45 PM appointment at the Dental Clinic to see if I was a candidate for an extraction. Which is to say, I cracked a molar, and it not only hurt but also faced likelihood of a coming infection.

I arrived early, as is my way. The appointment before me was a no show, so I got in the chair early.

“Yeah, we should pull it,” says the oral surgeon Dr. Kim. “Do you want me to do it now?” Therefore, at 5:57 PM, I walked out the door with a post op instruction page and an understanding that a mouth rinse would be waiting at my pharmacy when I got there.

Dr. Kim, one understands, is a big man. If I were a football coach, I might put him at Guard position, actually. He had me open my mouth; then, he stuck in his pulling tool and yanked. About a minute later, he said, “Do you want to see the tooth?”

Of course I wanted to see the tooth! For one thing, I wanted to make sure he’d actually pulled a molar instead of a bicuspid! Clearly, he presented in his one gloved hand a lovely molar covered in blood and saliva!

First, I headed home to put on a nicotine patch because the surgeon doesn’t want any nicotine in my mouth for three or more days, and I figured if I could delay my smoking any amount, such would be useful.

Previously, I haven’t been able to go even a short time without a cigarette. For example, my hairdresser says to not smoke after I get out of the shower until my hair dries because of the stink. She says that when my hair is wet it absorbs smoke, and I would stink a lot less if I just wait until my hair dries before I smoke.

Typically, my hair takes about three hours to dry. Previously, I have not been able to go for that time without a smoke!

I’ve tried to not smoke when I get out of the shower. Several times I have put on a 21 mg. patch when I got out of the shower and sucked on 4 mgs nicotine lozenges and fought the cravings for about an hour until, with my hair still wet, I returned to smoking.

I asked my family doctor about it, and he said, “Well, if you smoke 80 cigarettes a day, a 21 mg. patch just isn’t going to cut it for you.”

Also, I do know it matters where one puts the patch on one’s body. I guess it is more or less the higher the better, at least in terms of effectiveness of nicotine delivery. Therefore, I came home after the extraction and put a 21 mg. patch on each pectoral. Knock on wood, it is now 10 hours since I’ve had a cigarette.

My mouth doesn’t hurt!

Jayster

7 Likes

I’m glad you had a good experience at the free clinic. I hope you’re able to hold off smoking long enough for your mouth to heal properly. I’m glad your mouth doesn’t hurt. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

1 Like

Glad things worked out for you :smiley:

1 Like