Wisdom Teeth Extraction

I just realise how irregular I blog. I know I rarely blog but didn't know how bad the extent was until I went to look at my archives. It's really a challenge to maintain two blogs on top of my busy schedule. I shall make it a point to blog more regularly. It really helps to keep track of the things I do when my memory fails me frequently.

Just to update a little, I finally extract my wisdom teeth last Wednesday (31st April 2010)! After much procrastination, I decided that I am sick of diligently digging flossing my teeth to get rid of food that is stuck in between, and I have to do this after every meal (or at times, after snacking) as it gets really uncomfortable food resting on my gums.

While other people I've spoken to, felt that the wisdom surgery was manageable, I thought that it was rather disgusting. It doesn't help that I was once a dental assitant/nurse and I get to witness how wisdom teeth surgeries are performed. Even though I felt the whole procedure was rather gruesome and bloody, I never once cringed while assisting in surgeries. However, it's a different story when you are the patient, especially one who has seen and know how it's being carried out. Even though I was blindfolded, I could picture what was happening to me and that caused the fear factor to increase 10 folds!

To make matters worse, I chose to extract ALL my wisdom teeth at one shot. While most people who extract all wisdom teeth at one sitting will choose to undergo GA (General Anaesthesia), I was under LA (Local Anaesthesia), meaning I was awake throughout the entire procedure and was aware of what was going on. Thankfully, X-ray scans have shown that I was borned with only 3 wisdom teeth. Bad news was, I had to undergo surgery to remove 2 of them. The 3rd tooth could be extracted normally.

And I seriously suspect that the dentist did not inject sufficient anaesthesia, even after I told him that it hurts when he 'tested' the numbness of my gums by pinching it with a tweezer-like tool. I thought he would inject more anaesethesia to numb my gums/flesh/nerves but he proceeded with the surgery without increasing the dosage. Halfway through the surgery, it hurt so badly that I had to tell him so. Only then did he injected my gums with a wee bit more anaesthesia. However, there was little effect as he continued with the surgery immediately instead of letting the anaesthesia 'settle in'. Sad case.

After the surgery, I shopped around Metro (at Paragon) for a nice cap, so that I can walk out of Paragon (where my dental clinic is located) onto Orchard Road with half my face covered. Hopefully, few people will notice me and my badly swollen cheeks. After that, I roamed to Wheelock Place and Ion. It was approximately 3 hours later, when the anaesthesia started wearing off that I felt like dying. I regretted not getting home earlier to rest and numb my swollen cheeks with ice pack.

Since then, there were two the mini paus on my cheeks. Anyway, to all who will like to loose weight, extracting your wisdom teeth might be a good way. I've lost approximately 2 kg in the past week, since my diet mainly comprises of soup, porridge, mashed potato and ice-cream. All of them are in uber small portion because there's a limit to how wide my mouth could open and how frequent I could open it. When I chew too much or open and close my mouth too frequently, there will be this nagging ache/pain at my cheeks/jaws. Sighs.

Till today, my face still looks like a pau, a 小笼汤包.

My stithces are due to be removed this evening. Hope everything will be fine. I can't wait to resume my normal diet.