Hi: since you have MS and other chronic problems, you ought to start antioxidants to help you heal from your extractions (and just in general for your health). You ought to be taking astaxanthin 4 mg twice daily and also resveratrol 50 mg once a day. Astaxanthin is fat soluble and resveratrol is water soluble, so you get good support from taking both. Also a good probiotic can really help your immune system, and that's why I'm now going to start making my own Kombucha! FYI, I'm a pharmacist.

I had a root canaled #3 removed in January, and my oral surgeon was impressed with my healing. I had a concurrent bone graft for ridge preservation at the time of extraction, and I just got the implant put in on June 1. At the time of implant, he did a sinus lift and additional bone graft to support the lift, and I'm healing great. It's my only problem in my upper teeth. I don't feel the sinus pressure anymore, so I'm pleased I finally took care of it.

Anyway, good luck with your extraction, it is not that bad.

ginnie, So glad that your healing went well, I hope I'll be able to say the same!
I have also been, slowly, having my old mercury filling replaced with composite and then crowns. So expensive though! I still need two more done after these extractions. Ugh!

flygirl, Thank you for your input about taking the antioxidants and probiotics. I will look into them!

I am also going to have #3 tooth removed, along with #31. I'm glad your healing went well also. I will ask the oral surgeon about getting a bone graft at the time of extraction for a future implant.

*Tomorrow I'll be calling to set up an appointment. Thanks for all your kind words.

Tomorrow I go in to have tooth number 31 extracted.
Needless to say, I'm slightly nervous - never had a tooth pulled before.

The oral surgeon seems very knowledgable, but is very to the point, rather blunt. When I asked him if I could see the tooth once extracted, he said I could take it with me if I wanted to.

He said it was a surgical removal, instead of a simple extraction, because they have crowns, so the tooth is very small and may be harder to get out. Number #3 will be the same way. I get that removed next Thursday.

I'm just getting a local numbing, not being "put out". Hopefully it will all go well. I'm looking forward to getting rid of these infections.

I'm shopping for soft foods today, diet ginger ale - won't use a straw.
Any tips on preventing a dry socket or any other possible complications?

Thanks for everyone's help! Gretchen

You will be fine. Eat soft foods. Just follow the doctors orders. It really isn't so bad at all. I had two teeth with crowns and there was NO trouble in getting them out at all. The crown isn't exactly easy to remove from the stub of the tooth. I wish he was just a little "softer" in his approach with you. We all get nervous, and that gentle dispostion is easier on a person. Let me know how you are. Expect some swelling, but not too much. All will be OK. Tap back when you feel like it. I drank cool, not cold drinks, and nothing hot in foods for a few days. Just lay low, all will be well. ginnie

Hi ginnie, Thank you for those comforting words.

Yes, a gentler approach from the oral surgeon would be nice. If he does his job well, I will be happy though.

I'll check back in later tomorrow and let you know how it went.

Hi Gretchen,

You will be fine! Who cares if the oral surgeon is a bit of a jerk.... as long as he is a skilled surgeon that's really all that matters

With regard to your diet... yes, soft foods are recommended. Also, nutritious foods are just as important. Soda of any kind is not really the best thing to drink... diet or otherwise. Water is purifying and will help eliminate bacteria and toxins from your renal collecting system. So water is best. Mild tea just room temperature or even chilled, is also therapeutic.

Surgeons remove crowned teeth all of the time. It's not a big deal, so try not to worry.

Please check back tomorrow with an update... but I'm sure you will be fine and much relieved

Bryanna

Thanks Bryanna - I'll stick with the water then.

Under 3 hours until this first extraction. I'll check back with you all a little later today.

Well, the tooth is out and has been out for 1 and a half hours. There's still a little bleeding, so I'm using the gauze.

A weird thing that happened when the shots were administered. I got an electrical shock! He asked me if I did, and said that was actually a good sign!? It felt like liquid was dripping down my chin - hot liquid. I asked him what he used and I believe he said lidocaine.

Bryanna, do you know if this is normal?

Anyway, the extraction was very quick and the tooth looked awful, so much decay. Glad it's out!

Another thing, when I pulled my gauze off once, along with the blood, there was a little piece of black metal, looked like a piece of filling. Is this normal? I wouldn't want the hole to close with metal in it.

Thanks, Gretchen

Glad you are home. Bryanna will respond no doubt. Don't know what the black was myself. Rest easy for now. I don't like those shots myself, and I have felt that electic feeling also. It is over, thank goodness. Hope you have a cool compress going. ginnie

Thank you, ginnie, you've been such a comfort to me during this awful process. I really appreciate it. Gretchen