Oh no Meg, far from it. I really am sorry about my grumpiness about this, but as you all know, this is very traumatic for me.
I woke up Tuesday morning after a bad night’s sleep with the pain of the abscess so I didn’t go into work because of the pain but, when I saw my dentist on Wednesday and told him about it he had a look and said it was a massive abscess. The pain had been excruciating. Anyway, he removed the two top teeth just right of the front four and drained the abscess, giving me a prescription for Amoxicilin just in case there was an infection.
I have to go back on 2 November to remove the top two left of my front four. This is being done in stages, but I’m hoping for a smile for Christmas.
I have the bottom set to contend with before all is ended.
Thank you all for being so kind. I appreciate the support from everyone.
Problem now is, how do I eat comfortably? It’s really difficult to bite into anything at all, even a sandwich, so I’m surviving on mash potato, tinned mince and stuff like that, but at least I’m still eating.
You keep at it (eating) Mollie darlin’ - you need to maintain your strength and just like a car cannot run on an empty tank.
Some years ago had a friend who also had to have corrective dental surgery - the Consultant Orthodontist had to break her jaw and wire it back into place, she was like that for about 6 - 8 weeks, unable to open her mouth to eat. We managed to keep her going on mashed bananas in yoghurt.
Problem now is, how do I eat comfortably? It’s really difficult to bite into anything at all, even a sandwich, so I’m surviving on mash potato, tinned mince and stuff like that, but at least I’m still eating.
A few meal suggestions that may help you, Mollie …
Breakfast: Softened Weetabix; Porridge; boiled egg; Baked beans; Stewed fruit with yoghurt.
Lunch: Soup with bread (crusts cut off if necessary); Scrambled eggs; Jacket Potato mashed up with butter and cottage cheese; Yoghurt.
Dinner: Fish Pie with soft veg; Spaghetti Bolognese; Cottage Pie; Salmon Steak with mashed potato; Omelette; Macaroni Cheese; Cheesy Potato Bake.
Desserts: Rice Pudding or any milk pudding; mashed banana in custard; Creme Caramel; Bread & Butter Pudding; Ice Cream.
I’ve never eaten toffees in me life, don’t like ice cream, pasta, cereals. I don’t eat breakfast or lunch. I only eat one meal a day in the evening, and mayhap a spot of supper at aroud 8 p.m. Mayhap I’ll buy some rusks and mush them down in milk. I like those.
This really is a nightmare, but I shall persevere and get on with it because I know I have good support here.
I’m surviving on cottage pie, rice meals and other soft food so I won’t starve.
Mollie keep telling yourself the discomfort is only for a short time.
Some years ago I was having trouble with crumbling upper front teeth and my dentist suggested having 4 crowns which I did. I assumed they were for life. What the dentist neglected to tell me was they would need to be replaced between 5-15 years. After 10 years I had to have them replaced and the price had increased considerably since the first ones were fitted.Next time it will be even worse.
How I wish I had a small plate instead of the crowns.
Mollie I think you made a wise choice having your teeth sorted out now and it will all be worth it in the end.
Thank you once again for your kind thoughts and ideas. Of course, I’m still eating, even nourishing meals, so I am managing.
I still am dreading the final extractions but they will and must happen now, but I still can’t help feeling distraught about this but, having said that, I’m becoming more accepting now because I know all this wasn’t my fault but just very bad luck, so I shall plod on.
A quick update for those of you who have supported me with kind words and ideas.
I went to the dentist again on Friday to have two more top teeth extracted, so now I only have the front four at the top, so nothing to chew with. Eating like a rabbit now, but managing on rice pudding, cottage cheese and other soft foods! I’m even managing the insides of pies and, as a Wiganner, I won’t be done out of a pie!
Good news though is that he won’t be removing the bottom set of teeth after all, because he reckons they’re good for a few more years, so for that I am very thankful.
I have three more visits to go, the next two for final impressions and then on the third visit, the final extractions and new teeth. My next appointment is in a fortnight, then the following two will be each week, the last one being D-Day (Denture Day).
I’m still hating this, but at least I will have a new smile before my birthday in early December. What a birthday present that will be!
Thanks once again for your support. It has been very much appreciated.
Far out!!! - the end of the Marathon is in sight Mollie darlin’ you should soon be able to see the tape!!! And all of us who have been with you on this journey want to see a picture of your broad smile showing your new ‘pearly whites’ when its done on your birthday.
Well done Mollie. It sure has been a marathon:-p you will have to start stocking up on proper chewy food soon Just think of all those lovely things you will be able to eat. you will have to post a photo even if its only from the nose down so we can see your new smile.
That’s great news Mollie, well done girl, you grabbed the bull by the horns, you have been very brave and the end is now in sight, you shall have your full reward and it’ll be worth it all. Take care and keep us filled in (pardon the pun)
Bless you all for your tolerance of me whinging and moaning about this and please believe me, I am truly grateful to all of you who have supported me as I’ve had nobody else in the real world. That’s not to say that you’re not real, but you know what I mean.
I do have mixed feelings now about the end of this road. I have cried a lot over what has happened but, I have done my best to remain stoic, and I’m coming out the other side now.
Believe me, cottage cheese and rice pudding don’t go well together!
Thing is, Lynne, I don’t know what I’ll be able to eat once the new gnashers are in. Don’t know about a photo though yet lass. I’ll think about it, but you won’t know what I looked like before.
It has been an horrendous journey, and not one I wanted to travel but yes, I have been brave to traverse it, although I never thought of it that way, and I have been a grump, but you lovely folk have helped me through it and believe me, I have needed your support and kind words, so thank you all again. I’ll let you know how I get on with the new teef!
Mollie darlin’ after the end of the treatment and your gums settle down and you get used to your new ‘teef’, you’ll be munching on crispy apples, crunchy roast potatoes, crisps, and guey fudge without a second thought.
Hi Millie, What saddens me about your story is that you say people have laughed at you because of your teeth. That would depress me too. I cannot understand those kind of people. Quite obviously its been a big concern for you especially if you felt so proud of your teeth, and
also how were you going to be able to afford new teeth. Shame on those people I am glad you have got some more information and I think the advice given on here has been very good. I know it would be a painful ordeal to lose all your teeth at once but if they are all going to go anyway, it might be better to do that. You will need a friend to go with you as they wont let you go home without someone looking after you. If you feel unable to cope with it all at once then maybe do a few more stages and give yourself time to save up. If I win the lotto this week Mollie I will send you the cash. Take care and try not to worry and smile.
Hiya lass. What a sweet person you are. Don’t you be worrying yourself about my paying for my treatment. I’ve been paying in stages for the last few months, and I’ve only got £32 to pay for my final instalment, but how kind of you.
I don’t have a friend to go with for my last “torture” but I’ll be just fine. I have just three more appointments, which I mentioned and I have very mixed feelings of fear and relief. I think what’s bothering me most is the removal of the final four teeth, although logically speaking it is the reason I’ve gone down this road, but to lose the last … I dunno. It has to happen, and I never thought it would come to this, but it has, so I have to be sensible about it.
I’m relieved that the dentist won’t be removing my bottom teeth, as they’re fine for at least a few more years, but I will so much look forward to talk to people without keeping my mouth closed but, more importantly, I’ll be able to smile and laugh again without covering up my face.
UJ - I’m not bothered about guey fudge (yukky), but I will look forward to having a nice lamb or pork chop again.
I often wondered what they used to use in toothbrushes before the plastic bristles came in so I looked it up and found a few interesting facts. Horse tail hairs, hog bristles and in the more expensive ones, badger bristles, yuk!. William Addis was jailed in 1780 for causing a riot and while in prison he thought the practice of rubbing a rag with soot and salt then up and down your mouth wasn’t doing a great job so he held on to an animal bone after a meal and drilled small holes in it (no,it doesn’t say how he got hold of a Black & Decker drill in prison:lol:), he got some horse tail hairs from a guard and stuck them in the holes with glue, when he came out of prison he started to mass produce toothbrushes (two a day) and the rest is history, when he died he left the business to his Son and he called it the ‘Wisdom’ toothbrush.
Thanks again for all comments, and support. Had to go to dentist last Friday for a final impression. Yuk, that really made me gag, but he said it was a perfect impression.
Went again today and a palate had been made for me to try in, but it only had back teeth because I still have four front top teeth. It felt very comfortable and secure and I was speaking normally with it in, which surprised me. He made me look through a mirror, which I haven’t done in a long time, for me to compare them to the colour and shape of my bottom teeth, and they were lovely.
Anyway folks, next Friday is D-Day - denture day. As those of you will know who have kept up with this thread, my earlier fears, disgust and horror have now turned into more positivity and, in an odd way, I’m now looking forward to having a nice smile again. I had to take that photo into the dentist today - the one I put on here at the beginning of this saga - for the dental technician to match up with what I used to have.
Can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, but my dentist is NOT removing my bottom teeth after all as he says they’re still reasonably straight, a good colour and are secure, so it’s only the top ones I’m having out, which I’m glad about. Sort of!
I do still have mixed feelings about what happened, but once you get an infection of the gums, it can’t be cured, and this is what happened.
Thank you once again everyone. You’ve all been a rock for me and you wouldn’t believe the confidence you’ve given me to talk about this.
Mollie, I’m so pleased to hear you are almost at the end of your treatment, it’s been a long road for you but I’m sure you will agree that it’s been well worth it:-)
I had to have a back tooth extracted last Monday and at our age it feels like losing a friend!
I’m sure your new teeth will give you a lot more confidence now:-D
I like those. 
I think you made a wise choice having your teeth sorted out now and it will all be worth it in the end.
Just think of all those lovely things you will be able to eat. 
