The Dentist

I had to have another root canal about a month ago, which was no big deal. My previous two root canals I had no pain at all after, and this one was the same (but I should probably do something with my Lortab prescriptions instead of throwing them away). So Tuesday I went back to get the crown fitting - and I didn't have any worries because the last two fittings were no problems and my teeth have been great.

Hopped up on the gas, the dentist comes in to deaden my mouth and I have to stop him because he almost deadens the wrong side of my mouth. So the fitting goes fine, I go back to work, the numb wears off.....almost. My tongue is still tingly. One, two, five hours after work my tongue is still tingly. When I eat, I can only taste what I am eating on the edge of the right side of my tongue - maybe a centimeter of my tongue can taste. I figure I'll go to bed and see what tomorrow brings.

Yesterday, still tingly and no taste. Lunchtime, still tingly and no taste. So I call the dentist and have a chat with him. Because they don't know exactly where the nerve is, there is always a chance they can hit the nerve when they do an injection. I can live with that. When they do hit the nerve, the tongue will usually be numb and tingly for 2-3 months. As for tasting my food, that should come back fully in 6-8 months. He said he has had 3-4 patients with the same thing, and all of them recovered fully. I even did some web searching and about 1 in 700,000 have permanent damage.

My point in telling you this is not to freak you out so you don't want to go to the dentist any more. (Although, money may help me feel a little better about not being able to taste anything) Just brush, floss, and rinse with a fluoride rinse regularly. That way you can avoid cavities, minimize fillings, reduce the chances you'll ever need a root call, and shouldn't have to have a super-dose of local anesthesia that might rob you of 95% of the enjoyment of eating food.

Sorry if this leaves a wierd taste in your mouth. There's not one in mine. -Lance-