Wisdom Teeth

Katie D.

December 26, 2010 - 3:14 PM

It happens to us all eventually: the dreaded wisdom tooth extraction. This is part of nearly every college student's life at one point or another, and comes with a long litany of woes and complications supplied by all your college-aged friends. You hear about every possible ailment, from dry socket to infections caused by broccoli bits. Everyone's got their story. And now I've got mine.

I had my wisdom teeth pulled on December 20th. It was an unpleasant process, mitigated by my dentist being one of the nicest people I've ever met. However, nothing quite compensates for the sound of tooth roots being ripped out of your face.

What followed next was several days of "chipmunk face" or extreme and unsightly swelling in the cheeks and jaws. There is photo evidence, which will not be shared here or anywhere else, unless called upon for some medical journal.

Then: recovery. Thank goodness. Pain down, swelling down, and life returning to normal.

Or that's what I thought, until Christmas Eve arrived with an excruiciating bout of dry socket. Just on one side, thank goodness, but that was a sensation unlike anything I hope to experience again. Now I've got gauze and medicine packed into the socket, to be replaced every couple of days until I go back to Eugene.

Blerg.

The tooth thing has been the dominant factor of my winter break. I didn't have much time in Colorado anyway, and the extra goodies of tooth issues have meant that most of my time has been spent on a couch or bed, eating soft foods and trying to remember not to sleep on the right side of my face. It's meant that not much of the normal holiday/homecoming activities have taken place, at least not in their normal way.

But it's also been wonderful in some ways. My parents have both taken fabulous care of me, and have made break really easy for me and my pain killers-addled self. They've spent time with me and left me alone, they've watched TV and movies, and played cards. They've let me hole up in the house instead of taking my swollen face out into public. It's been all milkshakes and applesauce and chicken noodle soup for days. Thanks to their care, I finally was healed enough yesterday for a real Christmas dinner at my aunt and uncle's house, complete with some Christmas cookies.

The final step in this whole process comes on Wednesday or Thursday, when I'm back in Eugene. I'll need to extract the final dry socket packing myself, with a pair of dental pliers my dentist gave me. All I can say is I'm quite dreading the experience. Please please wish me luck.

The best offshoot of this whole debacle is that I got the serious downtime I needed for break. I've spent most of my time really resting for the first time in months. I've done lots of reading (even some for class, so no total slacking here!) and watched movies with my dad and sister. It's been calm and simple, and means I've had a real pause from the normal pace of life. I guess it takes minor surgery to get me to take a full break sometimes. Regardless, I'm pretty happy to have had it.

Just write if you'd like me to send pictures of the offending teeth. I've got them in a lovely little box, so I might as well let the world see. Just let me know!