Let me back up a little because I probably haven't mentioned this much, if at all. About a year ago before we were going on vacation my upper back bridge came out when I bit into a Weight Watcher Caramel Bar. I was able to bring it to the dentist at home and he successfully glued it back in. My main concern back then was that it wouldn't come out anytime while we were away which included Brittany's wedding and a cruise when we would be with other people. At that time I decided not to eat anything that was hard and would cause it to pop and also not things that would get stuck in the openings from where the bridge must have deteriorated.
Fortunately nothing happened but over the next year the bridge seemed to get worse and I lived with Picksters. Just before we were going away again this year (3 weeks), my lower bridge on the opposite side of my mouth (right) got unglued. This time when I went to the dentist he told me that there was nothing left to glue it back onto. But he did say I could live with it off until I decided what to do. In the meantime, the first bridge problem was getting worse and what used to be small openings now felt like a crater and everything I ate got stuck in it. I ordered more Piksters and always had them in my pockets, purse and laying around the house. On the way down to Gerry's wedding I got food stuck in there and I got it out but my teeth bothered me for a few days. Then I went on my no solid food diet so I wouldn't have a toothache for his wedding. Yea!! It worked. I was fine for the wedding and was even able to eat. On and off for the next few weeks I was able to eat without it bothering me but I was constantly picking food out of my teeth no matter how hard I tried to eat only on the right side things kept getting stuck in there. Yogurt and pureed soup became my staple when Laura came to visit. While she was here my gum got swollen and my sinus hurt. Not sure if I had a toothache or a sinus problem but I definitely had a problem. Of course, all problems come over the weekend.
Back to current now - on Saturday, we dropped Laura off in Stuart and then spent the weekend in Delray with Doris and Michael. On Monday morning at 8 AM I called the dentist office and got an appointment for 11 AM. The verdict was that I had an abscess and needed 2 teeth pulled. I was scheduled for an 8 AM appointment on Wednesday and started on amoxicilln.
Yesterday I had the teeth extracted and today I was able to eat without picking teeth in that area - since there weren't any. He was going to cut my bridge and then pull the teeth but I mentioned that I thought the bridge would probably come off in the cutting process since it was loose on the front tooth. Before cutting he tried to take it off and it came off just fine. However, he wasn't able to put it back because the front tooth was broken. Fortunately I don't have a toothy smile so I'm good.
We went to Publix to fill another presciption for amoxicillin and when I looked at myself in the mirror I realized I shouldn't try to smile until the novacanine wore off. pretty scary.
The end - - for now.
Update - when we were in Hilton Head my gum started to swell up and I thought the abscess was spreading to my half tooth. We went out to dinner with Joanne and Jerry Griffin, a friend of Larry's who he hasn't seen in over 20 years and I got the name of their dentist because I thought for sure I would be going on Monday. On Saturday I started to take the amoxicillin hoping to kill any bacteria. On Sunday morning while we were waiting to move from Surf Watch to Sunset Point I put my finger in my mouth to feel how big that swelling was on my gum. When I pressed on it, a big glob of pus came out on my finger. I quickly rinsed it with salt water and then the swelling completely went away and I've been pain free ever since. Things are looking up. Easier to consider next steps when pain isn't involved.
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