A Fresh Start

Off to Harleston, then, for a close encounter with the dentist who will henceforth be referred to as Dr Smelly. All I can say is that he’s not a good advert for mouthwash. Ick.

He took a look inside my mouth (so we’re even - it’s equally ick) and diagnosed an infection hidden deep beneath the shattered tooth (the tooth itself’s as dead as a dinosaur and has been for years).

“I’ll clear out the canals to relieve the pressure and will prescribe you some penicillin.” he told me.

I hadn’t appreciated that this would involve what felt like a 12″ rasp (I find it best to keep my eyes firmly shut during dental treatment) and I actually left in significantly more pain than that in which I arrived. It didn’t help that the chemist down the road (”It shuts at six”) looked as if it had been closed for hours and had July’s out-of-hours details in the window.

Home then (slurping away in pain, as the anaesthetic wore off). The local chemist was also showing July’s schedule but a quick search online found out that if I got to Sainbury’s in Norwich before 8pm relief would be mine, so off I bombed.

Back home and having dosed myself up (”You can take painkillers with that”, the chemist had proffered. “Thank goodness for that.” I’d replied, wittily), I’m sitting here swilling a salty mouthwash around in, it must be said, far less pain than earlier. I may even get a decent sleep tonight.

First thing on Monday I’ll start the search for a dentist. Honest.