Yeah so I am going to the dentist today. Last night I'm sitting in the living room, watching Hell's Kitchen with William (quality time, I say) and my tooth starts literally KILLING ME! It isn't a tooth I've had recent troubles with at all. It is a tooth that had a cavity a million years ago (translates to about 15 years ago), was drilled, filled with stupid silver filling, and since has been just dandiful. Well last night it decided to murder the entire left side of my head. I took some heavy drugs (codeine baby!) and eventually it stopped hurting so much.

It means that I am heading to the dentist this afternoon for x-rays and possible dental work. YAY! Go me. UGH

I haven't told you people about my dental problems, have I? Not that you care to know, but when I was a baby I had infantile seizures. The doctors prescribed phenobarbitol, to be taken orally (with a dropper), to solve this problem.

Phenobarbital (also phenobarbitone) (Luminal®) is a weak acid with the chemical formula C12H12N2O3. It is a barbiturate used as a drug for its hypnotic, sedative, and anticonvulsant properties. It was widely prescribed in the 1930s and 1940s for a variety of ailments (such as epilepsy), but fell from favor after relatively more specialized hypnotics (mainly the benzodiazepines) began to appear in the 1960s. It is still routinely prescribed to dogs and cats with epilepsy.

Phenobarbitone (-ol) is now a class B controlled drug in the UK and a Schedule IV drug in the US.

How does this relate to my teeth? Well back in the 70s doctors hadn't done enough research to know what sorts of side effects that this drug would have on a little baby like me. Apparently the phenobarbital produced a condition in me that keeps my teeth from growing healthy enamel. You know, the stuff that protects your teeth, keeps them white and pretty, and generally prevents cavities. Well, I don't really have any of that. Bummer. There was a chance that my adult teeth would be fine, but alas, nope. No enamel. Therefore, I get cavities like CRAZY. Especially between my teeth, where they touch one another. And my teeth chip, especially the front ones. I really hate that.

And YES, I take very good care of my teeth. I'm an obsessive brusher/flosser/mouthwash user. I need to be. So it pisses me off when I get another cavity, especially when there are people who barely brush their teeth and get NO CAVITIES. *sigh*


Sorry to whine, but I have a toothache and I really want it GONE before I leave for Lumos next week! OMG, next week! I can remember when it was still months away.

Maybe I'll make myself happy and post my pics when I get home from the dentist. I'll need cheering, I'm sure. I mean seriously, who likes trips to the dentist?