The Things You See In The City

I took these photos on the tram ride back from the Dental Hospital to Flinders Street Station. I needed proof that I actually went into Melbourne.

Room for flowers in the city

Part of a Church

The Anglican Church on Swanston Street.

I loved seeing this in the city! There were two horse drawn carriages "parked" there.

Everything went well at the dentist. In fact it was easy peasy. No surgical procedure needed at all. Thank goodness. I did learn something about my stubborn molar and that was two of the roots were fused together. I'm thinking that's what made the extraction difficult when I saw my local dentist.
All I can say now is I am glad that is over and when the pain is gone things will be even better.

Dental Hospital

I'm off to the Dental Hospital in Melbourne today. I need to be there for 11:30 am (in three hours time). Mark and I will be travelling by train and tram to get there. I've never been on a tram in the city before. A new learning experience, right? 

I am so not looking forward to my hospital visit though. It makes me wish that the local dentist had been able to get that bothersome tooth out when I saw her a few months ago. Tatiyana (the dentist) did warn me that they will most likely need to cut my gum and maybe even some bone to get the tooth out. I am hoping that it is the worst case scenario. Darn those long roots.

Please send some good thoughts and wishes my way. Especially for the trip home. I have thoughts of feeling quite yucky on the way home with a sore and bloody mouth. I am hoping they send me home some with some good pain killers. 

It's Tooth Hurty

I went to the dentist yesterday afternoon. I was thinking it would be my last appointment for a while. Oh boy was I wrong! You see I was supposed to have a tooth extracted. However my tooth had other ideas (like it's got a brain but I am still blaming the tooth). The roots of this particular tooth were hanging on so tight that my tooth broke when the dentist tried to yank it out. Not only that the root is particularly close to my sinuses & boy did they know my mouth was being pestered today! After much pulling and wobbling plus using various different tools my dentist decided that she was unable to take the rest of my tooth out.

Guess what I have to do now? I need to go into Melbourne to the Dental Hospital to have my tooth extracted. And to top it off there could be several months wait depending on how busy they are. Lucky me MORE waiting. Just as long as it doesn't take two years like it did to get some general dental work done. Plus I also found out that I still need to go back in a month to get a filling done. Hopefully that will go smoothly! I don't wish for any more hiccups.  I guess I shouldn't complain really my mouth didn't hurt that much considering what was done to it today. I just want the swelling to go down.

Playing The Public Dentist Waiting Game

A while back I mentioned that I had been on a waiting list to see the public dentist. After two years of waiting I finally made it to the top of the list a couple of months ago. I've only had two appointments over the past 9 weeks. I suppose I can't complain really since I was on the waiting list for so long.

I had my initial appointment which was basically an assessment to see what was required. I've also had an xray and a teeth clean (I didn't really like that being done I can tell you). The good news is that I don't need any fillings. The bad news is I need two teeth extracted. One will be done next week and the second one will be done next month. I'm not looking forward to that one. It's one of my wisdom teeth. It's what you call impacted (or something like that) it's teeny and most of it is below the gum. Did I mention I am not looking forward to that one? Gosh I am so dreading it. Going to the dentist is a necessary evil right? I just wish I could be knocked out and have it all done at once. Get it over and done with. 

I blame my sister for making me all squeamish about the dentist. All those stories she told me as a kid. Shame on you sis. Why am I not like my other sister who gets so relaxed in the chair that she wants to go to sleep. I wish I was like her instead.

Before I forget, the dentist also mentioned that I could have a plate if I wanted to considering I've had a few teeth extracted over the years. Mark thinks I should go for it since it will be relatively cheap. The dentist said that I could probably go without one for now but if I had any more teeth removed I'll definitely need one. I'm tending to agree with Mark. Otherwise it will have to wait until I go back on the list to get more general dental work done. What would you do? Get the plate now or wait until you lose more molars and go back on the waiting list to get it done then?

It's All About The Smile

I was reading through my news feed in my Google Reader when I came across a headline mentioning how the Public Dental Scheme (PDS) is in a horrifying state. You can read about how bad it is HERE if you'd like.

This prompted me to make a phone call to my 'local' dental service. I use the term 'local' very loosely here because the dental service that handles the phone calls & inquiries for my area is 40km (25 miles) away.


I just wanted to see if my name was still on the list and how much longer I would need to wait. I spoke about my initial phone call with them HERE when I had broken my front tooth and I was placed on the waiting list last year in March. Back then I was told that they would see me in 7 months time. So I ended up going to a private dentist and paying $160 to get my tooth fixed.

When I had a toothache last September I phone up for an emergency appointment. I managed to get in to see them in October. When I made that phone call I was told that it would be 10 months from when my name went on the list. That's okay I thought that's not too bad so next February I'll be able to get my teeth checked & fixed. I was kind of looking forward to it. February came and went.

So here we are today and its the first of May. I thought that I would ring up and see if my name was still on the list and when I would be able to get my teeth done. The girl I spoke with was very polite. Said my name was still on the list and that it would still be at least another 12 months before I get in. Yep 12 months! Not bad considering I was told 7 months in the first place.

I totally agree with the newspapers stating that the PDS is in a horrifying state. The system sucks! You need to be in agony to get an emergency appointment. Too bad if you have broken teeth that are getting worse because you have to wait. Too bad if you don't have the money to see a private dentist. You just have to suffer with bad teeth for years!!

I know I shouldn't complain. There are people who are worse off than we are. Maybe I should create myself a challenge just for fun & to help pass the time .. something like how many crochet/knitting projects can I get done before I get in to the dentist to get some general work done? That doesn't sound too bad really .. I think I'll start counting from today!

No More Nasty Tooth

I had my visit with the dentist today. Yay my nasty tooth is gone thank goodness. Now all I need to do is take care so that my mouth heals up nicely. The dentist was fantastic. I hope I get to see her when I eventually go there to get my general work done.

Some of that stuff the dentist uses tastes absolutely nasty. I'm not sure if was the injection or what but it was disgusting. I still have that icky taste in my mouth but I am unable to rinse yet. I don't want to knock that blood clot out. Thankfully I have sugar free mints I can suck on.

I am so relieved that I wont have another toothache (well at least not with that tooth).

I'm still on the waiting list for general dental work. I was told today that its a 12 month wait. When I phoned last week I was told it was 8 months. I still have 6 months to go but doesn't really matter how long I need to wait. I am on the list & that's all that matters. In the meantime if I have any problems I just phone up for emergency dental care like I did this time round.

A Bear With A Sore Tooth

We all have good days and bad days right? Today is an I'm not so sure day. I have a toothache. I haven't bothered ringing up the dentist. You see I am a 'public' patient which means no private health insurance. The 'free' dentist (I use the term 'free' very loosely) has a 6 month waiting list (it might be longer but it was a 6 month wait last time I phoned). 

I am on the waiting list for the dentist and by my calculations I have at least another month or so before I get to the top of the list. Before you ask yes they do allow for emergencies. Sometimes you can be lucky enough to get an appointment for the same day if you phone them early enough or you might be lucky enough to get a voucher and you can see a private dentist. All I know is that this tooth will be pulled they don't usually try to save the tooth it's much cheaper and easier for them to do an extraction.

Considering how much I dislike dentists I will see how I go. I blame my sister Vicki with all of those scary stories she told me when I was little. I should've just listened to Julie & been more like her when it comes to the dentist. Hopefully the pain will go away soon. If not paracetamol with codeine will be my good friend :P at least for the time being. I dare not take anything else due to the other medications I am on. I don't want them to interact badly with one another. I am so glad I am not like a bear with a sore tooth. I haven't been grumpy or anything.

I am feeling kind of nosy. What do you do when you have a toothache? Do you go to the dentist or suffer with the pain? Do you have any home remedies that you use?

I Can Smile Again

Last Tuesday I broke a tooth. My front tooth. At least I thought it was broken but I did have a filling there. I was hoping that it was just the filling that came out when I bit into something. It was hard to tell because the filling was white.

Anyway I had to wait until today to get in to see the dentist. This dentist wasn't my first choice though. I phoned the Public Dental System first, you can read about them here if you would like to. I am eligible for this scheme because I am on a Carer's Allowance. They weren't able to help me out because I wasn't in pain when I called. Figure that one out. If I told them that I couldn't eat or talk properly or that I was in agony they could see me immediately, the next day or even refer me to a dentist that they have on their list of approved private dentists.

Well, I wasn't going to fib about it. I told them I wasn't in pain. The girl on the end of the phone said, "Okay you are on our list. See you in about 7 months."
Umm HELLO I have a broken front tooth? In 7 months it could break and become worse!! She said "If it gets worse phone us up and we will see what we can do."

So I phone the private dentist in town. The one I went to today. I was a bit surprised that I had to wait a whole week to get in but I guess being the only dentist in town they must get pretty busy. They were great. Very friendly and fast, well once you got there. Waiting a week was a killer. I was worried I would do more damage to my tooth before I got it fixed. In fact as I brushed my teeth this morning I broke a bit more off :(

Within half an hour of arriving at the dental surgery I was out and on my way home. No injections required (good 'cos I truly dislike them a lot). Even though I have no private health insurance it was worth the $160 I paid to get my tooth fixed. I can now smile with confidence again. I know that may sound a little vain but I love my smile & how it makes my eyes sparkle.

I do recommend that if you can afford it get the private health insurance. It is worth it. Medicare and pension cards only cover so much.