Taking advantage of a bad situation - Smoking Cessation Message Board

Prtam · 10-12-2004, 06:38 PM

I've been smoking since I was 16. I'm 34 now (35 in November)

Well, haven't been to a dentist in a long time since the last one I went to used b & m about cleaning the stains off my teeth. (Actually, I'm quite lucky that I only stain the bottom backside of my teeth and you would never know I"m a smoker unless you got one of those mirrors dentists use).

Anyway, it turns out that I will have to get my wisdom teeth removed on Thursday as they've decided to become infected. Yikes. Since I've never had a tooth pulled and never had to deal with the days after, I am worried to death about dry socket. Well, I've also been wanting to quit smoking for a long time, but could never find an opportune moment until not. What better time?

I'm a little nervous as I've only had a week to prepare, not just for the dentist, but for the lifestyle change.

I'm going cold turkey. I had tried Zyban before (which worked wonderfully but caused a lot of wierdness); a fight with my roommate ruined that near success. I have tried the gum; it bothered my teeth and don't think it a prudent choice given the new situation.

Maybe if my mouth hurts like hell, it will make it easier. LOL. From what I remember through the two longest times I ever quite, just three days and the rest is choice. Gee, won't it take me about that long to heal?

Anyway, you may see me here on Thursday with an icepack against my cheek asking for your support. See y'all soon.

Ricky

Missylynn · 10-13-2004, 07:49 AM

Congratulations on your decision to quit. You can do it!!! As for the dry sockets they pain like the dickens and the only thing that helped me was medicine that the doctor put on a cotton swab and stuck in the socket. I think the way to avoid dry socket it to not rinse too soon after the tooth is pulled because if you do you will rinse out the plug that forms where the tooth was. This plug helps the gum to heal.

Dry socket may make you so frustrated that you will want to smoke so hopefully you wont get that.

Prtam · 10-15-2004, 01:59 PM

The extractions were awful. I wasn't nervous going in because I heard so many stories that it wasn't as bad as they thought. Well, it ended up worse than I thought.

I had my last cigarette 2 hours before the procedure. That night, when the novocaine wore off, I was in so much pain I could hardly think of a cigarette. Can you believe I wasn't prescribed anything for pain?

I spent the entire night focused on keeping the pain in my jaw down enough so I could get some sleep.

This morning, I felt better. No desire for a cigarette and the pain much less. Progressively the pain disappeared. I've only had one craving, and that is now, at 4pm. Can you believe it? I've been eating soft foods like a soft food pig. I've also accomplished a lot around the house. I worry that tomorrow I won't have enough to do to focus my mind. But, tomorrow will be my 3ish day.

Ricky