My red-headed mother passed down the gene mutation (melanocortin- 1 receptor) that causes resistance to lidocaine and other local anesthesia. Made for some rough dentist/ortho visits as a child. The pain afterwards is pretty negligible but when the lidocaine wears off mid-extraction it’s fucking rough.

Been there done that. Was pulling rotted roots from a broken tooth the other week…had my surgery set but my x-rays were 6 months old, shit had deteriorated and surgeon agreed with me that a new exam was warranted. That meant the surgery was delayed and I get to deal with the pain for longer and likely get more pulled.

I legitimately want them to pull everything. I’d rather deal with full dentures until I can afford implants. My teeth have always been sensitive and I will absolutely fuck my tongue up probing at partial denture wires.

Just today I had two new chunks fall out. The first time I bit down on a chunk of tooth scarred me, but the day I realized I was used to it broke me a bit.

I’m literally looking forward to having 8 teeth pulled this month because A. at least the pain will go away B. They’re putting me under general because the several extractions I’ve had before this traumatized the shit out of me.

I could also share the story of paying $800 for a root canal and temp crown then losing my job before getting the perm crown. The remainder of that tooth was extracted a year later for $350.

Paying $1150 to lose a tooth radicalized the fuck out of me.