Novocaine & The Hot Room.

After surrendering to antibiotics for a week, I finally got to have my root canal yesterday morning.

I had a root canal done on another tooth almost six years ago... And it was a bitch of an experience. I was in pain, and the dentist couldn't get me completely numb. So he had to shoot Novocaine directly into my tooth's nerve. Afterwards, he had to prescribe me LIQUID PERCOSET for pain. Needless to say, it was a shit experience. So, naturally, I dreaded this new root canal. But that was silly of me.

Because the brilliant dentist at the emergency dental place put me on antibiotics, within a a day or two of taking them, I had no more pain in the tooth. The pink liquid (yes, liquid) was killing my infection. I still needed to get the root canal done, but by taking the med I killed the pain before hand. And that was the smartest thing ever.

As I laid down in the dental chair yesterday morning, the dentist first number my mouth with a topical agent. Then he gave me two shot of Novocaine. I didn't even feel them. Then, for the next two hours, I laid there with my mouth open as he drilled, shaved and extracted bacteria from the roots of my teeth.

I felt nothing. Nothing at all. Well, that is a lie... At one point he was drilling really hard, and I started to laugh because the vibration from the drill was making my whole head feel funny. But now that I look back on that, I have to ask...

"Who the fuck laughs during a root canal?"

The dentist finished up and offered me some pain killers. I declined them. I didn't feel any pain. And I knew any that I did feel could be treated with Children's Tylenol. So I left the office and went straight to work... Where I proceeded to have two slices of pizza, a red velvet cupcake and an Americano from Starbucks...

Yes. Exactly what you should be eating right after a root canal, huh? No matter. I was fine. And a few hours later, I headed to the Bikram studio for class 21 of the Bikram 101 Challenge. I went up to the teacher before class and told her...

"Yeah, I just had a root canal. So it may be a rough class for me."

She was impressed I was at the studio at all. But, again, I wasn't in any pain. I just didn't know if the Novocaine would cause me any dizziness as I began to sweat and move. So I didn't want her to worry.

Turns out, she didn't need to. I had a KICK ASS class. I was very strong and extremely determined.

I honestly think that Bikram yoga has done amazing things to how my body functions. Any substance I put into it... Such as alcohol, antibiotics, over-the-counter children's medications, coffee, dental numbing agents... It all works so quickly with small amounts. And it is because I sweat out my toxins in Bikram... So I am a "clean slate" after each class. And my body can react to what I put in it.

I am so grateful for that.