Teeth Be With You

It was back in December when I started experiencing tooth pain. Not the rolling on the floor, end of the world I’m going to die pain, but more of a knocking I’m here and irritated kind of pain. Just to clarify. No one likes the dentist its true, top that off with a lack of dental insurance, I swept that irritated pain under the carpet. To be ignored.

PSA - Do not ignore pain. Regardless of where that pain is, go see a specialist! Pain is not to be ignored.

This should certainly be a no brainer, but I don’t know how many times I, myself ignored pains, or heard of other people doing the same. It’s just not worth it.

While running, my tooth ache taunted and teased me. I complained a lot, but did nothing about it. And, I of course kept running. Fast- forward to um, well a couple of weeks ago, I started to experience that “rolling on the floor, OMG I’m going to die pain.” I was miserable. At first I thought it was a coffee headache, but soon enough, the pain had taken over the whole side of my face. The pain came in waves and man were those waves intense! I turned into this over the counter pill popping monster. No overdoses over here and to my dismay, no pain relief either.

I fought the pain and the pain won. I finally (FINALLY) went to the dentist.

I ended up having an emergency root canal. Apparently, under a filling, my tooth had basically

died. It died! Whatever that bloody means.  

So there I was, sitting in the dentist chair, with my mouth wide open and vulnerable, staring at my oh so humbling teeth x rays, with a slightly above average (okay, hot) dentist looking into my mouth of death. Why must all my dentists be hot? It is a very cruel trick to play. No, nothing has happened to UMM. We are still fabulous, but I can still appreciate a good looking man and still feel quite embarrassed that this good looking man is working on the Teeth of Terror exhibit otherwise known as my mouth!

 

 

After a couple of weeks of experiencing excruciating pain and an emergency root canal, it would be assumed that one should lay low and let the body recuperate from all the stresses. I of course thought it was a good idea to run 20.5 miles the very next day. I did it and it is done, but it was hard. I felt nauseous, light headed, weak and everything in between. The mind is always stronger than the body and I must remember for next time that I need to let it rest. Let it rest!

In the midst of marathon training, it is easy to get caught up with training plans and schedules. It is just as easy to over train. Rest days are important too!

I have learned a lot from my teeth these past few months. Taking care of myself will not only help my running, but it is important to keep healthy that in turn will keep me fit and happy.