This past week, I experienced an event that I hoped would never happen. Though everyone goes through it, I still held onto the hope that, somehow, I would be able to escape it. If you've gone through getting your wisdom teeth removed, you are going to completely understand everything I am about to say. If you haven't, hang tight. It's coming.
It all started three years ago when I had four of my adult teeth pulled. The operation is commonly used to align crooked teeth. Because I already had four molars pulled (two on top, two on bottom), I hoped I would be able to wiggle my way out of the whole wisdom teeth removal process. That, however, was very untrue. After going to the dentist a couple weeks ago, I discovered that the operation was quite necessary.
Less than a week later, I was in the operating room.
Going into it, I felt nervous, recalling the many horror stories my family and friends told. The oral surgeons hooked me up to the equipment, and before I knew it, everything was over, thanks to the anesthesia.
The actual surgery went really well. Everything went as planned, and I was well cared for afterward by one of my best friends. She took me home and helped me with the bleeding that continued for a couple hours proceeding everything.
The truly tough part was the dietary restrictions.
After the surgery, I was on a liquid-only diet. It was difficult because I felt really hungry all the time. Four Jello cups later, I still felt as hungry as ever. I ate pudding, Jello, and ice-cream all day long. I love ice cream, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't suffice as a meal. Nothing felt satisfying, so I ate until I grew weary of the taste.
Prior to the process, I had made the decision to become healthier. I changed my diet to include many fruits and vegetables, things that made my body feel good. Removing my wisdom teeth altered my diet, leaving my health plan in the dust momentarily and making me feel a lot less energetic. I had difficulty consuming enough protein and other everyday essential nutrients, due to all the foods I had to restrain from.
On top of it all, the pain medication that the dentist prescribed me induced drowsiness. Not only was I tired from not being able to eat properly, but I felt exhausted from the pills, making it very hard to get through the day. This made exercise impossible,
The worst part was seeing commercials for thick, juicy steaks or big, delicious burgers, knowing I wouldn't be able to satisfy those cravings for days, possibly even weeks. It was pure torture.
The process of getting your wisdom teeth out really isn't that bad, but there are a few irritating setbacks. The operation forces you to choose health for your future over health during the present. Though I'm sure in the long term, the removal was worth it, it was frustrating maintaining my healthy, everyday life during the recovery process.
