ysobel | (no subject)

The last few days I’ve been having on and off lower jaw pain -- way lower than my teeth but could be a root issue. It mostly gets triggered by eating hot foods. Very sharp linear pain, probably an 8 on the pain scale, like a very slender straight ice pick. I have an appointment to see my dentist tomorrow morning.

And I’m sorta scared. Because dental work has a high probability of having the jaw fuse up (novocaine shots almost always trigger reactions, fiddling with teeth may or may not have an effect), and my jaw is quite literally one of the few things I have left. Plus, if I lose jaw mobility I might not be able to really sing, and that is one of my stress relievers and social activities. I have promised myself that if/when my jaw fuses up I can get my ears pierced and wear pretty earrings as a … reward isn’t the right term, but positive association sort of thing? … but really, I don’t know what I’d do.

I don’t know for sure that this is something that will need treatment -- it could be anything from temperature sensitivity, to clenching teeth at night, to a cracked tooth, to who knows what. (Not checking webmd, it probably will convince me I have bone cancer in my jaw and also tetanus and maybe mumps and polio as well.) And if it does need treatment, it might not be anything invasive. And if it does need invasive treatment, a) my dentist is awesome (and he and his office have been very good about helping me with preventive oral care) and b) there are people familiar with FOP dental issues that can be consulted, so there is a chance -- not a huge one, but I can still hope -- that nothing permanent will happen.

But still.

Wibble.