Dental abscesses like the one the procedure remedies can be present for years, the dentist had said, held in check until something upsets the immune system. Often, that something will be a viral infection.
"I did feel sorry for people who got Covid and had abscesses flare up during lockdown when they couldn't get treatment," he said.
Attentive readers may recall my description in a column earlier this year of the brief, very dramatic symptoms that presented shortly before I tested positive for Covid-19.
An earache suddenly became severe, then one side of my face rapidly swelled to the point where my ear was completely closed and I was having trouble aligning my jaw. That, then, could have been the virus playing havoc with my immune system?
"Quite probably," said the dentist.
Denne historien er fra December 24 2022 - January 2 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra December 24 2022 - January 2 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.