In a commentary this week on Morning Edition, Frank Deford said the proof is in the pudding.. A listener wrote in to say that keeping proof in a pudding would be messy. The original proverb is: The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And what it meant was that you had to try out food to know whether it was good.
For the normal pain that is associated with tooth extraction, you can simply take over-the-counter painkillers such as Ibuprofen. This should help in any slight or normal pain after tooth extraction. Keep monitoring any pain or discomfort and if you are ever worried about it, contact your dentist immediately.
At the extraction appointment, your dentist will numb, or anesthetize, the tooth to be extracted, as well as the jawbone and gums surrounding it. Typically, a local anesthetic such as novocaine or lidocaine is injected to eliminate discomfort.