Dental Emergencies During SHTF???

[Member 53328]

I was gunna post a well known scene from American History X that will clear your teeth immediately but it would probably be frowned upon. So instead I'll just say use a chisel and a hammer.....

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

My old lady is a veterinarian, and does full dental work on a variety of different animals. While the anatomy is slightly different for each species, the concepts carry over. I'm in good hands.

 

[Pops1911]

Ok Ok, just for the record. Might be TMI so beware.... I brush and floss daily. My last dental check up was about a year ago. The covid crap kept me from being able to go for this year's check up. Recent xrays too. Nothing was amiss with anything before the tooth went south. No warning just started hurting. Dentist said words to the effect that these things just happen. I am very grateful this was not a shtf situation. I might of had to contact one of you to come over and pull my tooth! Do any of you make house calls? I got whisky! Sumpthin to think about fer sure.

 

[MfnLeadFarmer]

Red Cross Toothache Medication Drops https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GGJDD8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_UwUWFb4H9P8BJ

Gya Labs Clove Essential Oil - Great for Toothache & Better Oral Care - Pain Relief & Acne Treatment -100% Pure Natural Therapeutic Grade Clove Oil for Tooth Aches, Topical Use & Aromatherapy - 10ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075QDWKRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_gzUWFbZGJ6KKB

 

[Alexx1401]

Some times a tooth problem will sneak up on someone but, normally this is people just ignoring them until it's a crisis. We have top notch insurance where I work and an amazing number of people admit they do not use it. To try to keep people from ending up needing pricey work they do a couple exams and routine cleanings for almost free. Still many just ignore the teeth until something starts to hurt. I try to tell anyone who admits this that no one in their right mind likes the Dentist but, far better to find one you like and get the benefit of of having them check you a couple times a year. Does not mean you will not have some crisis pop up but sure makes it far less likely.

 

[Alexx1401]

Red Cross Toothache Medication Drops https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GGJDD8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_UwUWFb4H9P8BJ

Gya Labs Clove Essential Oil - Great for Toothache & Better Oral Care - Pain Relief & Acne Treatment -100% Pure Natural Therapeutic Grade Clove Oil for Tooth Aches, Topical Use & Aromatherapy - 10ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075QDWKRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_gzUWFbZGJ6KKB

Every time I hear of clove oil I think of Dustin Hoffman in that movie with the German drilling into his tooth. . I can't help but think of that damn movie when I first sit in the chair now too

 

[titsonritz]

 

[Knebel]

As someone who is not having the best of luck with the biters they were given, I can assure that some diamond burrs, a dremel, peroxide and a tube of composite filling along with an UV curing light can get you going for a long time(available online). This is for small things that need fixing. First hand expierience, you can make very decent filling that can last years if a dentist isn't available. You can't do a clean enough job like a dentist but for an emergency sitation plenty fine.

As with everything, know and learn how to take care of yourself and everything else and how to fix things you rely on. Don't rely on other people doing it for you.

 

[Mike7b]

Just go out to the shop and make a set of chompers like jaws in the James bond movies.

 

[CLee0507]

View attachment 784101

I still remember that scene vividly.... Thanks for the cringe.

 

[Southpaw]

My Dad was the Chief dentist at the VA in PDX up on Pill Hill. When we were kids and needed dental work, he would sneak us up there on the weekends and take care of our teeth. We weren't vets so that's what we did to have our Dad be our dentist.

When us or his patients would ask "will it hurt Doc?" he would always say, "nope, I won't feel a thing".

 

[Member 34319]

Saw post, instantly thought of cast away. Glad I wasn't the only one.

View attachment 784101

 

[edzz]

Imperfect storm.

A couple of years ago I had a pop corn husk stuck under the gum, irritating as heck. Went after it with plastic pick, didn't get it just irritated the gum. Next day at bed time things were going south, and was in some but tolerable pain next morning woke up very early with golf ball size swelling and severe pain. Wife called dental tech friend that worked for my dental clinic. She told us to come right in, it was Saturday morning so... my regular dentist was replaced by on call dentist that was new to the clinic and was working on 3-4 hours sleep due to newborn at home. He drained the abscess and gave me the standard pain killers that don't work on me. On Monday I was back in the clinic with returned swelling and pain having Jim my regular dentist drain it properly and prescribing antibiotics.

Than about a week later with the tooth issue in the rearview mirror found me telling my wife that I was feeling lethargic, left arm discomfort, etc. so she dragged me to work with her so she could keep an eye on me and to show how bad I was feeling I let her, even put up with her driving (toads wild ride anyone). Her first client of the day was an ER doctor we know well. She gave me a quick once over and told my wife to get me to the hospital as she called ahead as she was seeing signs of heart issues.

So... how is this related to pop corn husks? Well for the next two and a half days I was subjected to a very wide battery of tests to determine that I hadn't had a heart attack and what was the cause of the heart related symptoms.

Final diagnosis was pericarditis (a swelling and irritation of the thin saclike membrane surrounding the heart ). Likely caused by a bacterial infection related to the abscess tooth.

Took the better part of two months to really get back to normal.

So... lessons learned.

If you have dental problems get them taken care of and by a competent professional.

Know what the signs of heart problems are.

Be careful eating microwave popcorn.

If at all possible when in route to the hospital hit the drive thru for a burger.
Two days of being promised food after the next test had me being sedated as I was becoming very agitated, can you say hungry... (not a good patient when being lied to, if you say you'll feed me, well feed me).

 

[Certaindeaf]

Back in the old days, you'd often just die. A common cause of death was simply annotated as "teeth" by the undertaker.

 

[Certaindeaf]

 

[Stomper]

In order of precedence.... true story.




Not really....... maybe.

 

[Alexx1401]

Most of us really just don't stop to think how damn good we have it here

 

[orygun]

19th century shtf situation, will almost necessarily demand 19th century solutions... Grab the channel locks and start yanking.

View attachment 783949

I was gonna say something like this. In with tools I inherited years ago was a weird set of pliers. Turns out they are US Navy dental tooth pullers. I've kept those for a reason.

I was also going to mention the potential heart issues, but @edzz covered it much better that I could.

 

[Stomper]

Most of us really just don't stop to think how damn good we have it here

The vast majority of schmucks have NO idea how damned good we have it here.

 

[Pops1911]

WOW! Just wow! Great feedback to be sure ...