Some Helpful Dental Tidbits

[inthewilderness]

As some of you know, our situation is such that we can't just toddle off to the doctor or dentist when we have a medical problem. As it so happens, I've been wrestling with a gum infection for the last 10 days or so. I had a bulge on my gum big enough to start pushing my cheek out a bit. Not good!

I tried a number of things such as herbal washes, oil of cloves, Anbesol, salt water rinses and herbal compresses directly on the site. We always have fresh antibiotics but they were used for another issue months ago. Because of our remote homesteading and inaccessibility, we have prescription meds on hand just in case they are needed. Every few years, we get new prescriptions filled. But, I rarely throw the old medications away. You never know in desperation when something might come in handy.

My antibiotic of choice was Penicillin VK of 2009 vintage. The other thing I did that I believe really helped was to take 1/2 teaspoon SEA salt mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of baking SODA. Add a couple drops of water, just enough to bind it all and make a thick paste. Take a wad of that mix and put it on a cotton ball and shove that ball up on the gum right on the bulge. I left it in place as long as I could. After the second treatment, I had a sensation of something letting loose in there. Although the bulge and discomfort did not diminish at that moment, I had the feeling it helped my situation so that will be a trick I will use if I ever have that problem again.

I am back to normal. The combination of old 2009 antibiotics, which as long as stored properly, still has efficacy and my salt/soda paste treatment has got me healthy again. I'm sure everybody knows this but take the entire antibiotic regimen regardless of being cured. Don't try to save some antibiotic for the next time. Take the complete prescription until done.

What a relief! The patient will live.

 

[Leshy]

Salt water is magic for infections...
That alone , gargling and swirling in the mouth should have helped a lot if not cured it altogether...

Good to hear it's all gone, gum/ toothache can be torturous and unbearable at times...

 

[Janne]

You had one of two problems:
Periodontal infection/ abscess - an infection stemming from an infected deep pocket between the toith snd gum
Periapical abscess - infection stemming from a dead nerve, or bad rootcanal treatment.
It sounds more like the first one though.

Antibiotics last for decades, the date is just something the manufacturers have to put on, just like on cans of food.

Salt water helps quite a bit.

I guess you have made an appoinyment to see a dentist next time you are back in civilisation?

 

[Macaroon]

I've found a Chlorhexedine mouthwash, 0.2% w/v, used in conjunction with, but not at the same time of day as, salt water wash seems to take care of most mouth problems; certainly all those that don't require dental intervention and some that do.

What's your procedure there if you really do need urgent treatment, for instance a bad and persistent abcess?

 

[Big G]

Glad you got it sorted mate, sounds painful. I've just had a filling come out, and left a big hole, and i have to keep using a tooth pick, to rake food out what gets stuck in there. But i'm lucky, just ring the dentist, get it refilled.

Spot on advice, re taking a full course of antibiotics, rather than a part course.

I too have taken out of date antibiotics, pain relief medication, with good results

 

[Nice65]

Somewhere, and I cannot find it, is a video of a girl on a group mountain trek who has to have an emergency extraction. It's performed on the,now very drunk, girl by a guy with dental experience but a lack of tools. Sounds horrific I know, but she's very relieved and gets cheers from her companions.

 

[inthewilderness]

Thanks for the feedback and concern! To answer a few questions... yes, the dentist appointment was actually scheduled long ago to coincide with our next resupply flight out at the beginning of October. I fully expect a root canal.

As far as a game plan on urgent dental care, it would cost us roughly 2 thousand dollars to snag a special flight out of here and then have to drive 200 miles to the dentist so it would have to be life threatening. I'm confident the medical supplies and prescriptions we have will do the trick. Long time ago, I took an EMT course and recently refreshed with a 2 week first responder course. We are rapidly approaching that time of year where even a float plane is out of the question. Both freeze up starting in late October and spring thaw sometime in April are worst case. No float plane can land safely. That's why as a plan B, I maintain a small clearing for a chopper to get in.

Fortunately, this was not as painful as it could have been. More a great deal of discomfort. I've had worse infections out here and actually broke a rib as well. Popping a crown is a real drag too. But again thanks for the feedback. Hopefully some of this info is good for someone passing by unfamiliar with things. All the best! Ron
PS. You can count on us getting a clean refresh of antibiotics when we head out in October. It's a long winter.

 

[Nice65]

Ah, here.

[video=youtube_share;o_DPqhQl4AM]http://youtu.be/o_DPqhQl4AM[/video]

Glad you got yours sorted without having this done.

 

[santaman2000]

You had one of two problems:
Periodontal infection/ abscess - an infection stemming from an infected deep pocket between the toith snd gum
Periapical abscess - infection stemming from a dead nerve, or bad rootcanal treatment.
It sounds more like the first one though.

Antibiotics last for decades, the date is just something the manufacturers have to put on, just like on cans of food.

Salt water helps quite a bit.

I guess you have made an appoinyment to see a dentist next time you are back in civilisation?

A couple of years ago I had a similar problem to the OP. I woke up one morning with my cheek swollen and a pain that I couldn't tell where it was exactly: it could have been my ear or my rear tooth. I though I'd try the dentist first over my MD. He spotted the problem immediately. It was an infected saliva gland, and he gave me three options:
1) He could prescribe a course of antibiotics (which he was reluctant to do)
2) He could refer me to an oral surgeon, or
3) I could go to my regular medical doctor

I chose option three and the antibiotics they prescribed knocked it out. However it returned in about three months so I made a second appointment with my MD and they diagnosed a a stone in the saliva gland. Apparently as long as it was loose there was no problem but whenever it lodged in the opening (is that the right word?) it backed up saliva and caused the infections. They referred me to an oral surgeon who again gave me 2 choices:
1) He could dilate the gland and try to make the stone pass, or
2) Surgery to remove it

He advised the surgery should be a last resort as the site was so close to the nerves that control the face muscles and the risk of damaging them was pretty great. We went with the dilation and I've had no further problems.

 

[inthewilderness]

Santaman... I am so glad to hear you have had no problems since and I hope it stays that way.

Nice65... Awesome video. Thanks. That was a brave woman and one cool doctor.

 

[Janne]

Infected and swollen Parotid saliva glands are incredibly rare. More common with the submandibular ones.

Teeth can be hell if you do not have a quick access to a dentist, that is for sure!
Most people today do not realize the mortal dangers with dental infections. Even uncontrolled, longterm,low grade parodontal ( gum) infections contribute to lethal diseses like heart problems.