My Journey Towards Better Health

[Mia6]

They haven't stopped doing root canals and crowns. There are specialists who only do root canals and most
do a better job because that is all they do. There are a lot of people who cannot afford implants.

 

[Mia6]

Oh, mags, if that whole side hurts, you may have an infection from your teeth that could've spread.
Is there a way you could get to an Urgent Care today and get on some strong antibiotics? or
an er?

 

[rubysmama]

The dentist will likely prescribe antibiotics if the tooth is infected. Mine even prescribed them when he suspected a sinus infection, rather than a infected tooth.

 

[foxxycat]

hope you find out what's going on!!! Keep swishing with salt water to help keep bacteria out of the mouth. It shouldn't sting. warm water with some salt will work. the warmer the water the better the salt will dissolve plus lukewarm water feels much better than cold tap water on painful mouth issues.
I sure wish there was an Aspen dentist in your area. They do root canals, crowns and all that jazz. They also take same day appointments and if it's an emergency=show up and they will see you.


My dental insurance won't cover fluoride treatments but the dentist says this helps give an extra layer to prevent cavities. It was $52 bucks and I get it 2 times a year. It helps coat the teeth and if it saves my teeth when I get older, will keep getting it. Just sucks they won't pay for it. You would think insurance would rather pay for preventive care than pay for fillings and crowns. This is the 3rd year I have been getting fluoride treatments.

 

[Talien]

A Dentist won't do any work outside of an extreme emergency until an infection is gone so they will most likely just prescribe antibiotics and tell you to come back when they're done. You may want to ask for a pain medication as well if they don't offer a prescription for that, even if you don't end up actually using them it's good to have if you end up needing it.

 

[maggiedemi]

They haven't stopped doing root canals and crowns.

This was a long list of dentists that they gave me, and only one was still doing them.

Is there a way you could get to an Urgent Care today and get on some strong antibiotics? or
an er?

I'll see what the dentist says. I have to clear everything I do with my insurance company. I didn't know that and they rejected my primary care doctor. I had to call and get it straightened out.

if it's an emergency=show up and they will see you.

I can't just show up anywhere. I have to clear everything with my insurance before I go. They are really strict.

 

[foxxycat]

I was talking about an emergency. Aspen deals with the insurance companies.

 

[maggiedemi]

I was talking about an emergency. Aspen deals with the insurance companies.

Yeah, I told them it was an emergency and that I would be dead soon. That's the only reason they agreed to see me before March. Then I had to call my insurance company and make sure it was okay. It's hard with my anxiety, making all these phone calls, but insurance is tough to deal with. A lot of paperwork mistakes/mixups are made. I wish we could just have affordable medical/dental prices and get rid of insurance.

 

[foxxycat]

not gonna agree to get rid of insurance cause I like my insurance from work-it's what makes it a benefit to work there but there should be options for cash paying people=but I do know some places charge half the price if paying cash...

 

[Willowy]

Most insurance doesn't cover dental at all (mine doesn't. I could get extra dental insurance but it costs a lot, almost certainly more than I'd spend on dental care every year), so you're lucky to have any dental coverage! But, yeah, it's hard to find a dentist that take Medicaid.

It seems like most dentists don't do root canals anymore. My mom needed one and had to go to a specialist in Sioux Falls. I wonder why---seems like 10 years ago they all did root canals and I can't imagine a lot has changed since then. Weird.

But yeah. See if you can get in to see your primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic before the dentist appointment, because dentists can't do anything if there's an active infection; you have to get that taken care of before the dentist can go poking around and fixing things.

 

[Kat0121]

Most insurance doesn't cover dental at all (mine doesn't. I could get extra dental insurance but it costs a lot, almost certainly more than I'd spend on dental care every year), so you're lucky to have any dental coverage! But, yeah, it's hard to find a dentist that take Medicaid.

It seems like most dentists don't do root canals anymore. My mom needed one and had to go to a specialist in Sioux Falls. I wonder why---seems like 10 years ago they all did root canals and I can't imagine a lot has changed since then. Weird.

But yeah. See if you can get in to see your primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic before the dentist appointment, because dentists can't do anything if there's an active infection; you have to get that taken care of before the dentist can go poking around and fixing things.

The dentist can prescribe an antibiotic to get rid of the infection and then schedule another appointment for what needs to be done after it's gone.

 

[Willowy]

The dentist can prescribe an antibiotic to get rid of the infection and then schedule another appointment for what needs to be done after it's gone.

They can, yes, but since it's hard to get an appointment with them, I was thinking it might be easier to see the PCP or an urgent care doctor. But if it's the only option, the dentist can prescribe antibiotics too so that's fine.

 

[maggiedemi]

My dentist was shocked. She said "That's a pretty narly infection! There's no saving that tooth." So I had to get it pulled. It didn't hurt at all when they pulled it, they gave me a ton of Novocain. She was surprised that I wasn't scared of the huge needle. I didn't even close my eyes. She said you're easy! I love dentistry, except for the high cost.

Anyway, she put me on amoxicillin antibiotic. My gum is completely black! It looks so gross. I hope the infection goes away. There's a huge gap where my tooth once was. That was one huge molar! I don't have to go back until March, so she must think that the infection will heal.

 

[Lari]

Even reading about it is triggering to my dental anxiety and yet you love it. Maybe you should go to dental school. I feel your lack of needing to squeeze a stress ball shaped like a brain and not freaking out is being wasted.

Here's to a speedy gum recovery. Is there less pain on your right side now, or is that going to happen once the antibiotic takes affect?

 

[foxxycat]

So glad they pulled it. Novocaine is a great thing. And the weird feeling of not feeling that side of your mouth. Was it your lower or upper molar?

The only thing i hated about novocaine was my heart would race for about a minute when it's first injected and then drooling on myself from not feeling my lip.

 

[DreamerRose]

So glad you got that tooth treated. That could have been a very dangerous. You will feel a lot better as the antibiotic starts to heal you.

The only thing i hated about novocaine was my heart would race for about a minute when it's first injected . . .

I had that happen before a root canal and the dentist said it happens accidentally when the needle hits a blood vessel. It passes after a few minutes but was scary at first.

 

[rubysmama]

Sorry there was no saving the tooth, but glad she pulled it today, so you can start healing. Did she give you an after care pamphlet?

 

[tarasgirl06]

My dentist was shocked. She said "That's a pretty narly infection! There's no saving that tooth." So I had to get it pulled. It didn't hurt at all when they pulled it, they gave me a ton of Novocain. She was surprised that I wasn't scared of the huge needle. I didn't even close my eyes. She said you're easy! I love dentistry, except for the high cost.

Anyway, she put me on amoxicillin antibiotic. My gum is completely black! It looks so gross. I hope the infection goes away. There's a huge gap where my tooth once was. That was one huge molar! I don't have to go back until March, so she must think that the infection will heal.

I love dentistry, too. I really don't understand why people don't get their teeth cleaned twice a year, as is recommended for healthy adult teeth. IMHO health begins in the mouth and if that is clean and healthy, the rest should be, too, pretty much. Good on ya for getting that done! and hope you take the antibiotics regardless of how they may make you feel. I feel pretty yukky when I have to take them, but it's only temporary. Did they tell you to syringe with salt water? That's what I had to do when I had my wisdom teeth extracted.

 

[Jcatbird]

I’m very glad you got that done! You did great through making all the calls, getting the details managed and getting through the dental work. Heal quickly!

 

[Talien]

Your gums were black? No wonder she pulled the tooth right away rather than wait for the infection to clear. I bet you have a nasty taste in your mouth, probably worse now.