My boyfriend has a bad tooth, his gum is swelling up?

When he was young, his mother never taught him to brush his teeth. Although he brushes well now, there's nothing we can do about the decaying, painful tooth he has now. About 5-6 months ago, his gum and cheek swelled up pretty badly and we had to go to the ER. The doctor cut it and drained all the pus. They also gave him a prescription that worked really well. Now the swelling is happening again. I know he needs to get it pulled but we don't have dental insurance, so its going to be very expensive. We already have the doctor bill from the last visit. I know infections like this can be serious since its so close to the brain. Is there anything we can do that will help it until we get the money saved up for an extraction?
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You are right, this can be serious -- so please keep that in mind. The best option are salt-water rinses at least three times a day for a few minutes per rinse. It is as simple as it sounds, salt in a cup of water and rinse around the mouth. This will help the swelling, and in turn the pain. If you have any general antibiotics around the house.. ie: Amoxicillin, Penicillin, or anything in that family it wouldn't hurt to take them. (This is against all sound medical advice to take a prescription medication without it being prescribed for that condition, but it is what is needed.) Though, truly,.. the tooth needs to be pulled as soon as possible. Extractions are actually *not* that expensive. They generally run under $100,.. call around, even to dental schools in your area and you will find a reasonable price. What makes them expensive is that most people want to be 'knocked out' under general anesthesia instead of just having a local anesthetic used. Having a tooth pulled with local anesthetic is NOT painful, and I highly doubt your boyfriend would be too skiddish to sit in a chair for 10 minutes to have it done. Most of the time the tooth comes out in one piece in under a minute or two. Then it is over,.. and even then there is nothing but 'pressure' felt. Take care,
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I have the worst toothache and migraine plus I'm pregnant help please?

I have the worst toothache in my life...I had a filling fall out of one of my back bottom teeth and the tooth is decayed badly. I am also pregnant and can't take anything but tylenol for pain ( which is not helping) I went to the ER last night and they said there was nothing they could do except give me an antibiotic in case it is abscessed. The problem is I have no dental insurance. I am also broke at the moment ( who isn't right now though right) I can not afford to go to a dentist. Is there anything I could do?? ANYTHING??
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Clove oil or oragel would probably help. You can take codeine during pregnancy as long as you're not in the last few weeks, if you're in the last few weeks of pregnancy the baby can have withdrawal after birth if you've been taking it regularly.
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Can my husbands ex collect child support if she refused it in court?

His ex refused child support in court. She was supposed to pay off some of their credit cards and didn`t so we ended up paying them. We also provide health and dental insurance for the child. We paid child support anyway for 2 or 3 years, but didn`t document it. When we realized she wasn`t paying off the credit cards like she was supposed to we stopped giving her money....Can she take us back to court for child support and can she collect BACK child support?
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As long as you have the paperwork stating that she denied child support then you should be fine. She can collect future child support though. No back child support
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What things have you had to cut out of your budget due to the recession?

I have had to cut out: breakfasts, oil changes (have not had one in 1 year and 3 months.),new clothes, new socks, house cleaners,slower internet speedm cutting out cable soon if they let me get out of my package, I alternate between phone and electricity every month so I am constantly behind on one bill. I have to have the phone because I work from home and internet for online courses. I have cut out napkins, medicines sometimes, only put $10 of gas every two weeks, I do laundry once or twice a month. I can not afford laundry detergant so I buy the small box of detergent for $.75 at the laundry mat. I had to cut out acne medication and have had troubles with acne. I use hand soap and hot water to wash my face but still get huge pimples from time to time. I have also had to cut out dental insurance and lost half a tooth. I have to make a tube of toothpaste last for months at a time. I had to stop using mouth wash that helped my gums. I could not even afford to buy software for a class I had to take and almost flunked it. I am not used to living like this but I am willing to live even worse off if it means I can pay all my bills somehow. Paying bills in full is a HUGE luxery. I love to pay bills because when one is paid I feel happy. I work 35 hours a week and I have a degree in Business; working on my degree in communications. I live in the UNITED STATES. Can you believe that: the richest country in the world? really? So how is this recession effected you?
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I'm sure it's affected me more than I first realized. I put off for a couple of years seeing an oral surgeon as I don't have dental surgery. I had one tooth at a time cut out and ended up losing a small part of the jaw bone. I have not had my teeth cleaned in several years as I could always find another use for the money. We have cut back on traveling because of the price of gas. We have also cut back on food. And I think we will be cutting back even more as this year progresses. Four years ago my hours at work was cut in half and were never restored and at this point I'm lucky to still have this job.
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I have pain under my teeth on the left side?

I have pain under my teeth on the left side of my mouth. It just started yesterday but it feels like the pain is in my gums. It just started yesterday. The pain comes and goes, but when its there, its some of the worst pain I have ever felt. I do not know what to do, I have no dental insurance so I am hesitant to go there. I've tried ibuprofen, orajel, and none of it helps for very long. Please advise.
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you probably have a cavity
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White spots on teeth?

I've had white spots on my two front teeth for as long as I can remember. I'm almost eighteen, if it helps. I've heard of a few different reasons why they're there. I believe mine is from the calcium deficiency, but I'm not quite sure. My mother also has them, but in honesty I really used to not take care of my teeth at all for a couple years. The spots haven't really bothered me too much, mostly because my teeth are already pretty crooked and two white spots are nothing compared to how my teeth look. But, after using a sample of the Crest White strips Advanced, I noticed they look a great deal brighter compared to the rest of my tooth. I've used the Crest White Strips Premium, and it didn't happen that time, so i'm wondering why the spots are even brighter. Is there a way (aside from the expensive veneers, I dont have great dental insurance) that I can lessen the brightness of these white spots? I'm now afraid to use more whitener, in case it could brighten the spots even worse than they are now.
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They could be from too much Fluoride, or they are there from a medication you may have had as a child when the teeth were developing. Whitening will continue to make them stand out more I'm afraid. Have you had braces? Sometimes the glue from the brackets can remain on the surface of the teeth. Pop in for a check so the dentist can see what it is and tell you what you can do.
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Abscessed teeth with drainage and calcification.?

I have 2 teeth that are abscessed. Doc. drained and says that the infection is so severe that the old pus that has not drained seems to have calcified. No dental insurance and having trouble getting them pulled. Is this serious? What should I do? All of the antibiotics they have given me aren't working. I have already lost a thumb to MRSA and I am scared that it could come back and get into my jaw. Any help would be wonderful!!!
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wow. try the dental schools in your area. they will do the work of a fully trained dentist for A LOT cheaper. don't worry about the people not knowing what they are doing because the classes are supervised by trained professionals. some schools even let you set up a payment plan.
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my wisdom tooth is killing me...help???

one of my wisdom teeth has just came in about half way...i have a bad headache and cant really swallow. anything to help? i just signd up for dental insurance with tricare but it doesnt start till next month...my hubbys coming home from iraq so how can i deal with this pain till next month so that im not in so much pain while hubbys home? please please help
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Take some Aleve. Then call your dentist and ask what he recommends. But explain your insurance problem. I don't think you will be able to handle that kind of pain for a whole month. I'm so sorry you feel bad.
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Dentist help Portland Oregon?

My mom need to see a dentist very very badly. she is experiencing severe pain and also has infection in at least one tooth. she doesn't have dental insurance and doesn't have the best credit ever. does anyone know what she can do? she's trying to just deal with it but i know that if that infection spreads , it could be fatal. i hate that we live in a world where someone has to risk death by tooth ache because only a select few of us have the privilege to take care of our bodies. bull **** country... anyways sorry to complain . i hope anyone with any advice will please get back to me. thanks! Sam
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bull **** country??? i hate that we live in a world where a select few of us that have the privilege to take care of our bodies have to take care of other people's bodies, too. does anyone know what she can do?
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Teeth/low self-confidence.?

When I was younger I brushed, just not as well as I should. Im 16 now. I brush my teeth 3+ times a day. When I was younger I had to get a filling in about every one of my molars. I feel so horrible. Now, even with all of my brushing I have to get a tiny cavity filled on the side of my front tooth. We dont have dental insurance, so I don't go as often as I should, but I feel as if I'm never going to get anywhere in life with my bad teeth.
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If there are any dental schools in your area, give them a call. Very often they do the work free.
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My teeth are horrible....?

Ok I am 16 and I basically have horrible teeth. I haven't been to the dentist in over a year because I guess its not on the top of my family's priority list. Yeah I also really really need braces but I have only been to the orthodontist once and that was 3 years ago. I also have a horrible time with brushing my teeth too, I am lucky if I brush them once a day but I have gone without brushing them for 2+ days before. This is beacuse brushing my teeth makes me cough and gag really bad... Ugh I feel horrible and I know that I what I am doing is terrible. Any suggestions how I can talk my parents into taking me to the dentist (we have dental insurance) or how I can talk them into how important braces are or with brushing my teeth in general?? I have already talked to my parents and I have even printed them off articles but they are just like yeah ok eventaually we will get to it...
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tell them that you feel it is a serious situation
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Dentist Help NEEDED please?

I have not been to a dentist since 8th grade. I am now a sophomore in college. With that being said, I consider myself to practice good oral hygiene techniques such as brushing three times a day, flossing every morning, using mouthwash, etc. But here's my problems: (1) it looks like I have acid wear on 4 of my front teeth. It's bluish in color and transparent around the bottom and corners. (2) My one wisdom tooth SOMETIMES brushes my cheek tissue when I chew causing irritation. (3) I have one tooth that moved, I don't know if it's because of crowding or whatever, but I would definitely get CLEAR braces just to get that tooth in the right spot. Now let's get this not going to the dentist thing out of the way. After 8th grade, my family and I moved around a lot so we didn't have a family dentist, and eventually I just got used to not going to the dentist. For the past 2 years, I've wanted to go to the dentist but there were occasions where I didn't have dental insurance so I had to wait. I also fear that once I go to the dentist and he/she finds out I have not gone in about 6 years, they'll give me hell about it. I guess my questions are: (1) What can be done about the acid wear(If that's what it is)? (2)Will I be able to get clear braces? (3)Will I have to get my wisdom teeth pulled? (4)Why did my 1 tooth move? (5)Will the dentist give me a hard time? (6)How many dentist visits will solve all the above problems so I can finally feel good again!
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Ok so I'll just fly through the numbers. 1. Assuming it's acid erosion, your options would be leave it/composite fillings/veneers/crowns. 2. You can get ceramic ones but usually you put them on the upper teeth and do normal ones on the bottom. But they are more expensive than regular ones. 3. It depends how much trouble they are giving you. It might just need a while to fully erupt, or you might need the smoothed. Your dentist will be able to advise you on the best action to take. 4. I can't say with out seeing it 1st really. 5. Probably not. We're a nice bunch really. 6. Can't say with out seeing you and some x-rays but. Composites take 1 appt. crowns and veneers take 2 or 3. Braces take about 18-30 months depending on a variety of factors. Hope that helps.
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Blood sore in mouth??????????

A few weeks back, i got smacked in the face with a football and it knocked out one of the teeth that the dentist was fixing. there was a big hole where my tooth use to be and a few nights ago after eating dinner i thought i had gotten a piece of food stuck in the hole. so i grabbed a tooth pick and went to examine and carefully pull it out. Only when i went to pick out what i thought was food, didnt move. i guess i poked it pretty hard because then it started gushing blood and it looked like i had cut my gums wide open. i brush my teeth daily 2 at least 2times aday.. and i dont have dental insurance, i was wondering if anyone has any advise on how to how to get rid of this or if its something i need too make and emergency appointment to get fixed. if you have ?'s email me its this name at yahoo@.com and ill email back.. ty
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You're probably fine. If it is still bleeding, then rinse your mouth with warm salt water. It will stop the bleeding quickly. If the blood sore is still there, it will probably go away in a couple of hours. Leave it alone. Do Not use a tooth pick again. Don't poke around in that hole again. To clean it, use a large syringe that you can get at a hobby store. Fill it with warm water and rinse it out that way after every time you eat.. To keep infection away, contact a Mom and Pop type pharmacy and ask them if they have a product called ST-37. It is an oral antiseptic and it works great at healing and helping with mouth sores.
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can anyone else help, question about a possible dead tooth?

i've asked this questin twice now and i got alot of help but i'm still want to get some more advice. I did that that ice cube trick the one where you get an ice cube and place it on your teeth to see if it feels the cold..it doesn't. But sometimes i can feel some cold tingly sensation on it like with water or yesterday a frappucino but i'm really scared that it's gonna turn black or grey since i'm only 22 and have no dental insurance. i know i'm gonna end up paying out of my pocket but has anyone out there been through this and can give me some advice?
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I understand your worries. I am also 22,and the frustrating part is that I have already lost 2 teeth,and some of them are dead. This is so not fair since I visit dentist regularly,and every time I go there are cavities in my teeth. I think it is inherited. As to your problem,you won't know for sure what's happening until you go to the dentist,do X-rays an so on. Yes,going to the dentists is so expensive. I am not able to take all the necessary treatment because I'll soon run out of insurance money,but I have one year to go. The tingy sensation you feel might be not from yuor tooth,but from the gums around it or maybe that tooth is not really dead. Anyway,good luck.
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Extremely sensitive teeth, what could it be?

Hello, so my teeth have always been sensitive but for the past month they have been unbearable. The worst ever, if i wash my hands i cant touch anything for like half hour after or my teeth hurt so bad. Its the front ones tops and bottoms.. walking on a dry floor, scratching sounds, my dogs bark, cold food, hot food, drinks , sugary things, and touching paper all make it to wear i start drooling they hurt so bad! What could this be? i have dental insurance kicking in on the first so im going to schedul my appt after that but any ideas on if they can help me?? thanks
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Sensitive toothpaste and oragel blocks the pain sensors in the nerves. Im lucky i tought myself to not fell pain
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Teeth broken off at gumline, need advice on what to do?

Both upper left and right Lateral Incisor's are broken off at the gumline. Root canals were done in both at the age of 15. Both fillings were temporary and fell out by the age of 19. Left was broken off when i was 20, Right when I was 22. I am now 24. I was going to a dentist when I was 22 just before the left one broke off, and at the time she had cleaned out the socket of the right tooth and told me I would probably lose the left too and that I needed to see an oral surgeon. Over the years many things have changed and I am now in the position financially where I can afford to try and prevent and possibly reverse some of the damage. I do my best to try and keep the empty sockets cleaned but I am no dentist. I do brush and floss and use mouthwash very regularly. I would like to know what steps I should take and what will need to be done in order to fix my situation as best as possible. The sockets are not completely empty like I said they broke off at the gums, so there is some shell of a tooth left and it has become irritating because the holes are trying to heal shut and can't therefor the bit of tooth that is left is cutting into the gums and it's starting to hurt. Any advice you can give me would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. I will use this information to help me choose the best dental insurance plan possible; I want it to cover as much as it possibly can. Thanks in advance.
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Expensive, time consuming and long lasting solution: Dental Implants. I've had one and spent $10,000 and have no regrets. A cheaper solution would to get a bridge, but that means you'll have compromise your other teeth to accommodate it. Either way, you probably lost some bone in the socket areas and wouldn't be surprised if you have some infection. I'd say, to take care of the infections first to make sure your gums and bones are healthy enough to ensure a long life for your new (and current) teeth. Good luck! And be sure to go to more than one dentist to get different advice. Make sure they are part of the American Dental Association. You can verify their membership or search for a dentist at their website: http://www.ada.org/
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job interview questions for school project. Help?

I need to do a school project on a job interview. And write an essay on the job, so I was hoping to ask who ever answers this question about the job you do. The job has to be interesting because I have to write about the job. Please answer the questions as thoroughly as possible. And leave your name or make a believable name up if you don't want me to have your real name. Feel free to add any other details about your job. Thanks in advanced. first please state you job. 1. What are your daily job duties and responsibilities? What is your favorite part of the job? Least favorite? Anything you would change? 2. Did you choose this job? If so, what influenced this decision? Does anyone else in your family do this work? 3. Did you at any point consider a different career path? If so why? Do you see yourself doing this work until you retire? 4. What were hardships, difficulties you had to face getting the job you have now? Such as school, money,etc. (If there are any) 5. Did your family support your decision to do this work? 6. Is the job what you expected it to be? Is it better than you imagined, or not what you hoped for? Tell me why? 7. Would you recommend others to this line of work? Is the pay good? Do you have benefits? Pension? 401K? Health/Dental Insurance? 8. Did you do anything else before you did the job your doing now? (Name your previous jobs) Would you ever consider doing any of these jobs again? Anyway that's it. Thanks for helping, and feel free to leave anything about your job that you'd like to add, and tips on how you think I should write my essay about you. The more info the better!
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just write one good paragraph and turn it in with some semen on it, you'll definetly get an A.
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cracked tooth & slightly swollen cheek?

a few days ago, i was eating some ramen noodles. & as i was chewing, i noticed something like glass swishing around in my mouth. so i spit out my food & saw that it was a piece of my tooth. so i didnt pay any attention to it. a day later, i was eating again, & another piece of my tooth came out. so i didnt pay any attention to that either. now, when i close my mouth or eat, the tooth (which is in the back of my mouth on the right side at the bottom) pinches & scratches my cheek from the inside & is now a bit swollen. i dont have any dental insurance or money to go to a dentist. is there anything i can do to reduce the swelling?
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Cracked tooth could become infected, you should really go and get it checked out before it gets worse. Better to find some money now instead of shelling out a fortune later and risk loosing more teeth. In the mean time, just keep your teeth clean, good mouth wash etc until you get money together to get it checked out
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Friend says has had a fever 100-102 all week- no $ for doctor. Lives in Florida- no insurances...?

What can I tell her... or where can I direct her? Might be dental... but no dental insurances either. It will take her 2 weeks to save the $30 that it will take to be seen by the ER at the local hospital. Surely there is something she can do to be seen by someone right away? Any free clinics near Port St. Lucie? (She mentions she has several bad teeth and her jaw hurts... and headache )
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An emergency room cannot turn you away for money issues.
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Free Dental help...Fiancee needs it asap?

My fiancee has no insurance but his mouth causes him excruating pain every day. Ilive in NJ and he needs a dentist real bad some cavities and some root canals needed... any one know of anything.
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Most dentists accept cash.
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Dental Problems?

I haven't been to the dentist in a while because I don't have health insurance, however last weekend I had a very bad toothache that kept me up all night long, I did some home remedies nothing worked, I took some 8 hour Tylenol and it went away, it hasn't came back since. I know that 2 of my teeth are chipped [where my bad toothache was before] and I can see some dark stuff, which I'm assuming is a cavity? My mom says I might have an abscess but I read and don't have any symptoms of one. What else could it be? My teeth aren't really hurting now, and I just want to get rid of this dark stuff where my teeth are chipped at. I brush my teeth more than 2 times daily. Any suggestions, answers would be good. Thanks!
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If you had a bad toothache and see dark spots where it was hurting, then you definitely have a cavity. You can't get rid of it. If you don't see a dentist to have this fixed, it will continue to get bigger, no matter how often you brush. If the cavity is close to the gums, you may end up with an abcess. Going to the dentist can be very expensive, but waiting will only make the problem worse and more expensive to fix. You can sometimes get reduced rates if you approach a University with a Dental Program about getting work done. Also, for dental pain, Ibuprofin is the best medication because it reduces swelling, which usually causes the pain. Also, swishing strong salt water in your mouth can help with the pain as well. Good luck with this!
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Dental treatment financing. Where to go?

Someone I know has not very good credit. She has had good credit for the past two years. Having not missed any payments on her credit cards and her car. Where is the best place to go? Care credit is out. She needs a root canal badly and her insurance doesn't cover enough. Is there anyplace else that she should try?
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dental office
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Anyone know of a "Pro-Bono Dentist" for someone with BAD teeth?

I am a single mother of 2 children that is stuck on government insurance (which doesnt cover dental care) as I am putting myself through school & don't have any insurance & when I did they don't cover "pre-existing conditions." My teeth are so bad that I cant even sleep at night...I barely eat because it hurts too bad!!! Im barely scraping by & am in EXCRUCIATING pain with my teeth day after day. I had a consult done & they said that I have about $10K or more in damage! I have never done hard drugs in my life & i take good care of my teeth but they are so bad anyway...I don't know what to do but I am so tired of suffering in excruciating pain every day!!! PLEASE HELP!!!
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Holli, I am going through just about the same thing. I am on disability, and of course have medicaid. In my experience, it mainly depends on where you live. When I lived in Rochester, NY, I had great care because the U of R is a teaching hospital. They have a wonderful dental clinic, (Eastman), I loved it. Even if you have no insurance they work with you at extremely low costs, depending on income. If you live anywhere near a University that has a dental program it should be about the same. I live in Florida now, and I got a letter saying that medicaid will pay for partials now, only 1 problem, no dentist in the County takes med patients. Of course the county health dept will see you, but all they will do is pull. After my front 2 teeth busted of to a nub, I no longer had a choice. I am 52 and decided it is time to stop the pain and begin smiling again. So dentures are looking pretty good to me now. There is one dentist, and one only that does the extractions, and fits yo with dentures, the cost is $39 with medicaid. I must admit it scares me to death, but not nearly as much as when I look in the mirror. If you have all that work to be done, you just might want to "bite the bullet" like me and get dentures. But be sure you call your provider and ask them which, if any takes your ins, and check on nearby dental schools. I just know I am going to look so much better, not to mention "Feel" good for a change. Sinus kills me, headaches, the works, It is time for me, now all you have to do is see if you any options, if not do yourself a favor and get those unhealthy teeth out of your head.I know the pain, it's horrible. Needless to say I always swore I would never get dentures, I am really looking forward to them.now. I wish you the best of luck, Peace JANA
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Dental question, please help?

I need to have my 4 front teeth removed and have a partial put in, how much is this going to cost and how long is the procedure going to take? We don't have health insurance and I have to for all of it pay out of pocket. Can you tell I'm deathly afraid of the dentist!? Thanks!!
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Costs will depend on the area of the country you live in. If you live in a big city or a small town. I recommend that you go to www.dentalplans.com. There are several plans there to check out and some will probably be affordable. Just look out for clauses like pre-existing and frequency clauses. I hope this helps you some. I know what you are facing is hard...but you will be fine.
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