Category Archive: Dental

Free Homesteading, Cooking, Prepper, Survival eBooks & PDF’s for 09-11-18

Free Kindle Survival Homesteading Books

Free Homesteading, cooking, Survival, , and Prepping Kindle ebooks and PDF’s? Yes FREE Kindle ebooks and PDF’s!! Every now and then Amazon runs special offers on some of their Kindle ebooks and PDF’s, making them free for a limited time (usually just 24 hours).

I will check Amazon on regularly basis for their free Kindle ebooks in related subjects such as survival, homesteading and prepping etc. I will do all the leg-work for you so you don’t have to. You can just come back here regularly, so make sure to bookmark this blog.

These ebooks and PDF’s are only free for a limited time so if you are interested in one make sure you get it right away so you don’t lose out!

Remember you DON’T need a kindle to take advantage of these! There are FREE kindle apps for most major platforms!! iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac and Android. You can find those apps here!

Always check price before engaging, to make sure it hasn’t returned to full price.

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Survival Dentistry

Dental care is pertinent to our health. Most tooth decay and periodontal disease (gum disease) are caused by a lack of proper dental hygiene and an unbalanced diet. While there are few deaths from dental problems today, it wasn’t that long ago that most people, regardless of social class, had to have their teeth extracted in order to keep their body healthy and alive. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, with the poor diets that many have today, there are bound to be many deaths from dental problems.

The main mode of defense against these dental problems is taking control of them right now. Proper dental care now can keep you healthy and happy now and in an SHTF situation.

  • Brushing your teeth twice a day keeps gum inflammation down and teeth clean of bacteria, which can cause cavities and tooth decay.
  • Flossing is an important part of dental routine that many of us forget. It clears the bacteria from teeth and gums, and debris that toothbrushes alone cannot.
  • Regular visits to the dentist twice a year allows the hygienist to thoroughly clean the teeth and make sure there are no further dental problems such as periodontal disease or cavities.
  • Eat a balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet of fruits, veggies and whole grains will keep your body health and your mouth healthy, which is pertinent to survival now or in a TEOTWAWKI situation.

In the wake of a disaster, dentists will be in high demand as regular cleanings become unavailable. Eventually dentists will close altogether because their supplies and instruments will become unavailable. In order to prepare for this situation, it is important to prepare a survival dental kit.

  • Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss are essential dental care items to have in your dental prep kit, as they are the first line of defense in prevention of tooth decay and periodontal disease.
  • Peroxide is widely used to sanitize the mouth and whiten teeth and is dirt cheap to stock up on. Be careful though; overusing peroxide can cause an oral yeast infection.
  • Coconut oil. Coconut oil is used for what’s called “oil puling,” a technique that has apparently been used in the ancient world to draw toxins out of your mouth and ensure dental health.
  • Oil of Cloves. This is an age-old remedy for tooth aches. Rubbing this on a tooth can relieve a toothache and when mixed with zinc oxide powder, it can be made into a thick filling for a cavity. Beeswax can also be used to make fillings if necessary.
  • Oregano oil. This handy oil helps kill infections, heal your gums and alleviate dental pain.
  • Other home remedies for relieving toothaches and numbing a tooth that can be used in the wake of disaster, such as a cotton ball soaked in alcohol, icepacks, baking soda dissolved in water, and warm salt water.
  • Dental Hygienist tools, which include a mouth mirror, tongue scraper, and interdental cleaners of various shapes and sizes to make sure your teeth and mouth are free of harmful bacteria when you can’t regularly visit a dentist.
  • Forceps, pliers, or sturdy tweezers will be necessary in order to pull teeth out if they are decaying or causing gum disease. There are also older tools such as dental keys that can be used to extract a tooth if necessary, although these have been known to break the tooth off, causing further dental infection or disease, or break the jaw.

Remember that extractions will be painful and your anesthesia will probably involve ice (or a large brick), so do whatever you can to keep your teeth in good shape to avoid dealing with actual restorative work after SHTF. If your teeth are in a really bad shape, my advice to you is to get good quality dentures or implants while you can.

Dental care is essential to our health and it begins with prevention. To prepare yourself and your survival dental kit, check out www.doomandbloom.net for the essential instruments and supplies and Murray Dickson’s book Where There is No Dentist.

In normal times, seek modern professional dental care where available. Learn more about dental issues in survival settings and much, much more in The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Medical Help is Not on the Way. Also, find a good dental kit in Nurse Amy’s store at store.doomandbloom.net.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

via:  thehonestpatriot, doomandbloom


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Death by Tooth Abscess: Post-SHTF Reality

 

I recently read a book where the solider had several of his team die from tooth issues when doctors where not available.

 

At the same time this came out: Another great article from Dr. Bones.

 


Tooth Abscess Images by Kathryn Darden

(Dr. Bones says: From time to time, we post guest articles by promising writers in the field of preparedness. This week, our post is from Damian Brindle, who has a ton of preparedness videos, guides, and articles on his website at rethinksurvival.com.  He relates a family story that underscores the risks that dental problems would pose in a post-shtf setting.)

Death by Abscess Tooth: It Could Happen to You Post-SHTF!

by Damian Brindle

Normally, I don’t like writing about medical topics as I’m not qualified to discuss them like the Alton’s are. Regardless, I wanted to point out a real-life situation that happened to my family only a few weeks ago.

Long story short, my wife’s uncle passed away at too early of an age due, I’m told, to not more aggressively treating an abscessed tooth. Don’t worry, they weren’t exceptionally close but it was still a shock to the family.

Anyway, the story goes that he was complaining of a toothache (or general face pain associated with it) which was diagnosed as an abscessed tooth months ago.

It seems the medical professionals attempted to treat the infection first using various antibiotics over that time—I don’t know which ones—which didn’t seem to work. Ultimately, he ended up in the hospital with heart complications that eventually led to his death due to various systemic failures.

–(Dr. Bones says: Indeed, an abscessed tooth may become an avenue for bacteria to enter the bloodstream and cause a body-wide infection called septicemia and even damage to heart valves.)–

According to the doctors there they said that it was all a result of the abscessed tooth not being dealt with fast enough or early enough. I assume they felt the tooth needed to be pulled early but I always thought you needed to treat an abscess with antibiotics before pulling the tooth, though this appears to be up to the medical professionals.

Again, this is all hearsay funneled through multiple people so I could have some of the facts a bit wrong. The point simply is that even seemingly treatable problems such as an abscess tooth in modern times aren’t always curable when the healthcare system is functioning like normal.

If/when the SHTF during a grid-down collapse something like an abscess tooth (or even lesser problems like a poorly treated cut) could easily turn deadly. Just think about what life must have been like a few hundred years ago when antibiotics weren’t readily available and, even worse, when there were all sorts of “snake oil” salesmen… who desperate people believed!

I know it’s possible to stockpile fish antibiotics (and I do) for such occasions–Dr. Alton has several good articles on the topic–but looking at the use of these antibiotics in the hands of a layman like me, I shudder to think about trying to properly diagnose and treat a potentially serious illness like this one.

After all, if the doctors can’t get it right in normal times, what chance to do I have? Likely a very small one, indeed.

Honestly, this event has made me reconsider my small stockpile of fish antibiotics. First, I doubt it’s nearly enough. Second, I probably don’t have the right ones (or the right combinations) for more serious problems. Third, I almost certainly don’t have the knowledge to use them for something like this! In fact, I might do more harm than good in this instance… who knows.

–(Dr. Bones says: Amoxicillin is a common antibiotic used for tooth abscesses, followed by Clindamycin and Metronidazole for penicillin-allergic patients. Incision and drainage, and even tooth extraction, is indicated in many cases if antibiotics fail. Information regarding useful antibiotics for various issues can be found in various articles on our website and, of course, in our “Survival Medicine Handbook”.  Use the category selections on the left sidebar or the search engine function to find what interests you.)–

Also check out these two articles: Survival Antibiotics  and SURVIVAL ANTIBIOTICS-2

This incident is definitely making me consider searching for more knowledgeable people I might be able to rely upon during a grid-down situation. Who that can be where I live now, I don’t know. At the very least, it’s also making me less foolhardy in assuming I can be a medical professional.

Hopefully, you’re not making the same poor assumptions I have.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: doomandbloom


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Focusing on Dental Health & the Devastating Effects If You Don’t

Guest author: Dr. T, DMD

Traditionally survival medical advice has sounded something like this: “Have a medical first aid kit and make sure your dental work is up to date.” This is very good advice. However, I believe the advice should instead be, “Make sure your medical and dental needs are up to date and have a comprehensive first aid kit.” No comprehensive first aid kit is complete without critical dental medicaments and instruments. What happens when there is a dental need and there is either no dentist around or dentists offices are not functioning? Is your first aid kit complete with the necessary materials for such a problem?  This article focuses on three main topics: (1) Why should I focus on dental health? (2) What dental supplies should I include in my kit? and (3) Where can I find a high-quality, dentist-grade supply kit?

Why should I focus on dental health?

It may surprise some, but until the last two generations, most people have needed all of their teeth extracted during their lifetime.  In England few dentitions remained intact much after age 40. Even George Washington was toothless- it hit all social classes. The main reasons for this were lack of proper hygiene, unbalanced diet, and few ways to fix and keep teeth. Modern dentistry has provided many ways to preserve, fix, and even replace teeth, as well as maintain systems for preserving dentition. All of this even in the face of modern diets that have a dramatically more negative effect on tooth lifespan than generations ago. So, what would a combination of generally poorer diets and lack of modern dentistry mean? The answer: dramatically more tooth decay than even in the 19th century!

Dental medicament’s and instruments are unique in their function and critical to maintaining not only one’s teeth but also, in some circumstances, one’s life! Deaths from dental abscesses today are so rare, that it is difficult to fathom that only 200 years ago, this was a leading cause of death. What would life be like in a SHTF scenarios?  Would daily living be similar to 200 years ago? Very likely indeed.  Bartering, growing our own food, being self-sufficient, and, yes, suffering from toothaches, some of which can lead to death!

Search “dental abscess death” in your search engine and you’ll find a myriad of recent tragic, deadly stories. The most alarming part is these deaths are avoidable through modern dentistry.  The problem is, how modern will dentistry be if you don’t have access to its modernity?

If things couldn’t get worse, two of the main causes of tooth loss- periodontal (gum) disease and trauma, are likely to be a greater risk in a SHTF scenario. With regular cleanings unavailable under such circumstances, periodontal disease will dramatically worsen. With changing environments, more exposure to the elements, and more manual labor necessary, trauma will also spike in prevalence.

With the case clear that there will be dental needs when SHTF, what do we do about it?

In the USA, there is only 1 dentist per 1,597 people.[3] In large cities, they are a dime a dozen while in rural areas they are few and far between. When you take away the efficiencies of modern practice and the just in time supply chain of materials (limiting inventory of medicament’s and tools in a dental office) in a prolonged calamity, dentists will be in high demand. In addition, many will have their practices ravaged, ruined, or destroyed, stripping dental offices of all supplies and equipment.  During a sustained event if you, anyone in your group, or anyone around you is going to have dental care available it will be because you have the necessary equipment, tools, and medicament’s as part of your emergency kit to allow a trained professional to care for you.

Lest you think physicians, nurses, or other medical professionals will be able to fill in the gap, these professionals get no training in human tooth extraction and nearly no training regarding the oral cavity. Emergency Room doctors routinely consult dentists regarding where to place the needle to deliver local anesthetic inside the mouth because they do not get it in their training, even though tooth pain is one of the fastest growing reasons for ER visits. It’s not that tooth extraction couldn’t be learned by non-dentists, but it would take training and practice and currently these things are serious crimes under the law, where irreversible processes and potentially life threatening complications are possible.

Dentists will still be around when SHTF as much as anybody, but the supplies to perform their tasks will not. They will disappear just as fast as any medicine, bottle of liquor, or box of ammo. You will need to have the supplies to provide for you and yours if you have a hope of having that toothache dealt with.

What dental supplies should I include in my kit?

The first group of essential supplies are basic dental hygiene supplies:  toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste.  These products are readily available or can be homemade many different ways (see http://besttoothpaste.net/ for an example of homemade toothpaste).  Proper oral hygiene will do more than anything to prevent tooth problems than anything else.

After the basic hygiene supplies, it gets far more challenging because we move into professional supplies with specific indications based on diagnosis, supplies used exclusively by dentists. However, having the correct temporary restorative materials, dental cements, materials and matrixes to make intermediate restorations are all essential to preserving dentition.

Next it is essential to have the proper instrumentation. First, professional hygiene supplies- you know- the instruments the hygienists use when you get your teeth cleaned. These valuable tools not only help keep teeth clean, but prevent periodontal disease (tooth abscess) and dental cavities. They are critical. Second, it’s crucial to have the proper assortment of instruments and forceps for tooth extraction. The correct instruments are essential. You do not want to have an infected broken root that doesn’t come out- that doesn’t solve the problem, rather likely makes it worse. Having the proper instruments used by someone who knows what they are doing, could ultimately mean the difference between life and death.

Up to this point all the materials and instruments are available and can be performed under most circumstances. Worthwhile materials and instruments can be expensive but are within most people’s budget and can be legally purchased. If you have to use these instruments you may lose a few teeth but, the tragedy of death due to tooth abscess will most likely be avoided. More involved and complex dentistry such as, making crowns, doing implants, bonding and root canals all will require significantly more materials, dramatic increases in cost, and a controlled environment.

Where can I find a high-quality, dentist-grade supply kit?

There are thousands of makes and models of dental instruments and even more manufacturers of dental materials. Even dentists can get confused over the differences between economy and professional lines, with numerous varieties of grades and styles, all with their own claims. The costs of these materials vary greatly based on many factors. One suggestion is to talk to your dentist to see what they suggest but because this is an often overlooked area of one’s medical kit there are few resources as to what might be included in the dental segment of the comprehensive kit.  The book, Where There Is No Dentist, by Murray Dickson, is adequate for basic field triage dentistry for the untrained, but does not address what materials ought to be had for real, predictable dentistry performed by trained professionals in calamitous situations.

There are a few dental kits available on the web and a variety of selected instruments can be found on eBay. Until very recently, no kit has had the critical elements of required dental hygiene tools, assorted extraction instruments, and necessary materials, medicaments, and matrixes to place restorations. Those that are available are either completely lacking in proper supplies or the manufacturers are either unknown or untrustworthy. Either way, every kit currently available is not complete.

PrepperDental.com – High Quality, Comprehensive Dental Kit

However, there is a new comprehensive dental kit available that fulfills this need in everyone’s medical first aid kit. Dental Essentials, LLC has recently developed a kit that fulfills each of the requirements necessary to professionally clean teeth, temporarily and intermediately restore teeth, extract broken and infected teeth, and treat oral trauma. This kit can be found at prepperdental.com. All instruments arrive in pre-sterilized pouches ready for use by a professional. The kit comes in a custom cordura nylon case to house each material and instrument accordingly.

The last thing you want is to have the tools for a project, but they are of such poor quality that they do not work as they should. The kit bag and its primary line of essential instruments are all made in the USA of the highest quality and come with a lifetime warranty. The only thing this kit lacks is the anesthetic supplies as they are regulated by the FDA. (In full disclosure- I am a consultant for the kit and I chose the components because they are brands I use every day in my private dental practice.)

In summary, when prolonged calamity comes, daily proper oral hygiene will be the most crucial element in preventing dental problems. However, tooth problems will occur causing significant pain and, in some cases, death. Having a complete dental kit gives you the peace of mind that you will have the materials necessary to avoid these tragedies and maintain your teeth through the difficulties. Having the proper dental materials and instruments is an essential component to any complete medical kit.

This article has been written by Dr. T, DMD practicing dentist in Oregon.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: americanpreppersnetwork


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Clove Toothache Compress for Pain Relief

From our friends at everydayroots.

A toothache is a dreadful thing that sends a lot of people running straight to the dentist. Unfortunately they have a nasty habit of striking in the night, thanks to changes in blood flow, and when the dentist’s office is closed. Or, you simply can’t make it to a dentist. Either way, cloves make an incredible (and inexpensive) home remedy for toothaches. Long before we had the dental care we have today, dentists used cloves to help pain because they contain eugenol, a powerful anesthetic and antiseptic that stops pain in its tracks and wipes out germs. Eugenol remains popular and effective even now, and is still used by dentists today in a purified form that separates it from the essential oil.


There are 3 forms in which you can use cloves to numb your aching nerve: Ground or powdered, whole cloves, or clove oil. A clove oil compress seems to work the best, especially if you’re too sore to put whole ones in your mouth.


Ground: This is something that a lot of people have in their kitchen. First, rinse your mouth with warm salt water and wash your hands. Take a pinch of the ground cloves and apply it between the gum that is sore and your cheek. Your spit does the trick now, just wait while it mixes with the powder. The pain should subside rather quickly.


Whole: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Take 2 or 3 cloves and hold them in your mouth as close to the sore area as possible, and wait a few minutes until they start to soften. When they do get softer chew them lightly to release more of the oils, if you’re not too sore.


Clove Oil Toothache Compress

Probably the most effective way to use to clove to help your toothache is to make a compress.

You will need…

Clove essential oil
-Cotton balls
-1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
-Cotton swabs (optional)


Directions

Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to get it nicely flushed out. By doing this beforehand, you’re allowing the oil to do its job the very best it can since there’s nothing to block it or make it hard to sink down into the sore spot.


Mix a few drops of clove essential oil with ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Thoroughly soak a cotton ball in this mixture and then hold it gently but firmly against the sore tooth or gum. If you wanted to take a shortcut, you could try putting some of the oil on a cotton swab and dabbing it directly where it hurts, however, jabbing a cotton swab onto a hurting tooth or gum may not be too comfortable.

Keep in mind that this is just a solution to get rid of the pain, not something that will cure whatever is making your tooth hurt. Brushing and flossing regularly and eating less processed sugary/salty foods can help prevent toothaches in the long run as well.

 

Via: everydayroots


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Dental Emergencies

As health conscious as we are these days, many of us have failed to recognize the correlation between healthy teeth and gums with our overall health and nutrition level. Your teeth and gums are living body parts that respond to vitamins, minerals and fatty acids just as your skin, hair, muscles and organs do. When teeth do not get the proper amounts of vitamins and nutrition, their overall health diminishes.

Be Proactive

Being proactive and scheduling regular dental visits now and learning good dental hygeine habits will ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy. When the dentist makes suggestions about elective procedures, do it now while you have the opportunity to. The last thing you would want to handle during a shtf scenario is a dental emergency. In addition, start flossing now. Every dentist emphasizes the importance of flossing, so lets listen to their medical expertise on this one.  Another course of action you should take is to limit your sugar intake. The bacteria in your mouth thrives in a high-sugar environment. This will only antagonize any existing dental issues you already have. Failure to treat any dental emergencies can result in the following scenarios:

  • Loss of the tooth
  • Mediastinitis
  • Sepsis
  • Spread of infection to soft tissue (facial cellulitis, Ludwig’s angina)
  • Spread of infection to the jaw bone (osteomyelitis of the jaw)
  • Spread of infection to other areas of the body resulting in brain abscess, endocarditis, pneumonia, or other complications

Resources

To create a good stockpile of dental supplies, begin with a good resource, such as When There Is No Dentist by Murray Dickson (click here to download a PDF version).  According to reviews, this invaluable resource uses straightforward language and careful instructions. There is also a special chapter on oral health and HIV/AIDS, which provides the dental worker with a detailed, well-illustrated discussion of the special problems faced by people living with HIV/AIDS, and appropriate treatment. Having  multiple reference materials gives you a broader spectrum in how to provide different types of dental treatments. There are also online resources such as www.scribd.com where you could find additional resources.

Natural Alternatives

Having essential herbs, oils and tinctures on hand for pain relief would be beneficial to those who are suffering from a dental emergency.

  • Valerian root: This root is a mild sedative that induces both psychological and physical relaxation; however it should not be consumed by pregnant or nursing ladies. Valerian root is available as a capsule, tea, tablet or liquid extract.
  • Clove oil: Clove oil contains eugenol, a natural pain killer and antibacterial. Mix 2 to 3 drops of pure clove oil with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil. Saturate a cotton ball with the mixture and place the cotton ball beside the tooth.
  • Kava kava: Kava kava is an effective muscle relaxant and a mild sedative. This remedy should not be taken with antidepressant medications.
  • Passion flower: This flower has sedative and relaxing properties without habit-forming properties. This may however pose a threat to pregnant and nursing women. Passion flower is available as infusions, teas, liquid extracts and tinctures.
  • Charcoal: Activated charcoal is available at many drug stores and natural health food stores. Mix two teaspoons of activated charcoal powder with just enough water to make a paste. Apply it to a piece of gauze and place the gauze on the tooth. Bite down.

Along those same lines, acquiring vitamins to store for long-term emergencies is also a proactive course of action you could take to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Not only do vitamins assist in maintaining your body’s daily functioning, overhall health, immunity and mental capacity, but they also assist in oral health. Taking these 7 vitamins daily will assist in maintaining  healthy teeth and gums as well as prevent gum disease.

Get Some Supplies

Having some dental supplies to rely on during short-or long-term emergencies would be opportunistic to say the least. These dental supplies should emcompass dental emergency resources, first aid supplies, pain relief, anti-infammatory needs and, if possible antibiotics.

Short-Term Emergency Dental Kit

  • Dental emergency resource
  • Dental exam gloves
  • Toothpaste (in quantity)
  • Toothbrushes (multiple quantities of soft bristled brushes)
  • Floss (3)
  • Toothpicks
  • Fluoride rinse (3 bottles)
  • Tongue scraper
  • Cotton balls
  • Cotton gauze pads
  • Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
  • Orabase with Benzocaine
  • Aspirin or acetaminaphen (Tylenol)
  • Temporary cap filler
  • Instant ice packs
  • Dental mirror
  • Salt (for rinsing)
  • Clove oil (for tooth aches and antimicrobial properties)
  • Penlight or headlamp 

Longer-Term Dental Emergency Supplies

  • More quantities of the above supplies
  • Vitamins
  • Additional dental resources
  • Dental tool assortment
  • Monofilament or suture “thread”
  • Suture needles
  • Celox or quikclot
  • Instant ice packs
  • Antibiotics

Most Likely Dental Emergencies To Prepare For

According to Douglas W. Stephens, D.D.S., the most common types of dental emergencies are:

Toothache: The most common dental emergency. This generally means a badly decayed tooth. As the pain affects the tooth’s nerve, treatment involves gently removing any debris lodged in the cavity being careful not to poke deep as this will cause severe pain if the nerve is touched. Next rinse vigorously with warm water. Then soak a small piece of cotton in oil of cloves and insert it in the cavity. This will give temporary relief until a dentist can be reached.

At times the pain may have a more obscure location such as decay under an old filling. As this can be only corrected by a dentist there are two things you can do to help the pain. Administer a pain pill (aspirin or some other analgesic) internally or dissolve a tablet in a half glass (4 oz) of warm water holding it in the mouth for several minutes before spitting it out. DO NOT PLACE A WHOLE TABLET OR ANY PART OF IT IN THE TOOTH OR AGAINST THE SOFT GUM TISSUE AS IT WILL RESULT IN A NASTY BURN.

Swollen Jaw: This may be caused by several conditions the most probable being an abscessed tooth. In any case the treatment should be to reduce pain and swelling. An ice pack held on the outside of the jaw, (ten minutes on and ten minutes off) will take care of both. If this does not control the pain, an analgesic tablet can be given every four hours.

Other Oral Injuries:Broken teeth, cut lips, bitten tongue or lips if severe means a trip to a dentist as soon as possible. In the mean time rinse the mouth with warm water and place cold compression the face opposite the injury. If there is a lot of bleeding, apply direct pressure to the bleeding area. If bleeding does not stop get patient to the emergency room of a hospital as stitches may be necessary.

Prolonged Bleeding Following Extraction: Place a gauze pad or better still a moistened tea bag over the socket and have the patient bite down gently on it for 30 to 45 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea seeps into the tissues and often helps stop the bleeding. If bleeding continues after two hours, call the dentist or take patient to the emergency room of the nearest hospital.

Broken Jaw: If you suspect the patient’s jaw is broken, bring the upper and lower teeth together. Put a necktie, handkerchief or towel under the chin, tying it over the head to immobilize the jaw until you can get the patient to a dentist or the emergency room of a hospital.

Painful Erupting Tooth: In young children teething pain can come from a loose baby tooth or from an erupting permanent tooth. Some relief can be given by crushing a little ice and wrapping it in gauze or a clean piece of cloth and putting it directly on the tooth or gum tissue where it hurts. The numbing effect of the cold, along with an appropriate dose of aspirin, usually provides temporary relief.

In young adults, an erupting 3rd molar (Wisdom tooth), especially if it is impacted, can cause the jaw to swell and be quite painful. Often the gum around the tooth will show signs of infection. Temporary relief can be had by giving aspirin or some other painkiller and by dissolving an aspirin in half a glass of warm water and holding this solution in the mouth over the sore gum. AGAIN DO NOT PLACE A TABLET DIRECTLY OVER THE GUM OR CHEEK OR USE THE ASPIRIN SOLUTION ANY STRONGER THAN RECOMMENDED TO PREVENT BURNING THE TISSUE. The swelling of the jaw can be reduced by using an ice pack on the outside of the face at intervals of ten minutes on and ten minutes off.

Cold Sores, Canker Sores, Fever Blisters: Sores in the mouth, lips or tongue can be caused by many reasons, irritation, injuries which bruise or cut the lip or just a run-down condition. The germs which cause most of these sores are always laying just below the surface waiting for a chance to flare up. Usually these lesions last five days no matter what you put on them. Such preparations as Blistex, Carmex, Butyn Dental Ointment or Spirits of Camphor will relieve pain but it is doubtful whether they cause them to heal any sooner. New studies suggest that high levels of another amino acid, arginine can give the body increased resistance to these painful mouth and lip sores.

Generally, when confronted by a dental emergency, you can only relieve the pain and give temporary treatment until the patient can see their dentist. Sometimes, fast prompt emergency treatment can spell the difference between permanently losing a tooth and saving it.

In Conclusion:

We have a tendency to forget about the importance of having a stock of dental supplies on hand. Without warning, pain, soreness and infection can occur in the gums or teeth causing extreme discomfort. Having supplies and natural alternatives to remedy these flare ups will help keep a bad situation from getting worse. Most importantly, make regular visits to your dentist to keep your oral health up to par. It is best to take care of any existing problems now before they become more aggravated.

Via: readynutrition


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Help Prevent Dental Emergencies

We tend to neglect the dental aspects of emergency preparedness. True dental health comes from within your body and teeth via your nutrition levels and enamel hardness comes from the nutrients in your diet.

It’s no surprise that the more vitamins and minerals that your body is able to absorb, the healthier you will stay. Maintaining a proper diet that is rich in high protein meats, grains and a combination of fruits and vegetables benifits your overall health.

If a long-term emergency were to occur where your daily vitamin intake suddenly decreases, or you fail to properly care for your teeth because of lack of dental supplies, then your overall health, as well as your teeth may suffer and degrade. As a result, teeth could abscess and cause bacterial infections that can cause serious health conditions. Many preparedness-centered individuals are trying to curb this type of emergency by storing vitamins. Taking vitamins during a long-term emergency will assist in regulating body functions, continued mental alertness, assist in maintaining good eye sight, as well as keep teeth and gums healthy.  However, they will do you no good if you do not take them regularly. Some vitamins and minerals to consider for long-term preparedness are:

General Multivitamin: This basic multivitamin will provide your body is its basic daily vitamin and minerals. Buying the multivitamin for mature adults will give a person increased levels of certain needed minerals that may further improve health.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is responsible for maintaining healthy gums. Without it, gum infections do not heal as fast and calculus tends to form more quickly under the gums. Lack of vitamin A is also associated with abnormal bone and tooth formation.

B Complex Vitamins: These are also a big player in fighting gum disease. B vitamin deficiencies can make gingivitis more severe and cause sores in the gums, tongue and other soft tissues in the mouth.

Vitamin C: Without it your gums become more vulnerable to infection, bleeding, and gum disease. A vitamin C deficiency makes whatever gum issues problem you have much worse. If you have periodontal disease, a lack of vitamin C increases bleeding and swelling and accelerates destructive effects. Studies have revealed that people who consume less of Vitamin C tend to be 25% more likely to suffer from gum disease.

Vitamin D: This vitamin not only strengthens your immunity against disease, but it also absorbs calcium that is needed for healthy teeth and also assists in keeping the teeth anchored into their sockets. Vitamin D has been shown to reduce gingivitis because of the anti- inflammatory effects of the vitamin.

Calcium: 99% of the calcium in your body is in your bones and your teeth. Dietary calcium is needed to make sure they’re in good shape. It is important to understand that the calcium that is present in bones and teeth is constantly in a state of movement. The calcium gets reabsorbed into the bloodstream if levels are low, and it is put back into bones and teeth when levels are higher. This is why Vitamin D is so important because it regulates this entire mechanism. People with low intake of Calcium and vitamin C are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease. Children’s teeth need Calcium to develop properly.

Phosphorus: Calcium alone cannot take all the credit for proper teeth formation. In fact, about 85% of phosphorus in the body can be found in bones and teeth. It has been found that vitamin D compliments this mineral by boosting its effectiveness.

Storing Vitamins

Vitamins tend to expire after a year.  However, there has been contradicting information regarding taking medicines and vitamins after the expiration dates have passed. Since the expiration date is probably conservative to ensure full potency, and aimed at the manufacturer and store more than the consumer, taking vitamins passed their expiration date will not put a person in danger. However, the potency of the vitamin may come into question if a person takes it passed their expiration date.

Keeping vitamins in a cool, dark area of the home will ensure they their potency for as long as possible.  Over time, vitamins will gradually oxidize, and become less effective.  It happens faster if the environment you keep them in is humid (e.g. your kitchen or your bathroom).

In Summary

 Health experts are coming to the conclusion that there is a correlation between vitamins and dental health.  Stocking up on vitamins to enhance your overall health and assist in maintaining teeth and preventing dental-related diseases would be a proactive way to prepare for a long-term emergency.

Via: readynutrition


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