I have a toothache. It isn't going away.

[Lyric]

Dammit, dammit, dammit. What really sucks is that there's no way in hell we can afford the cost of the root canal/crown I'd need in order to actually keep the tooth. I'm going to have to get the damned thing pulled, but I'm not even sure how to go about doing *that*. I'm pretty sure that it's infected (dull, throbbing pain in my whole jaw, punctuated with occasional bursts of HOLY FUCK OW, and a low-grade fever.) The dental school clinic doesn't do extractions of infected teeth, and I can't afford to go see my normal dentist right now. Even if I could, I'd be drowning in shame, showing up with another tooth this badly damaged. I'm so insane about LyricKid taking good care of HIS teeth, but I ignore mine other than cosmetic brushing, for the most part. *sigh* I'm not even sure when I'd find the time for a dentist, as I can't miss any classes, and they're not open past 5:30 pm.

Dammit, dammit, dammit. I was really hoping that it would just go away on its own, like it did last time. We just cannot waste a hundred bucks on this right now. Argh.
Ow.

:(

[HopeHoops]

1. "My advice to you is to start drinking heavily" - Bluto, Animal House

[Lyric]

5. Blech. Nah, thanks.

If I do that, then tomorrow I'll be hung-over AND miserable with a toothache.

[HopeHoops]

7. "Avoid hangovers - stay drunk" - old bumper sticker

[Brother Buzz]

14. What's the use of getting sober if you're only going to get drunk again - old Louis Jordan tune

[HopeHoops]

15. "Beer is proof that God exists and that he wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

[Brother Buzz]

18. If there is no God, who pops up the next Kleenex® - Art Hoppe

[HopeHoops]

20. Oh, they hire small gnomes to do that. The only job requirement is to be a gnome named "Sproing"

[Critters2]

2. When I worked at an agency that tried to get low-income people into

dentist's offices (which was nearly impossible!), if a person came in already in pain, we'd send 'em to the emergency room. The ER staff would give them anti-biotics and pain meds to tide them over. Sometimes, we wouldn't hear from 'em again, probably because the anti-b's fought off the infection pretty well. Sooner or later, they'd need to get it looked at again, but getting anti-biotics went a long way toward solving the problem.

So, I guess that's what I'd suggest...get an antibiotic somehow. From an ER, from your regular doc, hell, from Mexico if you're close enough. Fighting the infection will help considerably.

[Lyric]

4. I didn't know you could see a "real" doctor for this sort of thing.

I could probably get into student health, if that's the case...or maybe my actual doctor. I think my Medicaid card is still good. I wonder if Medicaid covers adult extractions? Either way, the antibiotics alone would probably be a huge help.

I'll have to look it up. Thanks.

:hug:

[Critters2]

12. I'd try student health. They'll probably give you a few days' worth

of an antibiotic. They'll tell you to see a dentist ASAP, but will probably give you something to help for now.

As for medicaid, its coverage varies from state to state. And dentists don't have to accept it at all. That was our problem when I was doing that work. Most dentists wouldn't touch a medicaid patient with a ten foot pole. The good guys will, though. You just have to keep looking.

To this day, one of the ways I choose a dentist is whether they accept medicaid. I've never been on medicaid, but I want to support dentists who treat those in need. It's always interesting, though, to hear the reaction when I move to a new place and try to make that first appt with a dentist. I ask whether they accept medicaid, and you can just hear the, umm, annoyance in the receptionist's voice.
Like dentists aren't making a profit. :eyes:

[Lyric]

16. I'm pretty sure the dental school will accept it.

I'm hoping that my own dentist will accept it, too, though. I have had a tooth pulled at the dental school clinic (a wisdom tooth) and another at my regular dentist (another wisdom tooth) and the experience was dramatically different. At the school clinic, the injection hurt like hell, and they put so much Lidocaine into me that my heart started pounding like mad...apparently, the Lidocaine numbing solution has epinephrine in it to help reduce swelling. My own dentist has never hurt me with a shot, and he's never given too much.

I know he's taken Medicaid for LyricKid, so maybe he takes it for adults, too.

By the way--this Medicaid patient thanks you for giving your businesses to Medicaid-friendly professionals.

:hug:

[rcrush]

3. I know this dentist that works wonders.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8552392

[Midlodemocrat]

6. Does UWV have a dental school?

If there is one nearby, they will treat you for next to nothing.

[Lyric]

9. Indeed they do. They have a low-income clinic, too. But

I think they require people to stand in line, and I'm not sure about how I can manage that without missing class. Maybe they're open evenings. I'll have to check. From what I'm reading, my Medicaid should cover the cost of an extraction, though, so that's one thing that I have going for me.

:hug:

[Midlodemocrat]

8. Try some tea bags on the tooth

seriously, the tannin will help.


And, don't rule out the dental school. If you tell them you think it is infected, you can at least get in to see them. They need to practice on root canals, too, you know.

[Lyric]

10. Good point!

I just need to get some antibiotics to get rid of the infection first; I'll call my docs tomorrow and see if they can fit me in. It will only take a couple of minutes to check my temp and verify that the tooth is infected, after all.

Maybe I'll get lucky, and get to keep the tooth. :)

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Don't wait. Tooth pain is insidious.

[dem629]

13. I am going through the same thing, but with a broken molar

as of last Thursday night. Yowch.

I went to our local college dental clinic and got examined, and they could not schedule me to get it fixed until Monday, March 2.

So I know what you're going through. Eating sucks. Drinking sucks. Even yawning hurts.

I wish you well.

[Lyric]

17. Ouch!

I feel worse for you than for me; mine is my own damned fault, after all. Didn't they give you any effective pain medication? I mean, a broken tooth is a rather obvious problem. It's not like they could possibly think that you're faking it.

[leftyclimber]

19. Call the School of Dentistry's billing office and ask 'em point blank what the deal is.

[phone]

If they will take Medicaid, show up at 8:30 the next morning and get in to the emergency clinic, which opens at 9. They'll take you in the order you showed up. I think I was third or fourth when I did this. I ended up seeing a fourth-year student who was pretty decent, and learned a lot about how teeth work from the professor who was overseeing his work. It was kind of interesting, actually. And they let me make payments.

FWIW, no dentist in his/her right mind is going to pull an infected tooth. The infection can spread, and your brain's pretty darn close to your teeth. ;) They're going to give you pain meds and antibiotics, wait for the infection to clear up, then do what they have to do to deal with the tooth. Mr_leftyclimber had his most recent abcessed tooth pulled at the School of Dentistry and he said they did a good job of it. He's at his dad's right now and I can't remember what he paid. I'll ask him when I talk to him tonight and then PM you to let you know how much it cost for real.

I'm heading your way tomorrow morning anyway, so if you want a ride down there to ask them about whether they take Medicaid and to get an early crack at the emergency clinic, feel free to hop in my motor vehicle. :hug: