Grossness... advice needed

[ticklkitten]

Ok, for all of those people who have heard me whine incessantly over the past four days (and I'm not typically a whiner, I am even starting to annoy myself!) I had my wisdom teeth out on Friday. Mine were a bit more complicated than the average person's and I having a pretty hard time with it. So, now for my problem which is disgusting but my oral surgeon's office isn't much help so I'm looking for advice. I am obsessed with oral hygeine so this seriously bothers me.

I have these HUGE gaping deep holes in my lower jaw because for some reason they sew up the upper ones but not the lower. I can't eat anything without getting food stuck in them! It is nasty and I try to swish afterwards and that only sometimes works to get it out. I'm so disgusted. Is there anyone who has dealt with this before? I know they are going to be there even after the pain and swelling is gone so I really need to figure out how to deal. Any advice is greatly appreciated... I've tried just not eating but then I get serious abdominal pain from medicine on an empty stomach.

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Not too long ago I had mine removed. The holes can be a pain they can, but there are solutions. FIrst off, if you have a syringe handy, fill it with water and rinse the holes after each meal. A second, and slightly less fun, solution, is to get them packed. This especially applies if you still feel pain in the holes (As this signals the formation of a Dry Socket). Your dentist/oral surgeon can pack the holes with a, well, pack, that does a good job of keeping foodstuffs out (It does have to be changed every week or so). However, the pack may only be for those with dry sockets or the possibility of them.

Check with your dentist, eh?

 

[vampirecult]

Make an appointment for your local and very great Dentist. after all that is what their there for is to look over things like this for people. because it could be something far far worse then food just getting stuck up in your mouth and gums

 

[ticklkitten]

Not too long ago I had mine removed. The holes can be a pain they can, but there are solutions. FIrst off, if you have a syringe handy, fill it with water and rinse the holes after each meal. A second, and slightly less fun, solution, is to get them packed. This especially applies if you still feel pain in the holes (As this signals the formation of a Dry Socket). Your dentist/oral surgeon can pack the holes with a, well, pack, that does a good job of keeping foodstuffs out (It does have to be changed every week or so). However, the pack may only be for those with dry sockets or the possibility of them.

Check with your dentist, eh?

The packing is for only those with dry sockets (where the blood clot in the hole breaks loose and the bone is exposed to air which can be quite painful. And these contain anesthetic. I have a follow up visit with my oral surgeon on Thursday but this is driving me nuts!

Any idea where I can get a syringe?

 

[ticklemad]

You should be able to get a syringe at your local pharmacy or veterinary clinic, pop in and ask for one for feeding kittens with (no pun intended with your user name). Failing that a dropper pipette will work just as well.

 

[Mimi]

You should also be able to find rubber bulb syringes in any baby dept of any dept store. Medicinal syringes or nasal syringers should both work fine.

The good news is the holes will close eventually. I don't know who told you they won't, but they do eventually. You won't always have those holes there.

Mimi

 

[P50]

You are a member of the TMF and you've never heard of the WaterPik ? (You are supposed to be giggling about that question.)


http://www.waterpik.com/

http://www.waterpik-store.com/index.asp


Super Duper Version: $75

Simpleton's Version: $40

Maybe a little shopping can beat those prices. All 'Lees and 'Lers should have their own WaterPik for, uhm, dental hygiene. Yeah. That's why.

 

[TickleUrTummy]

Hi Kitten,

Sorry you're having such trouble. I dont know why they didnt stich up you bottoms. When I had mine out,they stitched up top and bottom. I would go to you dentist or find a new oral surgeon to consult with if the flushing is not working. Hang in there...

 

[Majestic]

Hey Kitten,
I just had all four of my molars pulled about a month ago so I understand your pain. I have had two C-sections and my tubes tied and they werent anywhere near the pain that I suffered when they pulled my teeth. BUT I digress. My doctor had me rinse three to four times a day with a half cup of warm warm with a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of peroxide mixed. The concept being that the warm water and salt would speed the healing and the peroxide would bubble out any particles of food lodged in the hole. It worked for me. The holes have sinced closed up and now I just have deep indentations where my teeth used to be but I no longer have any problem with food getting stuck in the gaps. The syringe idea is good also if the water, salt, peroxide thing doesnt work.

Majestic

 

[ticklkitten]

I have a special swish I am supposed to use twice a day and that helps but I tend to eat in the meantime. Because of some of the pain that I've had that the painkillers don't really touch I have a friend who is an ER doctor and he stopped by tonight to check them out. He is no dentist but he's seen plenty of dry sockets and in his opinion I have two of them right now. He recommended I call my oral surgeon in the morning and in the meantime rinse with warm salt water. THis sucks! No wonder I have been having so much pain! I usually consider myself pretty tough and that is just what my friend said. He says that if *I* am hurting this bad then I most likely have dry sockets. Argghhh.. can someone remind me why I got this done?

 

[ticklkitten]

damn, I hate doubleposting... but to keep you guys updated, it looks like I have TWO dry sockets and a broken jaw! ouch... I KNEW there was a reason I was being so whiny!

 

[tommytikl]

A broken JAW!!!

Ummm, find a malpractice lawer IMMEDIATLY!!!!!!

 

[sole seeker]

A BROKEN JAW!!!

Been there - done that. I can sum up my experience: fuggin ouch! and the bonus of a liquid diet!

I hope you heal quickly and with a minimum of pain.

 

[Majestic]

Sheesh Kitten!!! How do they explain the broken jaw????

Majestic

 

[Mimi]

OMG girl! How the hell did that happen?!?

Mimi

 

[featherfingers]

I just found this thread. After throwing up while reading your graphic details, I found this weblink that may be useful to those who don't know what drysockets are:

http://www.calweb.com/~goldman/dry_sockets.html

Kitten, how the hell did you get a broken jaw??? Usually I feel like I want to punch the Dentist during dental work but this is very weird!

 

[Cosmo_ac]

the jaw was probably broken while the docture was rooting out the teeth. I've heard of cases where this needed to happen do to how bad the teeth were in. I had mine taken out about half a year ago, and god did it suck. I was on a lot of pain meds i can tell you that much. The docture gave you some strong ones i hope. Anyway, yes, get a small watter syrynge, and fill it with a mixture of hot water and mouthwash, this should clean the holes and help fight infection.

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Goodness...you really got slammed, Kitten. On the bright side, the packs will keep food mostly out, no?😀

 

[ticklkitten]

Goodness...you really got slammed, Kitten. On the bright side, the packs will keep food mostly out, no?😀

That is the plan... and a broken jaw does happen from time to time. My teeth were pretty imbedded in there and they do some serious wrenching, I worked in the ER for awhile and I saw at least two cases. I got some stronger painkillers tonight though and hopefully that'll get me through Thursday when I see my oral surgeon again. And if there is a crack in my jaw because it is obviously stabilized (I am talking pretty ok) there isn't anything they would do for it anyhow. Just anti-inflammatories and some meds. I have antibiotics now too (I feel like a freakin pharmacy) so that should help me out... sigh... this was supposed to be easy.

 

[His Divine Shadow]

It never is, it never is. I can still remember the somewhat clove-ish taste of those packs now...*Shivers* I feel for you, Kitten.

 

[milagros317]

I am very sorry to hear about your bad experience with the extractions. 🙁 I hope the new painkillers are helping you.

 

[ticklkitten]

Thank you so much for the advice guys! The antibiotics are starting to make some of the swelling go down and the painkillers are working for the most part to take the edge off the pain. My appt with my surgeon is tomorrow so he'll hopefully help take care of the rest! Yay! I still have a road of healing ahead of my but I think the worst is over... But for the record, I am VERY glad I got all four out at once because there is no WAY you could get me in there again... uh uh.

 

[milagros317]

I had two of my wisdom teeth removed in 1972, and the experience was so painful that I didn't have the other two removed until 1977. So I think you're right, better to get it all over with at once. Feel better soon, Kitten. 😀

 

[Majestic]

Keep us posted Kitten. Sounds like quite a few of us feel your pain cuz we've been there. I will tell you that since I had four pulled, I remember the pain and now I brush my teeth two and three times a day and floss....well, when I remember to. I thought I took care of my teeth though but apparently I didnt do it good enough...whatever that is.

Majestic

 

[ticklkitten]

It never is, it never is. I can still remember the somewhat clove-ish taste of those packs now...*Shivers* I feel for you, Kitten.

No one warned me that I was going to REEK of cloves after getting the holes packed. My God... my coworker had to leave the door to our office open today because the smell of me (even though her desk is about four feet from mine) was making her feel nauseated! And the taste in my mouth... well, it just plain isn't cool. The sad thing is that this is better than the pain of the dry sockets. The packs actually work awesome even though it is excruciatingly painful to have them inserted. Someday... this will all be a distant memory... right?