Gargling with Anbesol

I really wish I could right now, but the largest bottle is only .31 fluid ounces.

I'm suffering some major-league oral problems right now. For two days now, an especially cranky canker sore has pretty much made talking, eating, and even being awake a painful proposition. The sore is located in an especially sensitive area of my mouth: right behind my lower left wisdom tooth, right next to the hinge of my jaw. (It is a hinge, right? My command of medical terminology bites.) I fear an infection, but the flesh around the open sore is a ghastly white, which could mean one of two things: either I've been eating too much white-out, or the area around the sore is necrotic.

Worst of all, nothing eases the pain. Advil is useless; ditto Oragel and Anbesol (both contain a metric ton of benzocaine). Aspirin doesn't work except if I powder a pill and rub it directly onto the wound, which eases the pain temporarily, but is not healthy to do more than once, since it can work some damage on exposed oral tissue (I don't know why; maybe I'm a mutant). I've flossed in hopes that I maybe missed some piece of food in my wisdom tooth, got lodged and caused an infection. Nada. I'm brushing my teeth five times a day now, and using mouthwash almost as often.

I know I'm a naif when it comes to this crap, so other than keeping my mouth clean, I'm biding my time and waiting for the sore to heal. However, I'm taking full advantage of my agony. For one, I can't speak much without clenching my jaw and talking out the unaffected side of my mouth. I've found this has greatly improved my Mayor Daley impersonation. The only things I can eat without pain are stuff I can eat through a straw. I'm going gonzo on milkshakes right now. And with a little extra milk (and a wider straw), mashed potatoes are no sweat. My blender is working overtime, and I've sucked up things I never thought I'd enjoy in liquid form. (Note: remove the T-bone before liquifying your steak; the blades wear out faster if you don't.)

I miss my medical insurance.

Comments

[Stephanie Hartman]

Tea Tree Oil: Add 10 drops of tea tree oil to 1/3 cup of water. Mix it well. Swish the liquid in your mouth. The mild solution will act as an antiseptic to help prevent secondary infection, and it will also help to heal the sore. Trader Joes might even have tea tree oil lozenges which are said to work wonders.

Aloe Vera Gel: Apply aloe vera gel, 2 tablespoons at the canker sore. Repeat the application 3 times a day.

[the kiosk]

Forget medical insurance, they can't do crap for you anyway. I got a prescription for something once -- it was basically orajel.

People who do not suffer these things as we do have NO IDEA how lucky they are. But I, Reverend, *I* understand your pain. Thank God I'm in between outbreaks right now... but once one gets started they come one at a time, single-file, for months. Misery!

[Laura]

You know, hon, you should also try gargling or rinsing with salt water. I went through a similar bout of oral pain last week when I thought I had mono (I didn't, and I didn't have strep, so I don't know WHAT I had). My throat swelled up hideously, and then my gums and my tongue and my tastebuds and seemingly EVERYTHING else in my mouth swelled up; I had nasty things on the front of my mouth that felt like canker sores, and the only thing that kept me from clawing someone's eyes out in desperation was salt water.

Can't figure it out, really--"rubbing salt in one's wounds" is supposed to mean making a bad situation worse, so why salt becomes such a panacea when added to water is beyond me. But it does work. Go figure.

[eighmie]

dental clinic....UIC has one, so does the department of health, the closets one I know is on Wilson east of Broadway. $20.00 and they will help you. If it is an emergency, or you lack the $20.00 I'll pay for it. I had to have root canal after spending a holiday weekend in agonizing pain. Let me know, I'll paypal the dough or drive you there and give you $20.00 no one should have to be in dental pain

there is also an "Orajel PM" it is a really dense paste, that stays put pretty well. It will only mask the pain and you should seek out what ever social dental assitance possible. Lo siento....

[RN]

1. Not sure what mouthwash you're using, but rinsing well with Listerine can help. Make sure when you're brushing your teeth 5 times a day that you aren't further irritating the sore.

2. Salt water will help the pain temporarily.

3. Get some dental paste (like orajel pm). Before you go to bed, rinse with Listerine, then try to dry the area as best you can (I know this is difficult) before adding the orajel. Let it set, then LEAVE IT ALONE. Your tongue will have a natural inclination to mess with it. Don't let it. The paste will protect it.

4. White areas are not necrotic. Black areas are necrotic. Oral sores just happen to be white for some reason.

5. There's a good chance that it has become infected if it starts draining actual pus, or if you develop a fever/chills. At this point, a visit to a healthcare professional will be in order.

[rn]

Oh yeah...

6. Get rid of the wisdom teeth. My sores stopped abruptly when I did that.

[rn]

Laura,
Salt works like this:

When injury occurs, chemical processes tell the body to send more blood to the injured area. The extra circulation carries oxygen and white blood cells to help heal the area. Unfortunately, the extra circulation brings along extra fluid, which causes swelling. Swollen tissue is stretched tissue, which causes pain.

When using salt water on an oral sore or sore throat, it temporarily "dehydrates" the area. Some of the extra fluid is absorbed by the salt, the tissue is less swollen and pain is relieved. Until the salt goes away.

[dave]

I realized recently that I always get canker sores after I eat some kinds of candy. Both Nerds and Runts give me canker sores within 24 hours time.

Reverend, have you been eating candy?

More canker sore info: http://www.saveyoursmile.com/cankersores/dzcankersores4.html

[Reverend H.L. Spork]

Lose my wisdom teeth? I'm about the only person I know of who still *has* his wisdom teeth left! I'm very proud of my wisdom teeth. They're very nice.

Moreover, I don't have a dental plan right now. Something as radical as getting teeth removed needs to wait until I can afford it.

[Reverend H.L. Spork]

As for gargling with salt water, I have been doing that, although I should gargle more often.

Back when I lived with my grandparents, my grandmother always advised gargling with salt water, no matter what the hell was wrong with me. Sore throat? Gargle with salt water. Cold sore? Gargle with salt water. Pancreatic cancer? Gargle with salt water. And the hell of it is, it always worked, which drove me crazy, because what 17-year old wants his grandmother to be right?

[Greg]

hello, I have the same problem, Below My Jaw is sore, i figured out the REASON, its because i had milk, and when you have milk, it makes your teeth grow, but infortunately, my top 2 wisdom teeth, broke as i went vegetarian for over 12 months, no milk, no eggs etc... so i lost my wisdom teeth at such a crucial age.. point. DO NOT go vegetarian, especially when your wisdom teeth are growing, they WILL Crack and Fall out.. :((((