Queen of Correspondence, Resident Celebrity, RCL ([info]mel21clc) wrote in [info]washingtondc,
@ 2005-08-30 10:04:00
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Dentists and dental advice, please
So I figured out what I am coming down with, and all the chicken soup in the world isn't going to help. I apparently have an abscess around my wisdom tooth. It hurts a whole lot and is what is making my throat hurt, too. Everything I'm reading about these things is scary as crap and points to immediate medical attention. Thing is I don't have insurance with this company until October 1. (I haven't had insurance in over five years and nothing happened, so you'd think my body could wait one more month before getting all screwed up on me.) So I have a couple questions that I couldn't find answers to in the memories.

1) Has anyone else had one of these things? What can I expect? Can I get away with not doing anything about it for a month? What will happen if I wait?

2) Is there anything like the health department or a free clinic for oral issues? Has anyone dealt with them? Are they nice or are they one of those places that figures patients shouldn't get understanding doctors if they're not paying or are paying very little for it?

3) Is there a really good, gentle, understanding dentist who might work with me on a reasonable payment plan? Who also wouldn't try to sell me on fixing all the other crap wrong with my teeth that can wait until October? (Yes, I know my wisdom teeth need to come out, but that's not essential to my well-being, and I'm really tired of dentists trying to convince me it's a life or death situation so they can get a few thousand dollars.) I work around 15th and L NW, and live in Alexandria.

I thought I had another question, but since I can't think of it now, I'll edit this if I do. Thank you for any insight or advice you may be able to provide.

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[info]itsjustkelly
2005-08-30 02:25 pm UTC (link)
I'm no doctor, but if you have an abcess I'm guessing at the very least you need to get a round of antibiotics right away. It could turn into blood poisoning or something. I really hope it works out for you!!!

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:13 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, I've got a friend who's a doctor (unfortunately in a different state) but I finally got a hold of him, and he's getting me hooked up with some antibiotics. Thank goodness. I'm just worried they won't be enough to really eradicate it.

Thank you!

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[info]commygirl
2005-08-30 02:36 pm UTC (link)
I'm no doctor either, but am someone who is deathly afraid of dentists and have avoided going to them (and taking care of problems) for years. I totally sympathize with your situation, but, please DO NOT hold off on getting yourself to a doctor. It'll cost you at least a few thousand (I learned from experience) but it's worth putting it on a credit card and then moving it to a 0% APR one and paying it off slowly. This can get worse enough to infect your jaw, other teeth, etc., and require even bigger surgery.

Dr. William Ebbs, in Dupont, is wonderful, and they will tell you exactly how things are and won't try to sell you to do other things immediately. But if you have an abcess, that's already a big deal. I don't know if they have payment plans of any kind, but it's worth calling and asking, and even if they don't, going anyway (even if to another doctor) because this will get worse, I guarantee you.

Good luck!

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:15 pm UTC (link)
A credit card - man I need to get one of those. I've got my debit card, but lately too many things have been happening where not having a credit card is a pain - and today, literally.

Thank you for the recommendation. Maybe he'll be on my insurance plan.

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[info]livelyvc
2005-08-30 02:38 pm UTC (link)
I had a similar problem a few years ago...but need to stress it was a very small abcess. The dentist had me gargle with a solution of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and water....sorry don't remember the how much of each. I made an effor to get the solution into the abcess. Don't swallow it.

I eventually had the tooth out. I do have a dentist I really like. Dr. Finnerty in Rosslyn--although it isn't the one who handeled my wisdom teeth. http://www.finnertywu.com/

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:16 pm UTC (link)
Hey, even if yours was small, it can't do any harm to try it. Thank you!

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[info]kiparui
2005-08-30 02:39 pm UTC (link)
>Can I get away with not doing anything about it for a month? What will happen if I wait?

Left untreated, an abscess may compromise the immune system and in some cases may become life-threatening.

The dental infection can spread to the inside of the brain and quickly infect the tissues in the skull. It can cause uncontrolled rapid swelling that can quickly block off a patient's airway with immediate suffocation.

Treatment for an abscessed tooth should begin as soon as possible after a diagnosis in order to avoid a more serious infection in the neck and head, such as cellulitis.1 Bacteria from an untreated abscess can spread to the blood and infect other parts of the body. This risk increases if you have diabetes, heart valve disease, or an artificial valve, or if you take steroids for other conditions, such as asthma or Crohn's disease. The infection can be life-threatening if it spreads to other parts of the body.


Doesn't sound like waiting is such a hot idea.


If you're indigent.

A buncha free clinics in VA.


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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:18 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, that's pretty much what I was finding. I just want to know how long before all those nasty things happen, which they don't tell you, of course.

Damn me and my non-indigence. Thank you for posting the free clinic site - even if I don't wind up using it, I'm sure it will be helpful to someone checking through memories in the future.

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[info]lizs18
2005-08-30 02:43 pm UTC (link)
Also Howard University allows you to make appointments or be an emergency walk in and be treated by their dental students. It's a flat fee of $40 for most things (I'm not sure what they charge more for). I went there for a tooth I thought was a cavity (I don't have insurance either) and they treated it and I was only charged $40. I did have to wait around for half of my workday, which was a pain, so if you can find a dentist that will set up a payment plan it might save you money (if you don't have vacation days and can't really take off that much time from work) but it's a good resource to know of.

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:22 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much! The lady on the phone said draining an abscess would be included in the $40 exam, so that rocks. She emphasized their extraction rates a bit much for me without mentioning other options (like telling the price for a root canal or something *before* mentioning how happy they'll be to yank your teeth out) but I think it'd be fine for me. I'm going to see how long my doctor friend thinks I can get away with just antibiotics first, but if it's less than a month, I'm totally there. I don't get paid enough yet to have it be worth it to have an appointment instead of missing work. +)

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[info]jessiebeans
2005-08-30 04:13 pm UTC (link)
Make sur eyou get an antibiotic and some good T3 OR VICODINE

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:22 pm UTC (link)
I'm definitely working on this. Thanks!

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[info]mokey4
2005-08-30 05:31 pm UTC (link)
I agree that you should see a doctor or a dentist ASAP, but tell them your financial situation. If they can give you some drugs to keep you going until you have insurance then maybe they will. But you could have some really serious emergency condition that requires immediate attention, and having to pay a couple thousand bucks for dental work might be the least of your worries. Not to scare you.

Personally, I had an abcess wisdom tooth situation when I was in the Peace Corps, and they tried giving me antibiotics to hold me off because I was leaving in only 3 months or so. Every round of antibiotics made me feel better for a while (a few weeks maybe? I can't remember it was 6 years ago), but the infections kept coming back so they ended up sending me to the US for surgery. So based on my own experience if you have something similar maybe you can put off oral surgery for a month with antibiotics- but I would NOT make this decision without seeing a doctor. Cellulitus is NO FUN- I have a friend who was in a hospital for weeks with that. Talk about doctors bills.

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:24 pm UTC (link)
Not to scare me? Ha!

Good call on it costing more in the long run - thanks for sharing. I'll edit when this whole shebang is over and share how it turned out.

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[info]crazypumpkin
2005-08-30 09:41 pm UTC (link)
I got my wisdom teeth out for free through NIH. You might want to check out their studies page, they might be doing the/a study on oral pain or wisdom teeth that could help you get the teeth out for free.

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[info]mel21clc
2005-08-30 10:26 pm UTC (link)
Way hot, thank you. Did they knock you out for it? That's my only requirement if I get them out is that I not be awake for it. I've heard too many horror stories from friends who were awake for theirs and could feel them cracking their teeth and things. I get all shuddery and gross thinking about it.

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[info]crazypumpkin
2005-08-31 03:34 am UTC (link)
They gave me the option, and I choose to be knocked out. I remember sitting in the chair, the doc saying something about "You'll start to feel sleepy" and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room.
If you do decide to do an NIH study, double check to make sure they will give you the meds you need. I didn't really need much, but they did give me some tylenol 3 (which doesn't do much for me any way). I didn't have the same problems you are describing, but mine were impacted, so they had to be surgically removed.
Best of luck!

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[info]triplecrown
2005-08-31 01:43 am UTC (link)
I have the bad look of having horribly soft teeth, and have had multiple root canals/caveties etc...a real party when you try to take care of your teeth!

That said, I feel your pain...dental stuff is horrible and insurance is pathetic. I have a really wonderful dentist who has done some great work for me, and is so kind and understanding about payments - he puts fixing the teeth and getting rid of the pain/infection first, and I have yet to meet one like him. His name is Dr. James Berge, and he's on Connecticut Ave in Van Ness...a hike for you, but may be worth it. Could walk from Red Line.

In the meantime, you definitely want to get that sucker taken care of...like everyone else said, the whole infection thing, plus you don't want to walk around in pain if you can help it. :(

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out. :)

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[info]twilight
2005-09-01 03:48 am UTC (link)
I love my dentist. Dr. Vo in Falls Church (George Mason/Four Mile Run).

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