Was debating whether or not to talk about my experience of the past few weeks when I was up to it, since there always seems to be a discussion about dental health / folk with dental issues somewhere on the board when I look around...

Some background: about 5 years ago part of one of my upper right molars broke off while I was eating lunch and some of the silver filling went along with it. I was never able to have anything done to it mainly due to financial reasons,but it was also an issue of finding someone who wouldn't mangle my mouth either, you know? From last April I've had off and on pain bouts, but nothing like I had this past Valentine's weekend...

I'm just sharing here, so it's not a judgement for or against anything (!)but I had been using charcoal for a while and saving up a little money each week for dental care while praying like crazy to find the right dentist for me. So on the Friday night before Valentine's when I noticed that my check looked a little puffy I had a sinking feeling right away, and upon waking up Saturday I knew I had to get to the doctor immediately. He took one look at me, had a good, very gentle exam and wrote up scrips for 2 antibiotics, and Vicodin for the pain - yep, that's how bad the pain was; Vic and I became very good, very fast friends. By V. Day I looked like someone had used my face as a punching bag for a few rounds - it was downright scary. Just at the end of my second round of antibiotics I was led to the most wonderful dentist I have ever met, who ended up doing oral surgery to remove the tooth. Everyone had told me that I wouldn't find someone who'd be willing to work out a payment plan with a new patient (with no insurance, to boot), but I ignored that...

My dentist's office manager not only worked out a plan with me, but I was immediately scheduled in as an emergency patient; the entire cost of the exam, surgical procedure (which I later found out he had given me an additional major discount on), etc, was less than half of the price I'd been given at dental centers targeting patients such as myself - and that was for the extraction alone, not for the exam and any other additonal work, like oral surgery!!! I had two stitches in, which were taken out this Tuesday, and he's extremely pleased at how well I've been healing.

I'm still recovering from the trauma ;} and the effects, of course,of all the meds, but things could've been much worse; thank God I kept up with eating well and working on other aspects of my wellbeing. I just want to urge everyone who needs to get work done to try to push and get it done. I know times are hard, etc, trust me. But I really don't want anyone else to go through what I just did, and am still recovering from...

Oh, Soraya, what an awful experience! I'm so glad for you that things are better after having gone so wrong.

Your message is one I second, heartily. I'm embarrassed to say that it took me several bad experiences to finally take my dental care seriously. I am very much into preventive care now. I brush twice a day and floss daily. I get my teeth cleaned by a dentist twice a year. Just recently, I got some sesame oil (which I learned about from Jodi) and started oil pulling. Happily, it's been 10 years since I've had a filling.


My favorite raw vegan

Soraya,

Hope you heal up soon, and thank goodness the worst is behind you!

I'm sorry to hear about your wake-up call Soraya, but glad you were able to get your teeth treated and for less than you originally thought.

Thanks for the well wishes, guys, and I am healing nicely, so I'm very happy about that. I am very grateful that I had such a wonderful outcome, but it really made me think of other people who may also be experiencing tooth problems and have been putting off, or can't afford, getting dental care... I've talked to people who even have dentals plans and are still trying to finagle how to get all of the treatment(s) that they need! It's just crazy...

I've been taking much better care of my teeth in the past two+ years. I stopped using toothpaste and started using toothsoap, and the tooth sensitivity and (occasionally) gum bleeding I used to have have gone away completely. Began oil pulling and either rinse or brush my teeth after eating, especially after something sticky or acidic. It was "just" that last remaining issue. After I heal completely I'll be going back for a cleaning...

Hi

I am new to the site and came on here looking for stuff about sugar. But am interested about anything to do with changing my health and spent hours reading all sorts of things, Then came accross this post.

Anyway to get to the point could someone please tell me what 'oil pulling' is and what it does to your teeth.

jahdmrs,

Oil pulling is the process in which you take a few spoons of unprocessed oil(sesame, virgin coconut or virgin olive oil) into your mouth and swish it around for 5-10 minutes and then spit it out, rinsing well afterwards. This is repeated once or twice daily, on an empty stomach before eating, typically. The idea is that the oil, being a drawing agent, and the swishing, being a saliva recycling process, work together to pull toxins from your tissues, allowing you to excrete them. Oil pulling was used most commonly in the Soviet Union, where home remedies for illness were popular, and people who try it tend to claim it has in some way helped their health. Haven't done it yet, myself, but am planning on it in the deep summer.

Also...you are supposed to do this until the oil that it spat out is white and foamy. If it is still yellow and oily then you did not pull long enough.