Dental Problems Onboard

Because I've been to the dentist with pain in my tooth 3 times in the past month, I'm wondering if anyone had tooth problems when on their cruise? I have a dental mystery that isn't showing up on xray. It could be a nerve dying, but other then bad, shocking pain when eating something hot or cold, no other signs. It's not just sensitivity.:(

 

So, since we'll be cruising for close to 12 days in Oct., it concerns me. What would one do if there was a dental emergency?

I wonder if a root canal might be the way to go there before you go away. It will remove the nerve and that should be the end of the story. Mind you, I'm not a dentist. :)

Picture Tom Hanks... with the ice skate... in the movie Castaway! :D

The patient I just saw who's cruising day after tomorrow has had two root canals on his lower molar (by a good endodontist). The second root canal has now failed. Prescriptions are in hand, and he has an extraction, bone graft, and implant to look forward to after his cruise.

Re-reading the OP's info, since the cruise is over a month away (missed that last time!) there's plenty of time for definitive treatment prior to sailing. Yes, get a referral to an endodontist for further evaluation.

Tom

... If your regular DDS is doing the root canal he or she may not have the microscopes to see cracks like an endodontist .

... or DMD ... ;)

I can't tell you how many unsolicited pieces of mail I receive each week which assume that my degree was DDS, and not DMD. From time to time, I will bring that to their attention. :)

Tom

This is the funny thing about it...it does not hurt at all when I bite on it. The tooth itself is not really sensitive to hot or cold, but should it seep underneath the tooth (last time it was ice cream, but the other day it was something hot) it is pain, not sensitivity, like you wouldn't believe!

I think my dentist is hesitant because there's a shadow on the next tooth and he's not seeing anything definitive.

One thing I just remembered after my visit was, that more then a few months ago I was eating a potato chip and when I bit it I felt a sliver go right up in to the gum. I can't swear it was that tooth, but I think so.

My dentist sent me to a endodontist a couple years because he didn't have small enough instruments to get into the one canal. We have to travel more then an hour for one of these specialists. I was hoping not to have to that, but........

Funny that we're talking about teeth on a cruise board, but, if we're lucky we all have them and we do use them enough on a cruise!:D

On our first cruise on the first night, my husband broke part of his tooth. I had nail glue and carefully glued it back. The next morning we went to the shop's doctor, told me what I did was a good idea, he gave him antibiotics in case of infection. Okay for the rest of the cruise. Ever since then, I buy a dental kit when we travel, contains a number of things for a quick fix. Incidentally, the following week after that cruise, HAL was having dentist on board!

Marguerite

On our first cruise on the first night, my husband broke part of his tooth. I had nail glue and carefully glued it back. The next morning we went to the shop's doctor, told me what I did was a good idea, he gave him antibiotics in case of infection. Okay for the rest of the cruise. Ever since then, I buy a dental kit when we travel, contains a number of things for a quick fix. Incidentally, the following week after that cruise, HAL was having dentist on board!

Marguerite

What is a "dental kit"?

Many thanks!

GeezerCouple

... Incidentally, the following week after that cruise, HAL was having dentist on board!

Marguerite

I think HAL called that program Sea Dentist, or Dentist at Sea. I'm not sure that they still offer it, but a dentist could sign up to be "on call" and get the cruise for free... though you did have to pay some nominal sort of supplies fee (or similar). I believe it got you an inside cabin (for up to 4). I can't picture many dentists opting for an inside cabin - but I'm sure they allowed you to upgrade for a fee.

I toyed with the idea of doing it at one point -- but really that does not sound like what I'd want to do while on "vacation" !!

Tom

Same problem before a cruise. My dentist gave me an antibiotic and hydrocodone to take in an emergency.

I had a similar problem. My dentist also gave me an antibiotic for an emergency and I already had some hydrocordone which I brought in the prescribed bottle. Thank goodness I didn't need it on our cruise. Hopefully your cruise goes as well.

What is a "dental kit"?

 

Many thanks!

 

GeezerCouple

Contains a dental pick, temporary fillings, numbing gel, anything you may need for a "dental emergency"

I've used the Dent-Temp (or similar) several times. Most of the time it didn't stay in, but one time it lasted a week until the dentist got me in. He said I did a great job and actually had to drill it out! I still don't know what the trick to it is. The last time I had no luck with it, but still would try in an emergency.

I'm going to get myself some of the finger nail glue and oil of cloves for my emergency kit.

I do take Tramadol for chronic back pain, but that didn't touch the pain from the tooth when I had it. I guess that's not a heavy hitter kind of pain killer.

This is the funny thing about it...it does not hurt at all when I bite on it. The tooth itself is not really sensitive to hot or cold, but should it seep underneath the tooth (last time it was ice cream, but the other day it was something hot) it is pain, not sensitivity, like you wouldn't believe!

 

I think my dentist is hesitant because there's a shadow on the next tooth and he's not seeing anything definitive.

 

One thing I just remembered after my visit was, that more then a few months ago I was eating a potato chip and when I bit it I felt a sliver go right up in to the gum. I can't swear it was that tooth, but I think so.

 

My dentist sent me to a endodontist a couple years because he didn't have small enough instruments to get into the one canal. We have to travel more then an hour for one of these specialists. I was hoping not to have to that, but........

 

Funny that we're talking about teeth on a cruise board, but, if we're lucky we all have them and we do use them enough on a cruise!:D

How much did the desensitizer work? The application is pretty temporary. If you did gain some relief and if the pain isn't definitive and only seems to bother with extreme temperatures than it may be related to gum recession. This can be helped with sensodyne toothpaste and a fluoride application and if it's really bad placing a filling where the recession/abfraction is would do the trick. If you are using a tartar control or whitening type toothpaste it can worsen your symptoms. I see this all the time with my patients and most of the time if there is no radiographic evidence it tends to be related to gingival recession or a sinus illness. I would still take the advice of the others here and seek a consult with a specialist. Hope you enjoy your cruise and all of this is resolved soon!

How much did the desensitizer work? The application is pretty temporary. If you did gain some relief and if the pain isn't definitive and only seems to bother with extreme temperatures than it may be related to gum recession. This can be helped with sensodyne toothpaste and a fluoride application and if it's really bad placing a filling where the recession/abfraction is would do the trick. If you are using a tartar control or whitening type toothpaste it can worsen your symptoms. I see this all the time with my patients and most of the time if there is no radiographic evidence it tends to be related to gingival recession or a sinus illness. I would still take the advice of the others here and seek a consult with a specialist. Hope you enjoy your cruise and all of this is resolved soon!

Thank you! I really appreciate and respect your input along with the other professional's advice here, and of course the opinions of other posters that have had problems!

I don't think the desensitizer helped much. He applied it to the surrounding teeth, also. I have not felt that sharp, agonizing pain again, but, I'm avoiding it as much as I can. I do chew on it with no problem. My dentist didn't see any gum recession or signs of gingivitis. I do think that our toothpaste contains one of those ingredients, so I will have to go back to Sensodyne.

Since our daughter died a few years ago it's been one problem after another! I wouldn't want to say it's age!:rolleyes: I'm glad I just picked up some dental insurance with dh's employer!

Picture Tom Hanks... with the ice skate... in the movie Castaway! :D

 

The patient I just saw who's cruising day after tomorrow has had two root canals on his lower molar (by a good endodontist). The second root canal has now failed. Prescriptions are in hand, and he has an extraction, bone graft, and implant to look forward to after his cruise.

 

Re-reading the OP's info, since the cruise is over a month away (missed that last time!) there's plenty of time for definitive treatment prior to sailing. Yes, get a referral to an endodontist for further evaluation.

 

Tom

Your poor patient! How does a root canal fail? Not getting deep enough into the canal? Did your patient have a crown in place? Scary!

I have a similar problem and at my DMD's :D. Advise I tried the following

1. Discontinue whitening toothpaste or rinses

2. Use Sensodyne Original toothpaste - not the whitening kind.

I also travel with the usual precautions but the above has helped somewhat.

Tom or Cheryl, whichever of you posts, my DD is a D.O. And she is forever getting M.D. Mail. Her new job at the hospital even misprinted her business cards. She gave up fighting it years ago, but it is still amusing.

Your poor patient! How does a root canal fail? Not getting deep enough into the canal? Did your patient have a crown in place? Scary!

It's not always clear, though the likely culprits would include a missed (accessory) canal, a fractured root, or some type of root perforation during the procedure. Yes, there was a crown on the tooth - most posterior teeth end up requiring "full coverage" (crown) following root canal therapy.

...

Tom or Cheryl, whichever of you posts, my DD is a D.O. And she is forever getting M.D. Mail. Her new job at the hospital even misprinted her business cards. She gave up fighting it years ago, but it is still amusing.

Yes, I can see that being an issue with a D.O. degree too!

Tom

It's not always clear, though the likely culprits would include a missed (accessory) canal, a fractured root, or some type of root perforation during the procedure. Yes, there was a crown on the tooth - most posterior teeth end up requiring "full coverage" (crown) following root canal therapy.

 

 

 

Yes, I can see that being an issue with a D.O. degree too!

 

Tom

Thanks! I feel like I owe a few people here an O.V. payment! Funny, I was a sx. nurse for a D.P.M. for 25 yrs. You can imagine the mistakes that were made there or calls we got to see if we had appt. open for their dog, cat. etc.!

...I think I would have glued my fingers to my teeth with it...

Me too. I'm not allowed to touch the tube!:D

I just can't sink my teeth into this post.

I've used the Dent-Temp (or similar) several times. Most of the time it didn't stay in, but one time it lasted a week until the dentist got me in. He said I did a great job and actually had to drill it out! I still don't know what the trick to it is. The last time I had no luck with it, but still would try in an emergency.

 

I'm going to get myself some of the finger nail glue and oil of cloves for my emergency kit.

 

I do take Tramadol for chronic back pain, but that didn't touch the pain from the tooth when I had it. I guess that's not a heavy hitter kind of pain killer.

I had a crown fall out and I find that using "Poly Grip" or a similar denture adhesive worked just fine.

~ La Princesa

I had a crown fall out and I find that using "Poly Grip" or a similar denture adhesive worked just fine.

 

~ La Princesa

Good point - I've suggested that to people who call me (and they're out of town) who have a "crown in hand". It works when there's ample surface area for retention.

Tom

I can't answer about what you would do in a dental emergency, but I do have very sensitive teeth and never travel without a numbing gel (Oragel). It comes in Q-Tip type sticks so you can target it directly on the painful tooth. I have needed it a couple times and have been so thankful to have it with me. :o

That is such a good idea to add to my packing list. On our last vacation I forgot some medicine and it was 18 for a small bottle at the gift shop.

Poly-Grip sounds like a great idea, even in combo with the Denti-Temp(temporary filling) because it's very hard to get it to stick.

I had a molar filling fall out whilst flying transatlantic to New York to pick up the Breakaway in January, ouch, I really suffered for the 12 days cruise, I just took loads of pain killers, a glass of Merlot or three at dinner really helped and at one of the ports I picked up some toothache remedy which was Wonderful :D. It did smell a little of oil of cloves but there was a faint aroma of something else in there ;), do not know what it was but it really helped. I would normally never have alcohol with a painkiller.There were dentists at nearly every port and after looking on-line was sorry I did not visit one of them, one of the crew recommended one in St Lucia, they all had good reviews, but I was a little nervous of going to a dentist I did not know. Will not travel again without a temporary filling and painkillers. Strangely enough the tooth pain totally vanished on the flight back to the UK, although I suffered a lot at the airport :confused:.

I had a molar filling fall out whilst flying transatlantic to New York to pick up the Breakaway in January, ouch, I really suffered for the 12 days cruise, I just took loads of pain killers, a glass of Merlot or three at dinner really helped and at one of the ports I picked up some toothache remedy which was Wonderful :D. It did smell a little of oil of cloves but there was a faint aroma of something else in there ;), do not know what it was but it really helped. I would normally never have alcohol with a painkiller.There were dentists at nearly every port and after looking on-line was sorry I did not visit one of them, one of the crew recommended one in St Lucia, they all had good reviews, but I was a little nervous of going to a dentist I did not know. Will not travel again without a temporary filling and painkillers. Strangely enough the tooth pain totally vanished on the flight back to the UK, although I suffered a lot at the airport :confused:.

This is one of my worst fears, beside the obvious, is to get a bad, painful, dental problem. I've already had a fractured molar which occurred after I went to the dentist. It was continuous pain and I don't know how u could continue a cruise and enjoy yourself with that. I probably wouldn't get on the ship or would cancel if it happened right before going. I would hope that travel insurance would consider this a reason to cancel. Your situation was different, that u travelled far. Sorry u had to go through that!