What if You Lose a Filling Just as SHTF?

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

A few days ago I was enjoying a Butterfinger chocolate bar when I noticed one of my back molars felt really sharp and sensitive.  I could not see all the way back there but it felt like I cracked a filling.  It was a weekend so the dentist office was closed.  I endured a weekend of pain and not being able to chew my food properly.  That Monday I called and made an appointment.  It turns out I lost the entire filling, and the tooth was too damaged to fill back up.  Bottom line:  I needed a new crown made or I will lose the tooth.  I guess I did  not have much of a choice at this point.   Unfortunately, my dental plan only covers a fraction of the cost of a crown, leaving me with a large chunk of an unbudgeted expense.

There is never a convenient time for this to happen.  I was annoyed this didn’t happen last year when I had better dental coverage.  I was also kicking myself because the dentist had recommended I replace the filling with a crown last year.  On the plus side, it could have happened at an even worse time.  It would be very bad to break a filling or crack a tooth during a disaster when there is no one around to fix it.  Same goes for other medical issues:  certain things may not bother you now, but they can be much worse if something like your back or wrist or ankle were to give out right when you are in a middle of a disaster like a hurricane or earthquake.  Even if a disaster does not happen, it would be bad to have any medical or dental emergency if your employer were to cut benefits or if you become unemployed.

Assemble a dental emergency kit

Just in case, include a dental emergency kit in your first aid supplies.  If you want to assemble your own, here are some suggestions:

• Orajel or Pain Relief kit
• tooth cement for temporary lost filling or crown
• cotton balls and cotton swabs
• hydrogen peroxide for gargling
• dental mirror so you can see your back molars
• Instruction book for When There is No Dentist

I learned it’s not a good idea to put off needed dental or medical procedures.   I think while I am at it, I will line up doctor, dentist and optometry appointments for the entire family before the end of the year.

© Apartment Prepper 2016

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