Dental Issues

Once again, I seek council.

I've a wisdom tooth in need of removal and am to go get an X-ray done. I have several questions, supplement-wise:

1) The X-ray. Is it perfectly safe? If not - well, too bad for me because I *have* to do it, so what should I take?
2) The removal itself. I don't know what they'll dose me with, so I'd like to cover my bases. What should one take in... general? You know? Also, whatever it may be, should I start now or after the deed is done?

And then there's the third. Teeth fillings. I need two, apparently. I suppose I'll be getting the good stuff, not the mercury pods, but in any case, is there something I should know?

I hope these offtopic threads are not frowned upon too much. Health-wise, I've learned so much from this site in particular. It has inspired me to truly take my health into *my* hands, as inexperienced as they are, so you could say I'm sort of 'forced' to ask a lot of questions. No use in doing something unless you do it all the way proper, right?

ITITCHES - X-rays are not great, but what can you do? The stuff to really avoid are CT-scans unless they are life or death necessary.

For local anesthetic, not sure about anything in particular. For general anesthetic, milk thistle taken before and after is a good idea.

Anyone know what the safe alternates to mercury fillings are?

ititches-if you really have to pull the wisdom then there's nothing you can do. Is it impacted? I hope you don't do all three procedures at once. I would get the wisdom pulled first. Wait a while then have your fillings done one at a time with a month or so between to see how your bite feels. Bad dental work will result in TMJ if not done correctly.

CS-i know there's this white filling they use. Don't know what it's called. They basically put this stuff in your month, use a heater, and it hardens.

ITITCHES - X-rays are not great, but what can you do? The stuff to really avoid are CT-scans unless they are life or death necessary.

For local anesthetic, not sure about anything in particular. For general anesthetic, milk thistle taken before and after is a good idea.

Yeah, I'm kinda fucked here. I don't see any way in hell I'll be able to find milk thistle in supplement form around here. I'll check and see if there's tea at least, though I doubt it, even though the stuff grows everywhere.

Thanks.

But here's the real bummer:

Anyone know what the safe alternates to mercury fillings are?

Wait man, aren't they supposed to be long banned by now? I thought they are not done anymore, but you seem to imply otherwise? This is no good news at all, I already have some fillings done.

How can one even tell what he's getting anyway? I've a distinct feeling dentists don't even know what the stuff is made of which makes any discussion with them long and difficult all the while my cavities progress ever further.

ititches-if you really have to pull the wisdom then there's nothing you can do. Is it impacted? I hope you don't do all three procedures at once. I would get the wisdom pulled first. Wait a while then have your fillings done one at a time with a month or so between to see how your bite feels. Bad dental work will result in TMJ if not done correctly.

Yeah, it's impacted alright. Complete with a swollen lymph node. Thanks for the tip, I'll see to it it's done in that order. Experience taught me to have little to no faith in doctors.

One more thing.

I've re-read my first post. There's my typical clumsy sentence structure:

Health-wise, I've learned so much from this site in particular. It has inspired me to truly take my health into *my* hands, as inexperienced as they are

Don't it seem kind of like I imply the website as inexperienced? Well, hell, that's *not* what I meant. I meant me.

ITITCHES - From the procedures your going to have, it's not likely you're going to need any general anesthesia so don't worry about the Milk Thistle.

Can anyone help me find a good dentist in Austin?

Robert Dauws wrote:Can anyone help me find a good dentist in Austin?

There are a lot of good dentists in Austin, so finding one is really more about personal preference and convenience. A great place to start looking for a dentist in Austin is on Yelp or a similar review site, since it will allow you to look in your particular area. You should also look around dentists’ websites, as this is the best way to learn about their education and training, as well as their licensure and accreditation. In the end, a little bit of research on your part can easily turn up a good dentist in Austin. lakeaustinfamilydental.com

CausticSymmetry wrote: Anyone know what the safe alternates to mercury fillings are?

I believe that porcelain is the safest choice.

Here is an article that I read:

http://www.drlinagarcia.com/view_articles.php,t=26

Here is a highlight of the article:

Porcelain is The Best Choice

I believe that the ideal replacement for a mercury-amalgam filling – and the best choice for most new fillings – is an all-porcelain inlay or onlay. Porcelain is a ceramic that most closely resembles natural tooth enamel in terms of appearance and functionality, and it is the most biocompatible restoration material available on the market today. (“Biocompatible” means that it is as neutral as possible when placed in your mouth, and it is most agreeable with the rest of your body.)

Porcelain is the best choice, even if biocompatibility tests conclude that you would be okay with other materials like gold, platinum, or composite resins (made of an acrylic plastic). Why? Because porcelain is chemically inert and does not contain any ionized metal or plastic.

Hope that helps.

Arnica is effective as a pain reliever, so that is something you could look at. You can buy arnica drops from a homoeopathy/ wellness store.

Can all dentists use sedation techniques?

Earlier in this thread it was mentioned about porcelain.

Actually there is no safe material, except for very expensive alloy of 90% gold and 10% platinum.

The most affordable option is to find a biologically compatible material. The "white" fillings are typically made up
of aluminium, far from a safe material.