Oral surgery before our holiday? What would you do?

[DebIreland]

Sorry, if this is more about dentistry than holidays, but I'd be interested in my fellow travellers' opinions.

We're leaving for Florida in 13 days (24th Oct). But it turns out I need oral surgery. Long story short - nasty pain for 2 weeks, GP ruled out ear/throat infection but put me on strong antibiotics; went to dentist last Fri, he was away but his colleague did x-rays and found that an old root of a tooth that was extracted years ago had been left in the gum and became infected. So that's the problem.

But I needed to wait for my dentist to come back to advise me on what to do. His wife rang this morning to confirm that I need oral surgery. It could involve an overnight stay in hospital with a general anaesthetic. Stiches will need to come out in 10 days. Or the dentist might try it himself in the surgery with a local anaesthetic (not too thrilled about that idea). Either way, it's gonna be sore, there's gonna be stitches and he says it'll be quite raw for a while.

So, I have to decide whether to get it done before out holiday or take more antibiotics and put it off til after we come back (in which case I would definitely choose hospital as opposed to being scalpelled in my senses, ugh).

My main worry is the flight and ear-popping and all that. What would you do? Risk sore, raw gums post-surgery on a long flight with the stitches just removed (the day before) or try to deal with the infection by taking more antibiotics/painkillers and put off the surgery? The pain has lessened significantly but it comes and goes.

 

[Claire L]

I take it going into hospital before hols is out of the question?? If so I would continue with the anti biotics but do let your insurance compnay know incase you need to seek urgent treatment whilst away. As if undeclared they may not pay up, it may mean you have to pay a little extra but it would be worth it as dental treatment in the US isn't cheap.

Claire

 

[jockey]

My DS had to have oral surgery approx 2 weeks before our last trip. It was not carried out at a hospital but at the dentist. He ended up with 30 stitches in the roof of his mouth that dissolved before we went on holiday. He had no problems when on holiday.

I would check with your insurance before you go.

 

[lexie32]

Having just had major toothache for 2 weeks, i would have the surgery done before you go, even with antibotics and max dose of painkillers i was driven too distraction by the pain!! I also flew just after having root canal tretment ( ie i had the tooth drilled on the Mon pm and flew at 6.30 am on the Tues am) i was slightly uncomfortable but nowhere near as bad is it would have been with the pressure of the infection there!!

hth Alex

 

[CustardTart]

I had dental surgery a week before going to Spain this year. It was supposedly routine but the area became infected and the bone exposed - TBH I've never been in so much pain! I had to have emergency treatment the day of my flight and the holiday was dominated by my need for painkillers. Not a lot of fun so, if at all possible, I would put it off...

 

[TraceyL]

Difficult one.

I had oral surgery about 10 days before our hols this year but had complications (exposed bone like CustardTart - called a dry socket).
Luckily a nurse I worked with recognised my symptoms almost immediately so I was able to get it sorted a couple of days before we flew (isn't there a 48 hour restriction on flying after dental treatment?) . I was on strong painkillers & antibiotics and couldn't eat a steak all holiday

It all depends how much pain you're in now - with hindsight I would have put off my surgery till after I came back as it wasn't bad, cos I was in agony after the op.

 

[mozzman]

i had terrible pain 1 week before spain holiday this year that was the same a old root,i took antibiotics but had it out 3 days later because they said it would come back again as the root would be infected again,i was in so much pain for 48 hours i said to the hospital either get it out or shoot me and at the moment i dont care which and i meant it so just the thought of that makes me think JUST DO IT

 

[DebIreland]

Thanks so much for all the replies. They've given me a lot to think about. To the best of my knowledge, the stitches would need to be removed 10 days after the surgery (not disolvable) so my time is running out and I don't even know if the dentist will get me into the hospital at this point. He's determined to do the procedure himself now which horrifies me as his colleague made it clear it's a hospital job involving cutting through bone etc. My dentist is the kind who'll try anything - pulled out DH's wisdom teeth with a mild local anaesthetic and I never saw him suffer so much afterwards. Time to change dentist I think!

Mozzman,
Thanks. Glad to know I'm not the only with this particular problem. Yep, it hurt like hell but has subsided somewhat now with the antibiotics.

I'm gonna try to get into the hospital and get it done soon but, if they can't do it in the next few days I'll need to leave it til after the hols.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[HappyCamperToo]

Oh Deb,
I'm so sorry to hear about this! I'm sending LOTS of pixie dust your way.
-Sue

 

[Kristina]

When I lived in Los Angeles I worked as an assistant to an Oral Surgeon who was brilliant and all except for reconstructive jaw surgery was done in his surgery (not in hospital) and most often under a general anesthesic. Perhaps it's done differently in the UK, I'm not sure? I am or rather perhaps was only a dental assistent but I believe a root that is embedded in bone should only be removed by a qualified Oral Surgeon as there are nerves in the jaw running very close to the roots of the teeth which can cause complications if they are messed with. Also if the root is in the upper jaw then you also have your sinuses to worry about as sometimes they are very close to the roots and now and then some people have roots which are a little bit in the sinus cavity which would then have to be sewn and could very possibly result in complications (sinus infection and pain) afterwards.
The Surgeon I worked for was good at what he did and a root that was embedded was most often removed quite quickly. A small incision, a bit of drilling, and out it came. He had though a collegue that he would use who would come in on the very rare occassion that he would go away for a vacation and he wasn't at all as confident. Sometimes I wanted to grab the instruments out of his hands and take over, I'd seen it done so many times before!

I say choose a qualified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon if you can now and get his or her opinion over your dentist. Sometimes antibiotics can be enough for the time being but a surgeon would know best !

Good luck and have a great trip !

 

[SammieG]

Youve already had some great advice, and I wont comment further on that.. but i just thought Id let you know about a time we went to WDW and I had an abcess.
I was taking the antibiotics which worked, but as soon as I stopped taking them, it came back and there was a lot of pain and nasty stuff .

Anyway I went to the emergency dentist... and got another course of stronger antibiotics... just generic ones and they were something like $170 for the course. Plus another $50 for the pain killers Drugs are not covered by insurance...

so, think carefully is all I am saying.. it could be an expensive trip!

Good luck and I hope youre feeling better...

 

[Camac]

If you are in any doubt about the ability of your dentist you should wait for the hospital treatment.

If you choose to put off the surgery make sure you take a good supply of prescribed antibiotics and strong painkillers with you so you can take them immediately you feel any twinges of pain and hopefully head off a full blown infection before it gets a good hold.

Good luck!

 

[Jules224]

Good luck in whatever happens, i hope it doesn't spoil your holiday.
DH ended up being prescibed some medication when out there last time not for teeth problems but our insurance paid out for them aswell as the treatment, luckily because there prescriptions cost a lot more than ours!

 

[gilld]

Anyway I went to the emergency dentist... and got another course of stronger antibiotics... just generic ones and they were something like $170 for the course. Plus another $50 for the pain killers Drugs are not covered by insurance...



QUOTE]
My husband had a dental abcess while in Florida. The cost of the Dr's appt and the drugs absolutely were covered and we got it back in full.

Having said that, you shouldn't fly for a few days after a General Anaesthetic.

 

[UKDEB]

Does your Dentist know about your trip and do you trust him? I had an infection for over a year and my Dentist tried everything before deciding he needed to remove the tooth (antibiotics, root canal twice, even homeopathy). He evenutally decided to remove half the tooth as the other half was OK and carried out the surgery himself. He broke the tooth - which he warned me was a distinct possibility - so it wasn't straight forward. However, I would trust him with my life. Thanks to a horrendous experience when I was 18, I had a pathological fear of Dentists and didn't pluck up the courage to go to one again until I was 30.

I felt quite 'fragile' for a couple of weeks afterwards. I'd read up about possible post-surgery complications (i.e. the dry socket mentioned by CustardTart and TraceyL). You have to be very careful not to dislodge the blod clot which forms - it can be very tempting to poke at it with your tongue, or to 'suck' it. Using mouthwash is also a no-no as it can dissolve it. Having said that, I didn't have stitches, so maybe the potential for this problem won't exist for you. Eating wasn't a problem after the first day - it was cleaning my teeth that freaked me out the most.

I don't envy you this dilemma. Can you completely control the pain with painkillers and antibiotics? I would have thought the worst of it will be over by the time the stitches come out, though.

 

[SimonY]

I had 2 wisdom teeth out under general last Thursday - 1 was difficult and needed a few stitches. I certainly wouldn't have been up to travelling before Monday but would feel fine to do it now - I finish my antibiotics tomorrow. Just the annoying rinsing with salt water to do for a few more days yet! From my experience it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[DebIreland]

Again, I want to say thanks for all your very helpful replies. Yes, I dread to imagine the cost of an emergency trip to the dentist in Orlando. I'm very confused at this point and I feel I'm just stuck - the dentist is adament he can do it himself. I feel I should go to hospital or to an oral surgeon. But I need him to refer me. Looks like he doesn't want to refer me and it's probably too late now. *Sigh* I am going to ring another dentist tomorrow who has been recommended to me by 3 different people - I'm hoping he will see me soon and give me his opinion and maybe even do something.

Simon,
I'm glad that's behind you. Hope you continue to have a smooth recovery.

Deb,
I'm not entirely confident about my own dentist anymore. I told his wife, who runs the practice that I was going on hols. We discussed it at length last Friday and then she forgot. *Sigh* So we lost a lot of time I think.
I can't completely control the pain with the medication - the antiobiotics will have to be very strong ones to kill the infecition again if it re-starts and I think it's already flaring up again now - same symptoms as last week But the painkillers do work when they eventually kick in.

gilld and Jules, good to hear you were covered. From just reading my policy now, I don't think I would be.

Camac, good advice on the medication. At the very least I will have antibiotics and painkillers with me should I need them.

SammieG, thanks for the advice. Yes, I'm definitely bringing the antibiotics with me. I can't believe the prices you guys are quoting. Yikes!

Kristina,
I'm sure too that I need an oral surgeon and I feel the dentist's attitude is too casual. By the way, it's a back bottom tooth, well root, as the tooth is gone. Thanks for the advice .

Sue, thanks for the pixie dust!

I'll stop feeling sorry for myself soon and get in the Disney mood again. I think I'm probably over-reacting and maybe stressed and over-tired. I want my Disney escapism back.

 

[SammieG]

Anyway I went to the emergency dentist... and got another course of stronger antibiotics... just generic ones and they were something like $170 for the course. Plus another $50 for the pain killers Drugs are not covered by insurance...



QUOTE]
My husband had a dental abcess while in Florida. The cost of the Dr's appt and the drugs absolutely were covered and we got it back in full.

Having said that, you shouldn't fly for a few days after a General Anaesthetic.

actually Gilld.. technically you are exactly right.
Under normal circumstances drugs are not covered under insurance policies (well ours were not for dentistry anyway) however as the only treatment I received was Antibiotics I actually was covered on this occasion. and I suspect for another condition you may well not be.

However, I wouldnt rely on this.. as it clearly stated in our policy that we would not be covered for drugs...

We still had to pay a hefty excess anyway.. so it was still an expensive trip!

Sammie xx
a

 

[UKDEB]

I've just had a thought - do you have Denplan or similar? You may be covered for emergency treatment whilst you're away. I'm pretty sure mine covers me.

 

[CustardTart]

Good luck, Deb, with whatever you decide! My DD had a dental problem back in 2004 when we were in WDW - DH took her to Celebration Hospital and they gave her the choice of getting the problem resolved in FLA or leaving it until she came home. She chose the latter and they prescribed her v strong anti-b's and painkillers which sorted the pain until the hols were over. Tooth issues are the worst so I'm sending you some more ... Hope you get that Disney mood back asap!