5 Home Dental Surgeries: This Is What I Learned PART 1

Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would have dental surgery in my kitchen. Not just once mind you, but five times. Count them … FIVE times … including two extractions and a root canal. Did I mention without the usual kinds of pain relief or anaesthetics either? I mean who does that? Well me, apparently.

Was it easy? No, not particularly. But was it doable? Yes, totally. I’m testament to that. So if you are facing a similar scenario … you need dental treatment, but are housebound with MCS/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or maybe, you’re navigating your own unique set of circumstances and you just don’t know where to start. I hope that my firsthand experience might help you find your way through.

In this special, in-depth two-part blog series, I’m going to share with you everything I’ve learned. But please remember, this is my experience only and I always recommend that you do your own research and consult with a healthcare professional to decide what’s best for you.

PART 1

• How it all began.
• The challenges I faced trying to find dental care.
• The story of the five procedures I had completed at home.
• The game- changing thing I learned about anesthetic.
• What it’s actually like having a tooth pulled without pain relief. Because let’s face it, that’s what a lot of peeps just want to know!

PART 2

• How to locate the right dental team for you, especially if you’re housebound and/or chemically sensitive.
• How to prepare yourself physically and mentally.
• How to prepare your home.
• Anaesthetics advice and alternative pain relief.
• Self care techniques for tooth infections.
• The best supplements and remedies for healing.
• How to manage after the procedure

Let’s get to it.

 

PART 1

 

CRUNCH TIME: THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE

I remember the moment I heard the crack. The sound of a large amalgam filling in my lower right molar breaking off. I felt it too. The sensation of a small, hard piece of gravel ricocheting through my mouth and then inadvertently crushed between my grazing teeth. At first, I didn’t register what had happened. Only afterwards did I realise the consequences.

That was 2007 but it was some months later in 2008, that I finally visited the dentist to investigate. I hadn’t seen a dentist for many years so I found someone new, a Biological Dentist I had once met through friends.

He took X-rays. But when I followed with a phone call for my results, I was told by the receptionist that the tooth in question was well beyond repair and it, along with another heavily filled molar on the upper left side, should be removed. She offered to make an appointment for me with an oral surgeon in hospital.

I was surprised, bewildered. I had a lot of questions. I had never been admitted to hospital before or had a general anesthesia. I already had a long personal history of health issues, multiple sensitivities including many adverse reactions to medications (I had undiagnosed MCS at the time) … I didn’t know what to think or how to proceed.

I had no follow up care or advice from that particular dentist. I was left feeling a little overwhelmed and afraid. I wasn’t in any acute pain and because I was already managing a plate full of issues in my own every day life, I decided to add my new teeth problems onto my bulging ‘to do list’. I wanted to forget about the whole thing until I could figure something out. So that’s what I did.

 

INFECTION

By the end of 2008, my health had completely crashed. This is the crisis point I wrote about in the long version of my story (You can read about that here). Within a very short time I was too ill to care for myself. I needed help to walk, shower, dress and eat. My weakness and fatigue became excruciating and disabling. My chemical sensitivity, wide spread and universal.

I was so ill, I was hospitalised. While there, I developed a severe tooth ache. First it was the lower right molar, the one which lost the amalgam filling, then after that, the upper left. A week and a half later, I was discharged from hospital and my Mum took me in a wheelchair to a dentist who was willing to drill out and refill the two infected molars in an attempt to temporarily stabilise the situation. I was given local anaesthetic, which I didn’t tolerate very well at the time, but managed. However in the following days, my overall health deteriorated dramatically once again, so I was hospitalised a second time.

Another two weeks in hospital without a solution or correct diagnosis, I was discharged.

Some months later, still housebound and bed bound, I developed a sudden case of Trigeminal Neuralgia. First on my right side. Then on my left. The acute pain, which I can only describe as the worse pain I’ve ever felt …like a hot knife cutting through the nerves inside of my skull. Each acute phase lasted 36 hours straight, with lingering headache/toothache pain for weeks.

Without X-rays my doctor couldn’t confirm whether this severe pain had been triggered by a flare up of the original tooth infections. But that was the assumption.

After these trigeminal episodes, I lost the ability to chew my food properly and had to purée all food. This is still mostly the case today.

 

ABSCESS APPEARS

Two years later I was relocated from the mould affected unit I was living in, into a small atrium room at my parents house, while a larger room was being stripped and modified for me. While there, I developed local pain and inflammation along my gum near the lower right molar.

Soon after, a large red and sore pimple-like wound appeared. It was clear that I had a tooth abscess under that lower right molar and my body was trying to find an exit point to expel the infection. I soaked the area with warm salt water compresses throughout the day and after a couple of weeks it opened and started to drain green pus. Lots of it. Yay, such fun.

 

LOCATING A DENTIST

I was fighting an infection and managing a draining wound in my mouth every single day, I needed to find a dentist fast.

Fortunately, I had no severe pain but with an already compromised immune system, I felt concerned how this would impact my already poor health.

I contacted another dentist I knew, but he wouldn’t come to my house to see me. I called another, they said the same thing. And another and another. Due to my level of Electrohypersenitivity, it was very difficult for me to speak on the phone in general and most days, I could only make one phone call per day. Some days, I was too sick to phone at all. I also could not use a computer. These limitations made it incredibly challenging to research ideas and find help.

Finally, through investigations in the state health department, I found a domiciliary dental service, and they agreed to come to my house to access me.

They suggested I connect with a special clinic within the state dental hospital who had experience with chemically sensitive people like me.

After some negotiations, this clinic who usually only offered clinic treatment, agreed to work with me in my home. But after twelve months of discussions, planning and postponements they canceled on me the day before. I was devastated. I had invested all my hope into these people. They had told me that they would help me. They knew I was very unwell. They knew I was housebound in one room. They knew I had a serious tooth infection and they knew that I already had a compromised immune system and that I had no one else to help me.

 

MODIFIED ROOT CANAL

Driven by what had occurred and desperate beyond measure for a solution, I went back to calling other dentists. I recalled hearing about one particular dentist who had once treated someone in a nursing home. I approached him and miraculously, he agreed to come and examine me. He explained to me that I was in a high risk situation and required immediate intervention. My life could be in jeopardy.

He recommended a hospital visit and extraction with sedation. Something I couldn’t do with my current level of health and chemical sensitivity. I pleaded with him to consider doing the extraction at home without anaesthetic, but he refused.

I sort advice from a Professor at the dental hospital in my state and from a MCS aware dentist in the U.S. Eventually, my new dentist and I came to a new agreement. He would perform a ‘modified’ root canal in an attempt to mitigate the immediate danger associated with the infection. This was not ideal by any means (there is much evidence against root canal treatment especially in people with already comprised health). It also wouldn’t be a permanent solution, but without the option of a home extraction, it would hopefully buy me some more time. I was so grateful that this kind dentist had agreed to work with me.

I found out what filling mixture was used in my previous fillings many years before and I organised some small samples of this material to muscle test for tolerance. As the nerve of the tooth had most likely died, my new dentist was happy to do the procedure without anaesthetic.

In the first procedure, my dentist drilled out the old filing in the infected tooth, allowing the infection to drain. He then filled the tooth with calcium hydroxide, creating an alkaline environment non-conducive to bacteria growth. Normally an antibiotic dressing would be applied too but I decided against this. Then he filled the tooth with the filing material I chose.

The infection subsided. The draining point of the abscess on the side of my gum healed.

Three weeks later the dentist returned to repeat the procedure.
This time he drilled the tooth out completely. Without recent X-rays to determine the exact area to drill, he used a small radio frequency unit to determine the length of each root. I did experience EMF symptoms with this unit, but managed.

In a traditional root canal, the dentist applies a layer of ‘Gutta Perka’ inside the tooth before refilling. After researching this and after the advice I received from the MCS aware dentist in the U.S, I decided against using this.

The procedures were a success.

I didn’t experience any significant pain during either procedure however, when my dentist drilled out the filling the first time, the dust from the filing material irritated my airways for several days after. In the second procedure, the dental assistant irrigated the area while drilling which effectively minimised the dust. I did experience about five days of pretty unpleasant toxicity symptoms after the second procedure. I wasn’t sure if this was due to ingestion/exposure of  materials used or something else related to the procedure.

 

TOOTH EXTRACTION #1

18 months later, the filling in the ‘modified’ root canal fell out. Soon after, serious almighty pain began.

This time, the dentist who had performed the modified root canal would not return. He was very kind but said the only way to move forward was with an extraction and as he had expressed earlier, he would not perform that in my home.

After weeks and weeks of severe pain, I phoned everyone I could. I put messages on social media. I begged for help. I contacted many people. Some dentists generously spoke with me over the phone to discuss my situation. Others refused to take my call entirely. I emailed the only X-rays I had. I offered to sign wavers. Juggling pain and feeling completely exhausted, desperate and disillusioned, I couldn’t help but burst into tears.

Finally, thorough my inquires, I became aware of one other dentist in my state who had travelled to nursing homes to treat bed bound patients, like my previous dentist had. I spoke with his PA. This dentist agreed, without examining me, to do the extraction in my home without an anaesthetic. I was ecstatic.

Leading up to the day of the procedure, I was inconsolable with pain. Ideally, I wanted to feel prepared in every way imaginable to have a large molar ripped from my jaw without anesthetic, but it wasn’t to be the way.

The night before I barely slept. I held a cold flannel on the right side of my face, another around the base of my skull. I sat up. I rocked myself in my darkened safe room, waiting until morning broke.

The dentist and his assistant arrived and changed into safe clothes and set up a make shift dental surgery in the kitchen. We discussed the plan through the glass wall in my safe room. This was the first time I had seen his face or even heard his voice. He was direct, professional and confident in his abilities … reassuring qualities I thought considering what was about to transpire.

I took a few minutes to call in assistance from the Universe and said a little prayer and walked the few metres to my kitchen.

It was time.

The dentist looked at me and said the words no one ever wants to hear. “Ok Amelia … this is going to be the most pain you’ve ever felt in your entire life. Like cutting off your own finger.” Then he looked at his dental assistant and my Step-Dad, who was on support team/hand holding duties and added … ” if either of you feels like you’re going to pass out just lay down on the floor”. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that option.

Well, he was right. It was a pain that is really quite indescribable. Intense, sharp and likened to severing a bunch of nerves inside your head all at once. I wish I could tell you it wasn’t that bad. But it was. However, this tooth was a large lower molar with two long roots. It wasn’t wobbly at all either. Firmly placed. A differently positioned tooth, with one root and already loosed , I’m guessing could perhaps be less eventful on the pain Richter Scale.

The good news was, that the tooth came out and in one piece. There’s always a high chance that the tooth will break off with the force required during an extraction.

The whole process took about seven seconds (my Step-Dad timed it). But of course when you’re in the moment, it feels a lot longer!

I must admit to you, I almost caved halfway through. But when I heard the dentist say… “almost there” I just dug deep, called on my inner strength and mentally just held on tight (you can read more about this moment here).

Immediately afterwards he scraped the area to remove any lingering bacteria. I rinsed with salt water and bit down on my sterile cotton wadding to stem the bleeding. Yes there was a little, but it wasn’t too bad.

My body went into a little bit of shock afterwards. I suddenly became light headed and faint. I was carried back to bed to rest. I was exhausted but monumentally relieved!

The pain from the infection disappeared. Post surgical pain was minimal.

It was done.

 

TOOTH EXTRACTION #2

At the end of 2015, the low grade tooth infection I’d been dealing with in my upper left molar flared and began draining from my gum.

I contacted the confident dentist who had performed the previous extraction. I was told I needed to wait a few weeks because he was very busy. The pain in my tooth was manageable, not as acute as before. However, I was chronically feverish and it felt like my body was struggling with the infection.

When the day arrived to contact the dental clinic again, I was told that he would now not be coming to assist me but not to worry, because another dental colleague would. But I would need to wait a little longer.

Finally another dentist did come to assess me.

“Yes, you do have a draining tooth abscess and need to have the tooth removed ” he told me. After years of managing my own dental infections, pleading with multiple health professionals for dental care and after many months of waiting patiently, in pain for promised assistance from his dental surgery, I resisted the temptation to shout “No Shit, Sherlock” but instead, I nodded in agreement and suggested we lock in a date for another kitchen extraction.

Speaking with the receptionist some further weeks later and still no procedure date set, I pressed the issue. Finally she relented … “They’re not coming.” The clinic was restructuring and no one was prepared to do home visits anymore. Actually, they had known this for some time, but no one felt it necessary to advise me of this.

Exhausted, I couldn’t keep the tears from flowing. Then I pleaded. I even asked if I could write a letter and beg for help. Appeal to them to reconsider. I had phoned virtually everyone I could think of. Respected people in the field. Random people. Government departments. Friends of friends. I knew there wasn’t anyone else.

She paused. “Sorry Amelia but it won’t do any good” … “but” … there was a whisper of empathy in her voice. “I’ll make some calls for you. I’ll personally see what I can do. I don’t think I would be able to sleep at night if I just left you like this with no help”

When I phoned back at the time she suggested, she was too busy to speak. I phoned again. She wouldn’t take my call. I didn’t want to seem pushy. In pain, I waited some more. I clung to the kind words she offered me. But now it was clear she just wanted me to go away. When you are housebound with serious illness, it’s a feeling all too familiar. Sometimes the people you turn to for much needed help, essential medical help, just want you to disappear.

These are the moments that really break your spirit. Too many times during the course of this illness I have found myself begging for help. It’s soul destroying, let me tell you. When person after person says no. When your repeated and very genuine requests for assistance go ignored, it can make you feel worthless. Like people only see you as an annoying inconvenience. When this happens, you start to believe that you don’t deserve the same basic healthcare as everyone else.

I reached out to some of the previous dentists I’d already spoken with. One local dentist asked colleagues interstate. I spoke with another highly regarded, retired oral surgeon. Then another expert after that. People I was assured were used to dealing with difficult cases. People, whose reputations were built on helping others in serious need. But they all declined to step up for me.

Then the words from the only domiciliary dentist assigned to my entire home state  … “oh no, we don’t actually do procedures in the home, I haven’t done an extraction in twenty years” she sounded surprised I had even asked.

With seemingly no other options, I even rang the special clinic who had abandoned me earlier on. It’s not fun when you feel like you have no choice but to turn to the person who treated you poorly. I was actually relieved when they wouldn’t take my call.

Then, a chance conversation with my Dad about a long time retired dentist friend. “I could ask him?” my Dad offered. Completely disillusioned I quaffed, “sure, can’t hurt”.

Eventually, a reply surfaced with a new idea. Another colleague, now also retired, had just sold his business to a young dentist recently relocated from another state. He thought he would be able to help.

Cynical after a plethora of unsuccessful leads and numerous phone call conversations which ended in disappointment, I still although open, wasn’t feeling particularly hopeful.

In the first five minutes of that phone conversation with the dentist from interstate, I knew that he was the one. He had the experience (a sizable number of extractions under his belt and had seen patients in nursing homes regularly), the quiet confidence (“oh yes we can do this” attitude), and the kindness (genuine sensitivity to my personal situation and willingness to work with me), to get this job done. For the first time in a very long time, I knew everything was going to be ok.

It felt strangely random, unexpected but totally synchronistic all at the same time. I had stopped believing that I would find an answer and suddenly, without warning or much effort on my behalf, there it was. My answer.

He came to the house to meet me, examine me and discuss a possible plan. Although already not wanting to perform the extraction sans anaesthetic, it was during our first face to face conversation, that he mentioned to me an alternative plan. PDL Periodontal Ligament Injection. This was a technique which involved injecting a very small amount of anaesthetic directly into the Peridontal Ligament right underneath the tooth needing treatment.

For example, the PDL would require only 0.2-0.3 ml of anaesthetic to be infected into the ligament vs the usual 2ml or more of anesthetic (for someone of my size), infected into the surrounding tissue … eg gum line roof of mouth etc.

If done correctly and if successful, it was possible the numbing effect from the PDL would be similar and potentially the same as using the commonly used larger quantity of anaesthetic in the surrounding tissue.

The idea behind this new idea, was if my reaction/intolerance to anaesthetic was dose related, by using the minimal amount possible, but in a more specific way, it could provide me the numbing without the potential negative side affects of a larger quantity of anaesthetic.

I had regularly seen this with other medications or supplements I had tried to introduce. 1/4 capsule … tolerated. 1/2 capsule … not tolerated.

Over the course of two years or so I had spoken with countless doctors, dentists, oral surgeons, dental assistants, administrators, natural therapists and acupuncturists and not ONE had ever even mentioned the idea of trying a PDL Not ONE. Whaaat?? I was shocked! But it might just work!

Due to some worsening MCS related health issues and other general scheduling issues etc it took several more months and some further negotiation to figure out how we would proceed, but eventually we set date. We agreed on having a team present for the procedure – including my local GP who would be there in case of severe reaction and my newly found Acupuncturist, to administer needles for the tooth surgery.

Instead of one big, seven second yank to freedom, my dentist would take the slow and steady approach over several minutes using constant circular movements to try and loosen the tooth from the gum.

Unfortunately, the PDL in this instance, didn’t work. I felt every second of the procedure.

It was rough and it didn’t appear we were making any progress. My body started to get the shivers and shakes. I was unsure if this was in response to the anaesthetic or just because of the pain/stress/trauma it was experiencing.

And then it happened. My worst case scenario. The tooth … broke off. The kitchen dental surgery fell silent. Saying I felt completely shattered, was an understatement.

 

THE SECOND ATTEMPT

Three weeks later, we undertook round two of the extraction. And Friends, when your dentist lays out a seriously sized stash of hardy dental utensils on your kitchen bench and powers up a compressor enabled drill next to the dishwasher … well let’s just say, you know he means business!

The plan was to section the remaining tooth inside the gum into three sections aligned with the three roots. Then using the drill again, very carefully, remove some of the outer circumference of each root to create a little room. Then pull each root out individually.

My dentist attempted the Periodontal Ligament injection once more, this time, it immediately ‘felt’ different … somehow deeper and more precise. I could tell that the needle had reached the correct position. I then felt numbing in the root area. It wasn’t completely painless but I have to say it was pretty close to it. Happy Days!

It was a very different type of numb feeling. Instead of experiencing the familiar sensations of a completely numb mouth/lips/gum/roof of mouth, it felt only localised to the individual tooth. But I will add, that the numbing feeling wore off more quickly so we had to keep the pace up as the procedure progressed. As we progressed I felt it more.

Yes I felt the pulling and pressure of the three individual roots being pulled out. And the last root was a little more uncomfortable as the anaesthetic affect weakened. But compared to my first extraction and the attempted extraction without any anaesthetic at all, it was brilliant.

Then I heard my dentist say the words … “That’s it Amelia, final piece is out .. well done.” Yes I may have had a gaping wound in my jaw and a few dental instruments nudged inside my cheek, but I still managed a pretty enthusiastic “woohoo!”

As the team packed up, my Acupuncturist proceeded with a series of needles to calm the nervous system and support detox pathways RE the removal of anaesthetic and remaining infection.

And then it was over. I continued to clean the wound with salt water. Homeopathics for bruising and pain were used a little but I didn’t need them. After the first unsuccessful procedure when the tooth broke off, I had toothache and headache pain for several days, but after the actual extraction, I only really experienced minimal discomfort. I was exhausted however and just needed lots of rest.

The whole dental team worked so well together and I felt supported the whole way through. I was so incredibly grateful for everyone in the room that day too, especially my talented and caring dentist. Because when people really show up for others, even in difficult situations, even when there’s no guarantees or easy solutions, it’s then that real magic happens. It’s then that humanity truly shines.

When I look back upon this journey I’m grateful for the other two dentists that helped me too even though they didn’t return. And I’ve made peace in myself about the ones who said no to me too. Because without their rejections I wouldn’t have kept searching for the right solution and the right people for me. In the end, it actually worked out for the best.

LOOKING AHEAD

If you have been managing chronic illness, you are probably already well aware about how much this can impact your teeth, gums and all over dental health. A compromised immune system, nutritional deficiencies, environmental illnesses, multiple infections … the effects of these things can really show up in your mouth.

Along with multiple infections, I’ve also had a number of cavities, enamel loss, discoloration, receding gums and overcrowding and teeth movement. My smile is far from pearly and pristine. Sometimes I feel very self conscious about this.

But the thing is. Not only do chronic health problems impact dental health, but dental health can impact chronic health problems as well. So looking ahead now, my priority is to do the best that I can to improve my teeth and gums and as a result, hopefully see some positive improvements in my overall health as a result.

A very big thank you for reading all about my dental journey!

I hope that by sharing my own personal experiences, you can see that it is possible to find solutions even in the most difficult of situations. So be persistent, be courageous and don’t ever give up!

Stick around now for PART 2 of this blog series where I will share all the practical things and info, lessons learned plus my personal, one on one advice to you.