personal tooth repair kit

[Tony]

I was just wondering what the best tooth repair kit was, i've used the one that you can get from boots and I got one from there the other day for my father in law who needed to hold a crown in place. got me thinking that there much be some good kits about for when we go into the wilds.

Also, there's loads of first aid courses, do any of them cover teeth?

[southey]

Knew we had a discussion somewhere hope this helps a little Tone

[Tadpole]

Until a few weeks ago I thought people who pull/treated their own teeth out were nutters, until I was faced with the choice, three or four days in agony or a self extraction using mini Leatherman clone. I was eating popcorn, and crunched/ bit down on a popped corn only to find it was hiding an un-popped bit, result premolar tooth (13) literally snapped in half. Wife had the car, so no chance of getting to the dental hospital. So using a BCUK mini light and my mini pliers, I pulled the two halfs of the tooth out. Not something I’d recommend but boy was I glad when the pain stopped.
When my wife came home and I explained what I’d done, she said “that’s nice” and carried on talking about her evening.

[wicca]

In July 2009 I was bound for Cape St Vincent, 200 miles offshore running before a hard Northerly gale with at times mountainous seas. In the early hours I decided it was time for yet another brew and slid open the main hatch and put one foot on the cabin steps, as I did so my boat broached and I lost my grip (wet hands) and fell into the cabin head first. Unfortunately on the way down I head-butted the galley cooker and smashed my front teeth.
With the boat lying on her beam end and big seas coming aboard I didn't have time for much dentistry and spent the next few hours trying to save my boat. After dawn I was able to sort my toothy-pegs out. The file on a Leatherman was the finest cut file I had on board and took the jagged edges off, necessary as they were systematically shredding my tongue. I carry an emergency dental kit and using the stuff in that I made up what looked like a boxers gumshield and plonked it on my top gum. I eventually got her to safety at a place called Peniche just North of Lisbon. The damage is all properly repaired and I've got plastic teeth now, and a smile like Donny Osmand..

Give you a chance NOT to look below...






Reason for the broach..steering gear came adrift with the continual battering from heavy seas. Going over the stern in the dark in a storm to put a lashing on it is an interesting, if mind concentrating aspect of survival..

[Bushwhacker]

That's a proper adventure story there wicca. Ouch!

[Tony]

Yep, I think you should be keeping us up to date on adventures like that

so would you say having the dental kit with you helped a lot?

[wicca]

I have a kit supplied by a Dentist which includes probe, mirror and repair items but I also have a couple of kits from the Chemist, Boots I think. 'Toofypegs' they're called and it was those I used to make the 'gumshield.' I had also damaged my ribs in the fall and managed to get a bandage on, but the bad weather never really fully abated and having to handsteer, and trying to stay awake crossing the shipping lanes off the Portugese coast in that weather gave me no chance for fancy repairs, just a little file work and cement mixing... So the answer Tony is yes, under my circumstances I was glad my pre voyage prep had included buying the dental kits.

Not sure about posting too many adventures. I once made a suggestion that people who travel into the wilderness far from medical help might consider self administered broad based anti-biotics ( I do, they're in my boat's FAK and my trekking gear for foreign countries)
It took me three days to dig myself out from under the pile of Teddies thrown, I suspect by people who are rarely more than a days walk from civilisation. So I'm wary of sending too many 'Boys Own' posts from this 'ol boy..Different life styles require different approaches...which is fair enough and which I fully understand.

[Elines]

i am currently reviewing our first aid kits (car/home /bushie) and saw on Paul Kirby's blog that he included a temporary tooth filler in his FAK.
This seemed like a good idea so I phoned my dentist and asked if they recommended one.

They just said 'get a generic one from Boots'. I may get a better response when I ask in person at my next appointment in August.

On Boots site they seem to have just one - 'Dentek Temporary Filling Material Repair Kit' at about £7. It is £4.87 on Amazon (inc delivery).

Problem is - as is so often on Amazon - there is a complete range of ratings from 5* to 1*, both on this item and on other similar products.

Two of the three low (1*) ratings for Dentek may be for uses that it is not designed for (holding a bridge in place or fixing a crown - although one 5* user says she uses it to fix a loose Crown). The third 1* rating is specifically disagreed with by another - 5* - posting.

So I will be very interested if anyone comes up with a reasoned justification for any particular product. And just to be clear - I have no connection with any of them.

I have no knowledge of coverage in first aid courses.

[pauljm116]

I have a kit supplied by a Dentist which includes probe, mirror and repair items but I also have a couple of kits from the Chemist, Boots I think. 'Toofypegs' they're called and it was those I used to make the 'gumshield.' I had also damaged my ribs in the fall and managed to get a bandage on, but the bad weather never really fully abated and having to handsteer, and trying to stay awake crossing the shipping lanes off the Portugese coast in that weather gave me no chance for fancy repairs, just a little file work and cement mixing... So the answer Tony is yes, under my circumstances I was glad my pre voyage prep had included buying the dental kits.

Not sure about posting too many adventures. I once made a suggestion that people who travel into the wilderness far from medical help might consider self administered broad based anti-biotics ( I do, they're in my boat's FAK and my trekking gear for foreign countries)It took me three days to dig myself out from under the pile of Teddies thrown, I suspect by people who are rarely more than a days walk from civilisation. So I'm wary of sending too many 'Boys Own' posts from this 'ol boy..Different life styles require different approaches...which is fair enough and which I fully understand.

Where do you get broad based antibiotics from? I asked in boots a few months ago only to be told you can only get them with a prescription.

[wicca]

I'm lucky as my Doctor was kind enough to prescribe some supplies for my boat's medical kit when I was able to show him that one of my voyages would mean crossing the Atlantic singlehanded. I'm not sure of the regulations, but I believe under certain circumstances a Doctor is able to do this for the purpose of bonafide 'ship's medical supplies'.

That was a few years ago and obviously anti-biotics like all medicines have a shelf life, so I take the precaution of obtaining them in other countries where it is possible to buy them over the counter. I simply show them the box, not surprisingly the Trade Name if you like is remarkably similar in most common languages. Dosage is always marked on the box.

Just to point out though...I am not suggesting that those off for a wander in the Brecons or Cairngorms start whacking anti-biotics into themselves for minor or even serious injuries, but my last single handed Atlantic crossing, Las Palmas in Gran Canaria to Port De France in Martinique took 30 days. A septic injury halfway, 15 days from the nearest land would have killed me. So Horses for courses. If at all possible get to a qualified medic ( and on the African coast..take yer own sterile needle)..

[John Fenna]

I have used "DentaNurse" - which I got from my dentist (Priory Street Cardigan )
I have also pulled teeth (not my own) with a leatherman and filed broken teeth (including my own ) with a leatherman using both the coarse file and the diamond hone... it seems if you leave the edges rough they just keep on chipping
Do not use Superglue to fix crowns or fillings ...the exothermic reaction will cook any live nerves!

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

.....I once made a suggestion that people who travel into the wilderness far from medical help might consider self administered broad based anti-biotics ( I do, they're in my boat's FAK and my trekking gear for foreign countries)...

Me too. Antibiotics are essential in my case. I also carry a course of steroids as a vital component of my main FAK. More than once they've literally been lifesavers. They're all prescribed of course, but I'm keen to invest in a dental kit so I shall be watching this thread closely. I've got a mouth full of crowns and expensive bridgework and based on past experience if they fail the chances are that it will be when I'm miles from anywhere.

Hats off to those of you who've used a leatherman; mercifully I've been spared that level of drama, so far.

[Elines]

Denta Nurse is available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dentanurse-...1721346&sr=8-1

and is £6.49 including delivery but has no ratings (may be cheaper elsewhere but have not searched)

[dp0001]

I remember hearing on Radio 4 from one of the sole round the world yachtsmen about how someone fell down a ladder and bit their tongue half off. As they were in the middle of nowhere they had to sew their own tongue back on using instructions from someone medical on their shortwave radio.

I always wondered how they managed to describe down the radio what had happened in order to get instructions.

As for tooth damage, if a tooth kit isn't to hand, a well chewed up bit of chewing gum in the hole /over the tooth will at least keep the air out.

[southey]

I remember hearing on Radio 4 from one of the sole round the world yachtsmen about how someone fell down a ladder and bit their tongue half off. As they were in the middle of nowhere they had to sew their own tongue back on using instructions from someone medical on their shortwave radio.

I always wondered how they managed to describe down the radio what had happened in order to get instructions.

As for tooth damage, if a tooth kit isn't to hand, a well chewed up bit of chewing gum in the hole /over the tooth will at least keep the air out.

and seal in any infection and create the perfect environment for it to fester, better to leave it open and swill with salt water every few hours till you can get to medical help, the chewing gum will pick up everything from around your mouth while you chew it then your going to push it all into your exposed pulp, not good at all,

[Davey569]

I've heard an old ice skate and a rock does a good job of removing teeth. Though Im not sure Tom Hanks was telling the truth!

[MartinK9]

Never under-estimate oil of cloves in your kit either, helped me out when I couldn't get to a dentist overseas.

Thanks to Dustin Hoffman, the pain was bearable

[Opal]

It must be about four years since my crown went loose and fell out due to using an electric toothbrush, must have been the vibrations, slung the brush and fixed the crown in again with Toothypeg, it's absolutely brilliant, I still have the spare capsule in my backpack wherever I go just in case. I can eat tough steaks, bricks anything. If it can last me at least 3/4 years, it'll do anyone.

[Elines]

Glad it works for you Opal

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