Toothache??

[Whirlwind]

What happens on board if you get a bad toothache...or something similar???

[Lois R]

Hi:) If it gets so bad you need assistance you can go see the Dr.

 

Or maybe you could try a shot of whiskey first to numb the pain;) I bet it would

be less $$$ than visiting the Doc!

[CaptData]

In most cases you would have to wait for your first port of call and see a dentist there. The ship can sometimes help yo locate a local dentist.

[White Rock]

I had a bad toothache a couple of years ago on a Panama Canal cruise. I'd had problems with the tooth before and knew it would have to come out at some point but it was fine when we left on the cruise. I ended up going ashore in Manzanillo, the agent got me a cab, told the driver in english where to take us (my husband kindly came along on this shore excursion). When we got there, there was no dentist and very little english spoken. They sent the cab somewhere else and low & behold there was a dentist there, spoke perfect english and was able to pull my tooth. He gave instructions to the cab driver to take us to a drugstore for antibiotics and back to the ship. The whole experience cost us $20.00 for the tooth, $10.00 for antibiotics and $40.00 for the cab.

When I got home I told my dentist he was fired, I had found a new one that was younger, cheaper, and better looking.

It was an experience I don't want to repeat.

 

Gayle

[midgecruiser]

Consider sailing on Holland America if your anticipating a problem. They have a dentist on board as well as a small clinic in the medical area. This clinic is for and used mostly by the crew which is a service provided by HAL and a volunteer Dentist. HAL provides an inside cabin and the dentist provides a certain number of hours to the clinic and staff. This is not free for the Dentist. They must donate a few thousand dollars to the non profit that runs the program for overhead costs and supplies. This program is well run and screens each Dentist or Hygienist with the highest of standards. It's an incredible service for the crew as well as for the occasional passenger with a tooth ache.

[Shirley and Les]

Here's another possibility.

Go to all of the sailaway and other parties on the ship. Converse with as many 65ish people as you can and find out occupations before retirement. We met a retired Canadian surgeon a few year ago on the first afternoon on a cruise on the Horizon. It is a smaller ship and we ran into this couple several times.

During dinner on the second night, DW lost part of a front surface bonding. As we were returning from shore on the afternoon before a scheduled snorkel trip, she decided to see the ship doctor to have a flexible mouthpiece built to wear on the snorkeling outing. "That won't work," I said. Although I have an engineering degree, DW has no confidence in my opinion about technical stuff. Luckily, as we were ready to get on the elevator to go down to the sickbay, retired "Sawbones" appears and I said, "Ask him." Canadians are pretty good sports so he stood there, looked into her mouth, held open her lip with his pocket pen and finally said, "That won't work." END OF SICK BAY VISIT IDEA. Snorkeling trip was great. At next meet, bought Doc and DWOD (dear wife of doc) a drink and offered our Security Blue Card in case it worked in Canada. Cost of Medical Opinion -$11.00 plus mandatory 15% gratuity), Watching Unplanned Oral Examination In Embarkation Elevator Lobby - PRICELESS.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Since I'm prone to infections in my teeth/gums, I never vacation without a fresh supply of antibiodics. My dentist knows I will only take them if absolutely necessary, and I always know when it is.

[hermang]

Since I'm prone to infections in my teeth/gums, I never vacation without a fresh supply of antibiodics. My dentist knows I will only take them if absolutely necessary, and I always know when it is.

There are a number of Temporary Filling products on the market for lost fillings. I always take those plus lidocaine swabs. I also ask my doctor for samples of things he thinks I may need on the trip like Antibiotics, and any specialized stuff - Prescription Nasal Spray etc. Of course if you ask my Brother in law who is a retired dentist he will say take crazy glue to re-cement a crown that fell off - HONEST - my mother was up for thanksgiving and lost a crown. Fortunately she did not swallow it - He asked if I had crazy glue and proceeded to temporarily cement it in - Oh he was her dentist ( and mine at the time). When the got back home he brought her into the office and did a permanent repair. I would ask your denitst what he would recommend in an emergency

[hdawson]

I'm sure the ship's port agent can recommend and even help you get to a local dentist.

[brigittetom]

Of course if you ask my Brother in law who is a retired dentist he will say take crazy glue to re-cement a crown that fell off - HONEST - my mother was up for thanksgiving and lost a crown. Fortunately she did not swallow it - He asked if I had crazy glue and proceeded to temporarily cement it in

 

Is that actually true? I thought I had read some years ago, something, that said not to do this. Chemicals in Crazy Glue were harmful. Was this by any chance written by a dentist who didn't want to lose the income of an emergency visit???

[hermang]

Is that actually true? I thought I had read some years ago, something, that said not to do this. Chemicals in Crazy Glue were harmful. Was this by any chance written by a dentist who didn't want to lose the income of an emergency visit???

I am SURE it is not an approved solution - but since he was 75 miles from his office and it was just before the meal - one drop of crazy glue kept mom eating for the weekend.

[usha]

I usually bring along a little tube of orajel. You just never know when a tooth is going to give you some trouble, or you might get a cold sore from all that sunning. The orajel only takes up about as much space as a tube of lipstick, and can be a real vacation saver.

[anniecat]

on our last cruise on HAL, the dentist on board offered Teeth Whitening :eek:

ok I guess...didn't try it :p

(the crew did use the dental services...our cabin steward had work done .... novacaine aftermath one afternoon....cute lopsided smile

[smdubowsky]

I am a dentist and an avid cruiser. The best remedy for a toothache on board a cruise is prevention! If you have not had a timely check-up, make sure to schedule one before you go. Having stated the obvious, I will respond to some of the comments.

 

Do not ever use crazy-glue on yourself! They call it crazy-glue for a reason. If you have a loose restoration and you are at sea you can use a small amount of denture adhesive in a pinch. It won't be perfect but it will help keep it in place and it will do no harm. There are also some kits for this in the pharmacy. BTW, in an emergency, crazy-glue will work to repair a cracked denture, but use it very sparingly and make sure the broken halves are aligned properly.

 

Don't take antibiotic along with you to self administer unless you do it under professional supervision. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can lead to all sorts of problems.

 

Although Celebrity does not have a dentist onboard, they do have decent medical facilities. There is a limit to what they can do, but for the exception of trans-oceanic crossings, the next port is usually only a day or so away.

 

If you are at a US port, it will be easy to find a dentist. In fact, if you are at Cape Liberty (Bayonne, NJ), I'm a few minutes from the pier!

 

If you need to see a dentist in a foreign country, it is always a best bet to call the American Embassy or Consulate and ask them for a referral to the dentist that they use. I have heard many a nightmarish story about going to the cab driver's cousin, etc.

 

If push comes to shove you can ask if I'm on board. I would be happy to help. Even better, if I'm not on your cruise, tell Celebrity to send me a ticket and I'll be on the next flight!

 

smdubowsky

[hermang]

I am a dentist and an avid cruiser. The best remedy for a toothache on board a cruise is prevention! If you have not had a timely check-up, make sure to schedule one before you go. Having stated the obvious, I will respond to some of the comments.

 

Do not ever use crazy-glue on yourself! They call it crazy-glue for a reason. If you have a loose restoration and you are at sea you can use a small amount of denture adhesive in a pinch. It won't be perfect but it will help keep it in place and it will do no harm. There are also some kits for this in the pharmacy. BTW, in an emergency, crazy-glue will work to repair a cracked denture, but use it very sparingly and make sure the broken halves are aligned properly.

 

Don't take antibiotic along with you to self administer unless you do it under professional supervision. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can lead to all sorts of problems.

 

Although Celebrity does not have a dentist onboard, they do have decent medical facilities. There is a limit to what they can do, but for the exception of trans-oceanic crossings, the next port is usually only a day or so away.

 

If you are at a US port, it will be easy to find a dentist. In fact, if you are at Cape Liberty (Bayonne, NJ), I'm a few minutes from the pier!

 

If you need to see a dentist in a foreign country, it is always a best bet to call the American Embassy or Consulate and ask them for a referral to the dentist that they use. I have heard many a nightmarish story about going to the cab driver's cousin, etc.

 

If push comes to shove you can ask if I'm on board. I would be happy to help. Even better, if I'm not on your cruise, tell Celebrity to send me a ticket and I'll be on the next flight!

 

smdubowsky

 

I would definitely agree not to use crazy glue on yourself - in this case he applied a drop of glue - ( maybe he wanted to get rid of his mother in law???)

and since he had to fix the problem when they got back home - for all I know he had to make her a new crown I guess he made the best of a bad situation.

 

Second point - I totally agree - see your dentist BEFORE you cruise and have a checkup JUST IN CASE you have the beginning of a cavity or a loose filling or other - crown, bridge.

 

We have had to seek medical services in Italy, Mexico and Israel for my daughter - nothing more than traveler's GI distress - but it was a real hoot trying to find a pharmacy in Tel Aviv that was open on Friday night - YES there is one or two that stay open - In Rome there is an all night pharmacy right by the railroad station and having lived there we knew what to buy.

 

Weird buying antibiotocs OTC

 

I would also agree about self medicated antibiotics - but my doctor wouldn;t give them to me just because I asked for them - they are the normal stuff he prescribes like a Zpac just in case or Bactrin - only had to take it once in 10 cruises.

[jdymiller]

On our last cruise through the Panama Canal, my husband developed an abscessed tooth. The Celebrity medical staff was great and first gave him antibiotics and then when it got worse, a shot. Because we weren't in the best of ports, they suggested waiting until Aruba to see a dentist. However, we called our dentist in the States and he said the antibiotics would do until we got home. We were very relieved.