heal thyself: toothache

A few years ago, I had a toothache that turned debilitating-- like, taken to the hospital from work by my boss, unable to speak, whole side of my head swollen up debilitating. That turned out to be an abcess, required two weeks of antibiotics, and an almost-five-hundred-dollar tooth extraction. Which was all my savings, and I haven't had more than 75 or a hundred to my name since, which just won't cut it if I need another extraction (and I certainly can't afford a root canal or whatever, and I'm severely resistant to pain killers, so it required two rounds before and I really don't want to do that again).

So yesterday, at the Day!Job, being as how it was Labor Day Weekend, it was crazy and I was stressed, and after sleeping all night with gritted teeth, I woke up and thought that's why my jaw hurt. This morning, however, I find that it's definitely because of a sort tooth. The pain has matured like a fine wine (whine?) and has become both sharper and more localized, and is definitely to do with one specific tooth.

I looked up holistic remedies to handle it while I still can, and at the very least to buy time so I can maybe make it a few more paychecks and scrape up some money. It seems I need to get my hands on activated charcoal tablets, calcium and magnesium suppliments, probiotic lozenges, baking soda rinses, and plantain leaves to make a poultice. Used teabags can help, and I always have those around, and green tea is proven to be good for teeth anyway. I can do this. These are all natural things, and I can manage them. They are not scary and they don't involve trays of shining tools that look like they're out of a Medieval torturer's bag. I'm planning on going to the store later today as soon as I crunch some numbers (rent is coming up, so I have to be careful), and seeing what's available at our local Tar-jay.

And this bugger is going down, naturally.