[pct-l] Dental Health on the Trail

[Robert E. Riess]

I am not a dentist, I am a dental patient.  I have 13 porcelain-fused crowns and I need 6 more.  25 years ago, when most of my crowns were done none of my several dentists said anything about the need to floss the roots under the crowns.  I mistakenly thought that teeth with crowns were pretty much maintenance-free, there being no need to polish stainless steel which does not decay.  $31,000 worth of dental work to restore decay under the crowns has shown me to have been wrong.  

For me, there is no worse pain than toothache, which is always terrible when you are trying to sleep.  I worry about people who hike with inadequate dental care in mind.  A toothbrush with the handle cut in half and a few yards of floss is probably not adequate.  From my personal sad and neglectful experience I have learned that plaque will start to build up the day after you have your teeth professionally cleaned.  Brushing with a good quality toothpaste is important, and it must be done properly.  Flossing at least twice a day is essential.  You must develop a flossing technique that gets the roots clean, inside, outside and in between the teeth.  If you bleed, like I did, this is your sign that your gums are inflamed which is no excuse for not flossing.  I know it’s anecdotal, but here goes: I had a periodontal exam from which my periodontist wrote a treatment plan that included root planing, laser treatment and osseous surgery for all 4 quadrants at a cost of $9500.  She noted heavy bleeding and serious inflammation of the gums.  My first appointment was a week later.  During that week I flossed diligently 3 times a day, used GUM Go Between brushes, and most importantly, I think, I treated the inflammation with tea tree oil. Thank you Erin Brown (Tea Tree).  I dipped a GUM brush in pure tea tree oil and applied it to the spaces between the teeth, no more than 3 teeth per dip in the oil.  Let me assure you skeptics, you get over the terrible taste.  The tea tree oil is absorbed very quickly, so you can follow up with a good brand of mouthwash.  Try this:  Apply a drop of tea tree oil to the outside of your cheek and see how long it takes before you taste it.  Just a few seconds.   After only a week of this self-designed treatment, I went back for my first round of periodontal root planing and laser treatment.  My periodontist observed significant improvement in the inflammation and almost no bleeding at all.  

So this is my story.  A hiker can easily carry a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, GUM brushes and an ounce of tea tree oil.  Use all of these and you will have significantly better dental health on the trail.  And of course, you have a comprehensive exam and all dental work done before starting your hike.  BTW, tea tree oil is a natural anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral solution that is an excellent treatment for cuts, scrapes, rashes, blisters, insect bites and stings.  I mix a few drops with Bag Balm to make an excellent topical ointment for dry, cracked skin. You will get over the odor.  Good luck to the Class of 2013.  Bob Riess, San Diego