What can I do for a toothache until I can see a dentist? All the teeth on my left lower jaw hurt really bad. If I brush my teeth, the pain goes away for half an hour, then comes back just as bad. I've never had anything like this.

Have you taken ibuprofen?

Yeah. That helps but....

I think I'll go to the store so I can try this:

Apply an OTC antiseptic containing benzocaine directly to the irritated tooth and gum to temporarily relieve pain.

Yeah, we're on a little local water company. This is the first time we've had any such issues, although I know that in the past the company was cited for failing to comply with paperwork requirements. That is to say, it probably wasn't a water quality issue then, but it may have been and the lack of paperwork was to cover up for it. But more likely it was just not keeping up.

And yeah, I expect water issues when I'm on a well, or when I'm hauling it in ten thousand gallons at a time. But not now!

Don't shut up about the house, sara. If you do, I'll feel bad about my period of "house likes carrots" when we were building here. I like hearing about your house and worries and triumphs.

I have no idea about that toothache, tommy, that sounds bad! But maybe since it's more generalized pain, a regular painkiller will help?

I'm trying to distract myself by looking at this:

The Dalek Girls: Extermination Never Looks This Good!

LiveJournal user Echidnite shows us why Australian cosplayers rawk! Behold, the world’s loveliest Daleks at Supanova expo in Brisbane. Extermination (and toilet plungers) never looks this good!

eta: Go here [link] to see photos of the Dalek Girls trashing an inflateable T.A.R.D.I.S.

Oh, and also, in non water news...

D. and his buddy from Vegas (who used to be his buddy from NM) are supposed to be on a camping trip this weekend. They camped locally last night, and it snowed on them! So this morning they called and said, umm...we're going to tool around today and stay at the house tonight. Ha.

Well, now I got home from work, and there they are already. They got stuck in a snowstorm heading to Salt River Canyon, so they turned around and came back.

Now they're both napping on the couch while I and the dog are watching hockey in the bedroom. It is the anti-camping. Hee.

When I needed a root canal, only thing that sorta worked was more advil than is safe and always keeping something cold in or on my teeth. I'd put a call into your dentist now; they may have an emergency set up (mine did and I didn't know it, but they'd call in a prescription for anti-bs and painkillers even if they can't see you that day.)

For my hotspot tooth (it's a weird nerve thing, the tooth is fine) my dentist recommends putting a blob of the sensitive-tooth toothpaste on it for a bit when it flares. It seems to work ok.

Fair warning, I found that the oragel-y tooth pain stuff you can get at the grocery store? Fired the pain through the fucking roof before it did any good, and I don't think it did much good, it was just the difference between HOLYFUCKLAMAZEBREATHENOW and OWWW was "better."

Liese, I loved the "house likes carrots" posts. Thanks for the reminder!

Right?

We talk about what's freaking us out and and consuming us and obsessing us and interesting us. And then we talk about it again. And then other people talk about it, and then we talk about it more.

We're a community. It's what we do.

That is freaky about your water, Liese. Glad you are all prepared! Boiling would make it safe, though I can see where there might be a residual ick factor.

Oragel has been my friend on occasion, though even when it works it doesn't seem to last very long.