Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Since 2020 it has been a lot easier to dream up SHTF scenarios where medical care is front and center. Everything from a bullet hole wound to a simple infection can mean death if you are unprepared and modern medical resources are unavailable.
Even a scenario like another, more deadly, pandemic taking grips around the world doesn’t seem so farfetched.
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What rarely concerns people is the sheer misery, pain, and death that could come from simple dental issues in an SHTF scenario. This is exceptionally strange since 36% of Americans experience dental anxiety or dental fear.
You would think this would translate to being well prepared should you have a dental issue that must be dealt with by less than traditional methods. This means that the potential for infection will be greater, it means that the level of pain experienced will be greater and recovery time will be longer and more care intensive to avoid infection.
So, what can you do now to ensure that you are better prepared for dental care after the end of the world.
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Preventative Care
I am going to tell you about all kinds of cool things that you can do to prepare for this kind of scenario. However, this first tip is by far the most important one in the entire article. You need to visit the dentRIGHT NOW.
Make an appointment as soon as possible and get to that office. Tell your dentist that you are interested in clearing up all of your lingering dental issues. If you need crowns, fillings, deep cleanings, whatever they recommend you need done get it on the books and get it taken care of.
We have no idea when the last time we see the dentist will be, should the world as we know it come to an end. However, we can at least be prepared to face that horrible time with our teeth and gums at optimal health. DON’T GO INTO THE APOCALYPSE WITH AN ABCESS IN YOUR MOUTH!
Take care of this for everyone in your family, too. This way you are tasked with simple upkeep and eating healthily, so your teeth are not under attack from things like sugar.
The Stockpile
After the world comes to an end your access to the basics of dental care is going to all but disappear. Trips to Walgreens to pick up some toothpastesare no longer going to be a possibility. The good news is, there is one thing you can do right now to make sure those “supply chain disruptions” no longer affect you.
Using a Rubbermaid container or a 6-gallon metal trash can with a lid you can create a stockpile of toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss and maybe even mouthwash. This is one of the simplest stockpiles to create. Keep an eye on sales or buy in bulk and you can get this taken care of for $100. Or spread the whole thing out over time.
Grow Some Dental Care
When it comes to dental health there is one plant that really sticks out in my mind. It is a perennial which means you can plant seeds once and expect multiple harvests year over year. That plant is licorice. Oddly enough a plant with flavoring most easily recognized in candy is a great plant for dental care.
Licorice root, to be more exact, is the essential part of the plant. People use licorice root for brewing teas and helping with bad breath but where this root really shines is in its fibrous makeup.
If you take a cleaned length of root and lightly chew one end it will expose some dense fibers and those fibers can be used just like a toothbrush! They can get between teeth really well and even be used to work plaque off the teeth.
You can also grow fresh thyme and garlic to act as natural antibacterial remedies for your dental issues. Both of these are easy to grow, garlic lasts a long time and can be grown year over year. Thyme is an incredible culinary herb but also an incredible medicinal.
Neem is another powerful and ancient means of dental hygiene. Sticks of Neem have long been used for dental care. The interesting thing is that Neem is seemingly coming back into the fray as a natural substitute for toothpaste and toothbrushes in a world that is searching for sustainable solutions.
White oak bark is a very common thing in most forests in the US. The white oak tree has a lot of medicinal properties, and the acorns can even be used to make food or flour. What you are after in the bark can reduce swelling in the body. This includes the mouth and inflamed gums from a toothache or tooth infection.
DIY Homemade Dental
Things like mouthwash and toothpaste are not really that hard to make on your own. It’s not as convenient as simply going to the store and buying at tube of paste but if you have the right ingredients you needn’t worry about the days when all the toothpaste is gone.
If you have things like
Then you can make your own toothpaste from scratch. Here is a simple recipe.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 tablespoons baking soda or a combination of baking soda and sea salt
- 20 drops cinnamon or clove essential oil
- 20 drops peppermint essential oil
- small glass jar
Mix all these ingredients up in a bowl thoroughly and then scrape the mixture into a small glass jar. It is not going to be as creamy as your typical toothpaste, but it will get the job done.
Using the same amount of baking soda and essential oils you can fill a 16oz mason jar with water and then add 1 tablespoon of salt. Shake this mixture each morning and use it as a homemade mouthwash. The combined effects of your DIY toothpaste and mouthwash will help prevent infections and dental issues.
In The Off Grid Medical Kit chapter of the award-winning Preppers Medical Handbook by William W. Forgey MD, we get a list of over-the-counter items that you can get your hands on today to help with your emergency dentalneeds.
This section on dental medicine walks you through how to deal with a variety of dental problems. You need a reference, and this is my pick.
I have added some of my favorite dental preps to this list, too.
Another section of this chapter talks about the antibiotics that you will need to treat some dental issues, too. All the home remedies and OTC meds in the world simply cannot do what antibiotics can.
I store emergency antibiotics from The Wellness Company and they offer a 5-antibiotic kit, along with other medications and instruction. These antibiotics could be used to prevent the spread of infection if a dental procedure is required or if an infection needs to be stopped without any type of dental surgery.
Get a Dentist on the Team
Chances are you have more talent in your community than you realize. It’s not uncommon for preppers to spend hours online or at local events hoping to find members for their MAG or mutual assistance group.
The most valuable people in my own group live right down the street. They are neighbors who I not only spend time with on a regular basis but are neighbors who also have incredible professions that will be very valuable in a collapse.
Find yourself a dentist or even a dental hygienist that lives near you or is part of a team or group you participate in. If only for consultation it can make a huge difference. Beyond that, if you have a dentist and most of the tools, he needs then you can make these terrible situations much easier to deal with.
It is always better to have a professional rooting around in your mouth instead of someone reading out of a manual.
Conclusion
It is easy to imagine a warrior’s death coming to you in SHTF. A post-apocalyptic gunfight that doesn’t go your way takes you out quick and easy. The reality is that most people who die in a collapse will succumb to suicide,injury, and illness. Drinking bad water, dehydration, starvation, and infection are all going to be a reality if you are not prepared.
Don’t fall to a post-apocalyptic toothache! No one wants to suture a loved one, no one wants to extract a tooth or have a tooth extracted when there is no dentist, but it could be the difference between life and death. A small cache of dental medical preps can go a long way. Some emergency antibiotics will keep you alive should you need to heal from some kind of dental surgery.
Medical preparedness can often be overwhelming but with the right instruction and the right tools you can build a kit to meet your needs.
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