University life for freshers (2019/20) - Christmas backpacking (or not) and festive homecomings with all the tinseltastic trimmings!

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread.

Oh no! Dd1 had two infected wisdom teeth during her A Levels - Naproxen(??) I think she was on and antibiotics.

My DS has been complaining of sore ears so went to chemist but they would not give him anything without dr visit as too severe. He has not registered with dr as no NI number. British but born overseas so didn't come through at 16. Nagged him last term to do without success, hss started process now.
Last text said he was improving, not sure if he found somewhere private to use his medical insurance or if uni were able to help out. Apparently he didn't realise insurance would work in UK, thought it was just for where we live!

@ Baytreemum, sorry for your DS - painful. I had to have mine removed when I was about 21 and DS was complaining of them coming through before Xmas, so I think he may be the same.

@Benjispruce, good to hear your DD is recovering without more ABs. My DD gets recurring sore throats - I think stress and lack of sleep related. Certainly doesn’t help!

Wisdom tooth pain can be quite extreme. DH was in agony and had to have root canal treatment after his unerupted wisdom tooth was touching the root of the tooth above; Unfortunately it didn't hold off the problem for long and he had to have the healthy molar removed instead (or would have had to have radical jaw surgery). If he had been younger the wisdom tooth would have come into the empty socket but it has not. So however unpleasant the prospect not having them out can cause major problems later. Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us sometimes, giving us extra bits that we don't need.

I had a healthy molar removed in my twenties (crap dentist) and my wisdom teeth (part erupted) came down. Hasn’t filled the gap up completely but at least it’s stopped the problems of part eruptions on my other jaw.

@ZandathePanda how is your DD?

Benji Which one?!! The university one needs molar root canal work (on same side as wisdom teeth problems she had in the summer). Trying to sort that out has been a nightmare as she had to work out logistics of 3 appts at a new dentist then change/cancel appts due to Dd2’s illness. Poor Dd2 still not back at school as she’s so tired. Given up on January. Roll on February!

Our family must have cost the NHS thousands in the past month. University Dd is getting her tooth done free (so we’ve been told!) as she’s under 19. Small silver linings.
I have said we’ll pay the upgrade if they want to put a cheaper less aesthetically pleasing filling in. I am not sure how it all works as we haven’t been able to get an NHS dentist for years as adults.

Can I rename this thread....?!
University life for freshers (2019/20) - Christmas backpacking (or not) and festive illnesses with all the cruddy trimmings!

I am conscious of not going on about illness on a thread that should be about university but it has been exceptionally bad for us.

In university related news, albeit in the same vein, Dds Chinese flatmates have gone and new ones should be arriving for the new semester. They haven’t turned up yet.

@zanda well both but mainly your younger DD. I guess it will take a while to feel fully well. Don’t worry about posting about this. Personally I find hearing about my DD’s compatriots and their experiences enormously helpful. Their health is a worry we all share. Wishing your eldest a painless recovery too. My youngest is coming to the end of canine impaction treatment.

Benji ahh thank you. We have been told every case is different but it will probably take 6 months to recover.

Seeing that it is my third going through uni. have seen my share of sickness. They may well have problems health wise the same as they would at home. At least we could drive to see them. When the first two lived abroad, now that was hard. Bermuda a long flight and very expensive, the second offshore on ships.

What I did discover was that Leeds had an amazing dental course so if those wisdom teeth do erupt badly you can try to book in as a practice patient. That I have filed away in my mind.

The dental nurse at our practice suggested to DD that she try the dental school in Newcastle if she had any problems, so it is worth considering, especially if they are over 19.

Being ill is part of uni life, so nobody needs to apologise for posting about it. This group is as much about offloading as anything else. As regards Chinese students I can't imagine them coming as things stand. It is an awful shame for them but wise to keep the virus contained until things are under control.

It is funny thinking about when the DCs were born and small they caught everything under the sun in the winter people said ahh building immunity they will grow out of it. No-one warned me they would grow back into it when they went to uni.

Don't get me started on wisdom teeth. I had to miss a week of my first term at uni to have 2 taken out in hospital. Then another grew in to the tooth in front of it - the wisdom tooth itself took two attempts to remove, and it destroyed the tooth in front so I lost that one as well.

My husband has none and thinks he's very clever.

Thank you so much everyone for your support- it helps so much xxx. Had a truly terrible day - found incredible emergency nhs dentist because pain was so so bad - surgery was in literally the worst place ever but we were given an appointment and eventually were let in to see a dentist in scrubs who looked as if he had worked in the army or prisons. The treatment was brutal and had us both streaming with tears - I think the pain was as bad as after I had intervention without anaesthetic after having DD1. Barbaric but he was incredible. Turned out his son is a commercial lawyer in the square mile - so he understood my lawyer DD to a tee and prescribed salt rinses, chicken broth, and physical and mental rest - no work!!!!! We are desperately hoping that she has turned the corner..... Please carry on telling about your own trials and tribs - it allows us to do the same. 6months Zanda - that is a long time, but as long as she is recovering that is so good. Hope everyone else is ok xxx

The treatment was brutal and had us both streaming with tears - I think the pain was as bad as after I had intervention without anaesthetic after having DD1

Oh gosh, that sounds awful. Is the wisdom tooth gone now? Was that the source of all the problems?

God that sounds horrendous @Baytreemum Well done on your DD for getting through it. I had 3 teeth removed 3 years ago for implants and it was awful, but hers sounds worse.

@simbobs I wonder if DS could try for Newcastle dental hosp from Durham if necessary?

Had 2 lovely FTs with DS yesterday despite him being badly hungover and still in bed at 3pm after a footy formal. They are carnage I don’t know how the staff can condone the competitive drinking, but I guess they are all adults

@bigTillyMint I can't see why not. Phone and ask and let us know. DD never needed to.

Well he seems ok atm, but I will definitely do that if he needs treatment!

DS had bad toothache in November, my dentist was brill. when I phoned them and explained the window when he was home. Two appointments in December 23rd and 31st. Everything sorted until summer now I hope.

Thanks everyone. No I wish the teeth had gone, but they haven’t - I think the dentist was trying to clear out the infected gum around 2 wisdom teeth - he said it was extremely rare to have 2 partially emerged teeth like that - both were then in the same bad way. We are struggling on with the 2 antibiotics and pain killers with all the side effects. Doc and 3 dentists all blamed lack of sleep and poor nutrition at uni - the problem is she can’t get any sleep because the people on her corridor sleep all day and shout and carouse and bang doors and run around all night. College food is also grim and she can’t eat half of it because she is allergic to it! I don’t know how to help.

Ear plugs from Boots for the noise. If she is in catered halls then suggests she buys her own food to supplement her diet.

www.telegraph.co.uk/recommended/home/best-earplugs-restful-nights-sleep/

That sounds very trying Baytreemum. Was there no self catering option?

Well, winter exams finished on Friday (DS had the very last exam of the exam period. It finished at 6pm on Friday! Well, his IB exams finished earlier than anyone, so I guess what goes around comes around! )
Already had the maths paper back (he does Economics, but maths is a compulsory module), but rest of results are not ready until the end of Feb.
Time to get on with lectures now and normal uni life.