Fluoride varnish and chewing gum do not mix

I am 68 and sometimes have tooth sensitivity issues. It's maddening. Since I turned 60, I learned to use fluoride varnish when the sensitivity gets to be too much. But sometimes the aides do not want to put it on. They say I have no dentist's order. In the past I have called and the dentist has written the order and supplied the varnish to a nursing home staffer. Then, the nurse applied it. But that nurse was leery and did not have a technique. I know training would be helpful but you really just need to be a detail person to do it.

Since I have two teeth that were filled 2 1/2 years ago and have ached quite a bit since, I thought maybe I might need some work done. The dentist had mentioned that one tooth might need a root canal. I am a tooth grinder and I have TMJ occasionally which is equally awful. So a dentist's appointment was made. I usually only see the dentist once a year for Medicaid paid for cleaning.

They made me an appointment and I went today. Two aides have to go with me if I need to get into the dentist's chair. It used to be that one person could take me and the dentist or one of his staff would help get me into the chair. Now, the nursing home must provide the assistance.

So we headed to a 2:30 p.m. appointment. It was getting rather windy on this March 1, 2017 as we arrived. We sat and waited for about 10 or 15 minutes. I really like it when people are on time and I think we were a bit late.

As I went to the little booth I told them I would stay in my chair until they decided what they needed to do. They took an x-ray. We waited a while. The dentist came in. He asked me where it was hurting. I told him which teeth it might be. He tapped around with something metal and when I did not jump out of my skin, I guess he figured I would live, but maybe have tooth pain. I told the aides they would not do anything significant today. They would make me wait because that's what happens with Medicaid and probably most other insurance.

I think we kind of determined it was sensitivity or maybe a virus infection, or possibly a sinus infection which will go away eventually. So I asked about a fluoride varnish treatment. I told him I know that will usually help some. So the dental technician applied the fluoride varnish. I also got the dentist to write a prescription so that I could use the fluoride varnish I always keep on hand – in case.

When I returned it seemed like I waited forever to get in bed for the rest of the afternoon. An afternoon shift aide called off and we were already shorthanded. A day shift aide had to stay over and so did the activity aide. I was told another second shifter was coming in after supper. But, since it's her day off, I doubted it.

After I was in bed the nurse gave me my medicine. Since it tastes really yucky, I asked for gum. I never thought about the fluoride varnish. I started chewing the gum and noticed the gum was getting very soft and moving with every chew on top of the fluoride varnish. I usually only get fluoride varnish in the morning and eat before I return to the facility. Perhaps I was told in the past, NOT TO chew gum, and I'm sure I didn't. But I don't remember that I was warned against gum chewing.

When the gum covered up the fluoride varnish and moved into the grooves between my teeth, it felt like this monster had gotten loose in my mouth. The citrus taste of the gum was mixing with the citrus taste of the fluoride varnish. I tried to move the gum with my tongue and it was stuck fast. I'm quadriplegic and cannot reach up there with my fingers to get the gum loose. I sort of did not know what to do.

I put my call light on. It was 15 minutes after supper started. I figured nobody would be able to come. They were already shortstaffed. I called the nurses station. The nurse answered like she had all day. I explained to her that gum was stuck to the fluoride varnish on my teeth, and I could not get it out. She said an aide was coming. The aide came in and pulled as much of the gum out as she could with her gloved fingers. She said they would get the rest later.

After that aide left I kept working on the gum with my tongue to loosen it. I was able to get a few pieces and spit them out on the tissues that were on the front of me.

When an aide came into feed me my snack, I asked her to get a facility toothbrush.. She tried using it and didn't have much luck. Instead, she got a floss stick and removed more of it. I ate some of my tortilla chips which loosened additional gum.

I googled fluoride varnish and I now know that it and chewing gum do not mix. But there was no answer about what you do to easily remove gum from fluoride varnish. I know this has to have happened to other people. But they probably just kept pulling it out with their fingers and maybe used a toothpick.

In the future, if possible, I will only have fluoride varnish applied after I brush my teeth before I go to sleep.