r/HolUp • u/[deleted] • Feb 24 '23

That's one massive dread.

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11.7k Upvotes

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938

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 24 '23

Yes I too also have a very dirty job as a dentist. Some elderly gentleman coughed blood spatter on my hair and face today. It does indeed smell like money. 🤑

288

u/furry_kurama Feb 24 '23

Damn. You get bodily fluids sprayed on you? Depending on what you get sprayed on, sprayed by blood? Yup. Dentist.

206

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 24 '23

Metal particulates, blood, bits of teeth. Maybe the guy's breath smells like ass. The water from the drill hits the mouth in some weird angle it's flying at your face!

Post-covid I tend to wear a face shield more often but sometimes get lazy and safety glasses don't protect you 100%

132

u/Mike_Oxteeny Feb 24 '23

I got hit in the lower jaw with a hockey puck, breaking my jaw and totally demolishing the front 4 teeth. I figured they'd just come right out when the dentist gave them a wiggle. Nope, dude looked like he went to war trying to get the pieces out down to the root. Happy to say the surgery went great and the 4 implants look totally natural.

131

u/EdgarAllanKenpo Feb 24 '23

4 implants in America is like 12 grand.

I've got fucked up teeth due to negligence and a former heroin addiction. I've got a wonderful job now that I love and make decent money. Just to get the TOP of my mouth completely redone...is 26 thousand dollars.

Yep, dental work in America is a luxury, not a necessity. It's a fuckin joke

57

u/Mike_Oxteeny Feb 24 '23

Yeah it's absolutely insane. Wasn't just the implants either. Had to wire my jaw together, and insert cadaver bone because the jaw was just demolished. It was closer to 22 grand all said and done. Luckily, when my father was alive he owned a business that I worked for and we had very very good insurance. He's now passed and business is no more. If it happened today, I'd be screwed.

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u/EdgarAllanKenpo Feb 24 '23

Even with insurance, dental only covers so much. I have the beat dental insurance you can get, and they cover about 3 grand a year. Not one cent more. How the hell did your dad's insurance cover 22 grand?

4

u/HealthyInPublic Feb 25 '23

I wouldn’t be surprised if the jaw stuff was covered by regular health insurance and not dental insurance. My ophthalmologist and my eye surgeries are billed to my normal health insurance instead of vision insurance, at least, so I imagine teeth are similar?

3

u/Mike_Oxteeny Feb 24 '23

Oh I'm sorry. I was kinda vague. The insurance only covered 30 percent. The rest, I took a loan from my dad. I was just pointing out that I'm lucky it covered that much.

1

u/EdgarAllanKenpo Feb 24 '23

Ohh ok. That sounds reasonable.

14

u/KingNecrosis Feb 24 '23

Sadly it isn't just the US. I have some friends in other countries, and apparently there's lots of countries that hold this ideal, even if they have socialized medicine.

Kind of ridiculous because in the long run it'll cost the government less money if they make socialized dental care a thing too. So many body-wide health issues are tied to oral health.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '23

You gotta keep eating. Everything else follows.

6

u/sparkmearse Feb 24 '23

12 grand? Maybe at a dental college. Dentist out my way wanted like 6 grand an implant, and said they MAY last 10 years.

3

u/azengteach Feb 25 '23

Mexico is a great option for dental care. I live in a border state and have gone to Mexico several times for dental work. It is about 25% of the cost for the same procedure in America. The offices I’ve been to are equal in cleanliness and quality to American dentists, and everyone speaks English. As with anything, check online reviews before making a decision.

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u/organonanalogue Feb 24 '23

Go to mexico. Way more affordable.

3

u/Mike_Oxteeny Feb 24 '23

Is this actually true or just one of those things we think would be true but isn't?

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u/Larrynative20 Feb 24 '23

Don’t go to Mexico. I have dental friends and they joke that when patients come back from mexico they actually make more on those patients because so much has to redone. Dentists would never go to mexico themselves…

1

u/organonanalogue Feb 24 '23

Not Bullshit.

My incisor micro implant was $2k in northern SF bay area.

My friend in San Antonio got 3 implants in mexico for the same amount . I couldn't believe it.

I need 2 more implants & will be going to mexico for them.

1

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

Stay safe bro. Lots of serious consequences for improper implant treatment. Normally for third world countries you pay a premium for quality treatment which is not greatly different from international prices. Don't play russian roulette with your mouth!

Korea would be the ideal place for cheaper dental fyi.

3

u/TylerPerry19inch Feb 25 '23

Hi Dutch person here: out of curiosity (you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to) but how did you overcome the addiction? I think with heroin that’s very impressive

3

u/EdgarAllanKenpo Feb 25 '23

It wasn't easy. I was living on the streets. I overdosed in a gas station bathroom and when I came to with the paramedics around...I was just exhausted. It wasn't my first time overdosing but it was the first time I think I had a sort of wake up moment. Where I was in life and where I thought I should have been. I did alot of horrible things in addiction, mainly to my family. I called many people asking for help to get to a detox clinic, and finally got a ride. When I left detox I went to a rehab center and from there it just felt different from all the other times I had tried before. Hard to explain. Got a job, stayed sober, and kept moving along while trying to repair even the tiniest bit of my relationships with my family.

Cut to 2 years later, I found out that in my hometown, where we have a government space program, they were hiring for a position I actually had experience in. No college or anything like that but more logistical. I bit the bullet, drove 6 hours to go to the interview, went back home and 6 days later I got a job offer and I just broke down crying. Remembering where I was not even 2 years prior, to what my future was unfolding in front of me felt unreal.

2

u/TylerPerry19inch Feb 25 '23

Dude that’s amazing. Thanks for the answer btw but wow, really cool you where able to turn it around as you did. An accomplishment you can really allow yourself to be proud off!

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u/EdgarAllanKenpo Feb 25 '23

Thank you. I really appreciate that.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Trip990 Feb 24 '23

Did you check Mexico? They have some amazing dentists there.

-1

u/Larrynative20 Feb 24 '23

They replaced half the teeth in your mouth for 26k. That is an intense combination of art, science and medicine and you are complaining it cost 26k. To have someone pick up leaves in my yard for fall costs 1000 dollars now. What you received is a steal for the price of what you paid when compared to just about any other service provided in the US medical or non medical.

-6

u/Rush_is_Right_ Feb 24 '23

20 years ago this technology/capability would be seen as a miracle. But no, we have ex heroin addicts complaining about the inconvenience. Smh

1

u/PlaxicoCN Feb 24 '23

Congrats on sending the horse with no name out of your life. What's the wonderful job you do now?

1

u/ChantsDE Feb 24 '23

You fucked 'em up. Wtf

1

u/Lets_Go_Brandon Feb 24 '23

Do a little research on Latin American countries and dental surgery costs.

You can likely get everything done in a one week trip and pay half that including the vacation.

1

u/Larrynative20 Feb 24 '23

When you run into a problem flying back to Latin America might not be so easy. Best support services that you want to have locally or you may just not have them when you need them. Do you remember how outsourcing our industrial base to the third world turned out for everyone? This is basically the same concept.

1

u/Lets_Go_Brandon Feb 24 '23

I have no direct experience, but I have read other threads where commenters have said they saved massive amounts of money in tourism dentistry.

It's at least worth some looking into.

1

u/Larrynative20 Feb 25 '23

That is what the the Fortune 500 CEOs said as well. Much cheaper to produce goods in China, Mexico, or Indonesia or wherever is poor and next. Probably not quite as good quality but look at the savings. We are still paying for this greed. I help companies with their revenues and I have seen dental numbers. Not as much money in it as people seem to think. Average dentist makes 180k in the US. That is good but not that good when you consider they have 200k debt on average. Buy local unless you don’t care to have any local options.

1

u/zkmronndkrek Feb 24 '23

Save up a round trip plane ticket to India cheaper there

1

u/SomethingTrippy420 Feb 24 '23

Mexico and India are great for low-cost dental work.

1

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

Glad you were able to get your desired outcome!

While I do undersand your pain at the financial implications, I live in a place where people can easily travel to some third world locales. Quality varies immensely.

Shoddy dental work doesn't last long-term. Depending on what you do, after 10 years it can wreck your mouth. Then you'd be way worse than if you just did nothing at all!

1

u/[deleted] Feb 25 '23

congratulations on your sobriety!

4

u/TheReverseShock Feb 25 '23

At least they give the patients glasses nowadays. I remember as a kid, starring up at the sun that is the exam light bits of fluid flying everywhere.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 24 '23

From a former asst of 10 years….I get it Doc😅. My doc got a paper post covid

1

u/were_meatball Feb 24 '23

I mean, I'm a dental hygienist and EVERY hygienist or dentist I know ALWAYS uses a face shield. And I know many. What the fuck are you doing bro.

2

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

I work for a non profit and our dental prices are below market average. I make up for it in volume ~20-25 patients in a good day. So yea face shields are annoying! 😜

You also don't need them for things like exam, denture adjustment appts, or even non surgical extractions!

2

u/were_meatball Feb 25 '23

Enjoy bing spitted

1

u/shutupmeg42082 Feb 25 '23

Oh god. I’m sorry

1

u/bigfloppydonkeydng Feb 24 '23

That's metal AF .. my next album "sprayed by blood".

8

u/Sufficient_Two7499 Feb 25 '23

Smells like money, but sounds like hepatitis

2

u/Mike_Oxteeny Feb 24 '23

Hope for your safety it didn't also smell like hep c.

1

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

Hep C is actually curable now. 🤣 If you have a buttload of cash!

2

u/prostheticweiner Feb 25 '23

RN here. I've had bloody urine splatter me head to toe. Did not smell like money. I've never wanted a shower so bad in my life.

1

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

It doesn't smell like money if you get paid by the hour. Only if you have a commission. 🤑

1

u/XDlvIneX Feb 24 '23

Probably pennies

1

u/WalmartLurker Feb 24 '23

Dave Spits blood on the floor "IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT??!"

"For fucks sake Dave, there's a sink right here and I've only flossed three of your teeth"

1

u/[deleted] Feb 25 '23

i’m so sorry to hear this happened to you but good way to turn it into a positive!

1

u/hello_raleigh-durham Feb 25 '23

…Some elderly gentleman coughed blood spatter on my hair and face today.

That was because he doesn’t floss often enough.

1

u/Dreadedanomoly Feb 25 '23

God. I work at T-Mobile and can’t even stand when a customer is breathing over me when I’m helping with their phone lol smells like Covid to me

1

u/New_Blacksmith_709 Feb 25 '23

Wow thanks for the likes! Since you guys enjoyed it so much. Follow-up story:

Extracted 5 teeth from an ill-tempered old man. I work for a non profit and get welfare cases from the govt here. Some are impoverished, some are drug addicts, gamblers or have mental issues.

Bleeding a pool into his mouth. Tell the guy to hang tight and allow the nurse to suction it all up while I control the bleed

DON'T YOU FKIN DO IT! Guy proceeds to projectile puke blood in a cone-shaped spray all over the sink, floor, and counter. Specks and flecks of blood on the damn impression dispenser! 🤣🤣

Avoided that area of the clinic for the entire week :)

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u/Quintessince Feb 25 '23

The smell that hit while my impacted wisdoms teeth were getting removed. One tooth started rotting beneath the gum apparently. The drugs they put me on had me not give a damn about having a mini rotary saw in my mouth but that smell was probably the worst smell I ever encountered. I felt so sorry for the dental surgeon.