Today, I have a toothache. Or maybe an earache. Maybe it’s my sinuses. At any rate—IT HURTS! Fortunately, warm compresses help a bit; so do cool ones. And Advil, of course.

I do have a bad tooth, but I’m a dental coward and so kind of tend to, um, ignore it. I also have a tendency toward earaches and have stupid sinuses.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

You’d think the damn nerve would have died by now, but no. Days like this make me want to find the nearest dentist and throw myself in the chair and tell him to have at it—but I doubt I will. Again, I’m a chicken.

I can’t help wondering, though, what if SHTF was here and there were no dentists to be found?

This is why I stock up on Advil and research home remedies and am mostly willing to try something at least twice—twice, because I may have done it wrong or missed something the first time—as long as the cure isn’t worse than the cause.

By the way: Advil generally expires within two years. Like most OTC drugs, however, an expiration has more to do with effectiveness than safety. Don’t quote me on that; check your drug choice on your own. I’ve also been told that one can safely take double to recommended dosage, but again—check for yourself. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Only in my own home.

Back to SHTF:

Most people, although not generally those of us who prep, call the doc or the dentist at the first sign of pain or injury. What if you couldn’t? What if you didn’t personally know a doc or dentist who may have survived or is surviving? What if you couldn’t reach him?

(Whew! The Advil just kicked in!)

Now, most people with a brain (loaded statement) know to clean a wound and bandage it, and watch for signs of infection. Most people will take some sort of pain meds when something hurts. These are things you should be ready for, all the time—and most people have the supplies around their homes.

But do you have extras? Do you have a kit or a box—not really a prepackaged kind, because it seems like those have some weird things that no one ever uses and they’re woefully short on the necessities. Be sure to supplement your kit, just like with food, with the stuff YOU use and like and may need.

And, as an aside, this is why I frequently mention “getting healthy.” All those blood pressure meds that it seems everyone takes now and diabetic supplies, and heartburn meds—those are going to be in short supply. Check the dates, and keep a supply at hand, and maybe start looking for natural drugs.

Just over a year ago, I weaned myself off blood pressure meds. My pressures never went up, initially—in fact, they dropped a bit. Weight loss, quitting smoking, and exercise help with this too, for most people. To be honest, I haven’t checked mine in a while and I’m sure it’s gone up in light of recent events. I’ve had a few issues, two in the last month or so, with ocular migraines. Weird stuff, you bet, but no pain. So I started with daily the baby aspirin. Cheap, and effective. Stock up on that, too, especially if you are “of a certain age.”

Now, we’ve all seen TV shows and movies where characters clean deep wounds, perform surgeries, stitch up their own injuries, and pull teeth right? Could you do those things? Of course, you have to have the tools, and you have to have the knowledge, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend the DIY route if you have access to a doctor, but still . . . something to think about . . .