Home Doctor: Practical Medicine for Every Household
Step 1 Prepare everything you need. In this case you need gauze, a number 11 blade scalpel, iodopovidone mixed with equal parts of water or hydrogen peroxide, and lidocaine spray or cream. Step 2 With good lighting, locate the area of the abscess where it has increased in volume and the consistency is softer. Some whitish content may be seen. At that point only, apply some Lidocaine spray. The patient may not be fully anesthetized; remember that the area is very swollen and the anesthesia will not work properly. Step 3 After one minute of anesthesia, rinse the mouth with hydrogen peroxide or the iodopovidone-water mixture and then make the incision with the scalpel. Blade 11 is sharp, so you should not make a large incision; just tap the tip to the surface of the gum. THIS PROCEDURE IS PAINFUL. Step 4 When the contents, whether pus or liquid, begin to come out, wipe with a gauze pad and press a little to drain completely. Tooth pain relief is immediate. Step 5 Rinse the mouth with regular mouthwash and hydrogen peroxide twice a day for two days. Visit the dentist as soon as possible. Remember that this procedure is explained as general information because it is useful, but it is an extreme treatment to an unconventional situation. It is not a technique that should be performed at home, unless the situation you are in is of such a magnitude that it makes a visit to the dentist impossible. The ideal is always to start the antibiotic and have the specialist evaluate that tooth as soon as possible, even if you perform this drainage.
3. Vomiting and Diarrhea (Stomach Flu) The combination of diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever is known as viral gastroenteritis, or stomach flu. It is important to know that when we talk about diarrhea, we refer to three or more loose or watery stools a day. Since the etiology is viral, you don’t need to take any antibiotics, but rehydration is the most important aspect of the management of any patient with stomach flu. Prevention of infectious diarrhea includes proper handwashing to prevent the spread of infection and boiling or disinfecting drinking water with purification tablets. When water is stored for a long time, even if it is potable water, it’s important to make sure it’s clean if it’s going to be used for drinking or cooking. 132
