After a gum or bone graft, protect the area by eating soft, cool foods, avoiding straws and chewing on the opposite side for 1-2 weeks, gently cleaning with prescribed rinses (not brushing the site initially), resting with your head elevated, using cold packs for swelling, and avoiding alcohol/smoking to ensure proper healing and blood clot formation.
About 1 in 4 adults suffer from tooth sensitivity. It’s not a disease, but a condition that usually develops over time, reaching its peak between the ages of 30 and 40.
WHAT CAUSES TOOTH SENSITIVITY
There are a number of causes of tooth sensitivity. Enamel and gums protect your teeth, but sometimes the natural protection can be weakened, causing long-term or temporary sensitivity.
- › Dietary Acids – Acidic foods or drinks like pop, certain alcoholic beverages, citrus fruits and drinks, or pickled products.
- › Tooth Wear – Brushing too hard or grinding your teeth can gradually remove the enamel, especially when it’s soft.
- › Gum Recession – Brushing too hard can affect your gums by pushing them back until they no longer cover the tooth at the natural gum line.
- › Bleaching or whitening – Bleaching or whitening often causes temporary sensitivity. Up to 75% of people who whiten their teeth experience discomfort!
- › Gum Surgery – Having gum surgery may lead you to have temporary sensitivity.
- › Scaling or Polishing – Having scaling or polishing at the dentist can often lead to temporary tooth sensitivity.
HOW TO TREAT AND RELIEVE TOOTH SENSITIVITY
Begin by removing the cause! Try to eliminate or at least reduce the things that led to dentin exposure in the first place.
Contact Croydon Dental to find relief for your tooth sensitivity.
Root canal treatment (endodontics) treats disorders of the nerve (also called pulp) of the tooth. It used to be that a tooth with a diseased or infected nerve had to be removed. In 95 percent of the cases today, however, this is no longer true. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them). We make every effort to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime!
WHY A ROOT CANAL WOULD BE NECESSARY
There are 3 main reasons you might need a root canal:
- › Trauma, like a physical blow to a tooth or a constant striking of a tooth in the opposite jaw that traumatizes the tooth
- › Physical irritation caused by deep decay or a very large filling
- › Severe gum disease
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A ROOT CANAL
We’ll schedule a series of appointments for you if x-rays and a clinical examination confirm you need a root canal treatment. You must keep these appointments to prevent delays in treatment and healing. You must also take all antibiotics and medications prescribed to improve healing and reduce swelling at the site of infection.
The root canal treatment looks like this:
- › First, we’ll relieve any discomfort you might be experiencing and ensure your comfort throughout the treatment. When necessary, we use an anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding area. The tooth may be isolated with a rubber dam, which confines the treatment area and protects the mouth from bacteria and chemical agents. We make an opening through the crown of the tooth into the pulp.
- › We carefully remove the diseased pulp. The root canal area inside your teeth is cleaned, enlarged and shaped. Then, depending on your individual case, the root canal and pulp chamber may be permanently filled and sealed. In some cases, we place a temporary medication in the tooth to control bacterial growth and reduce infection.
- › A temporary filling may be placed in between appointments. We’ll decide what’s right for your case and do whatever is necessary to make sure you’re comfortable.
- › At the next appointment, we disinfect the inside of the tooth to remove the bacteria. Throughout the root canal procedure, we take x-rays to ensure that all of the infected pulp is removed and that the walls inside the canal are smooth.
- › To complete the process, we permanently fill and seal the root canal and pulp chamber.
- › Finally, we fully restore your tooth to chewing function.
WHAT CARE COMES AFTER A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Once the root canal treatment has been completed, you should consider the following:
- › Brittleness – We recommend that your root canal tooth be crowned (capped) following treatment. This is because a non-vital (endodontically treated) tooth is more brittle than a vital one and is more susceptible to fracture.
- › Discoloration – You may be interested in having the tooth whitened after your root canal. Be sure to ask us about tooth whitening if we do not decide to place a crown on the tooth.
Contact us at Croydon Dental if you think you might need a root canal, and find out how we make the treatment as pain-free as possible.
About 15% of people grind their teeth or clench their jaws – a condition called bruxism.
If diagnosed early enough, we can treat bruxism before it causes damage to your teeth.
CAUSES OF TEETH GRINDING
Most often, people grind their teeth because of stress. Alcohol and caffeine intake can aggravate the condition, causing more severe grinding or clenching.
Some people grind their teeth because their top and bottom teeth aren’t aligned properly. Other people may grind their teeth as a response to pain, such as an earache, or the result of a sleep disorder.
EFFECTS OF BRUXISM
In many cases, bruxism doesn’t cause any damage. But if the grinding is severe enough it can
- › wear down tooth enamel
- › chip teeth
- › increase temperature sensitivity
- › erode gums and supporting bones
- › break fillings or other dental work
- › worsen temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
- › result in cosmetic damage
TEETH GRINDING IN CHILDREN
Bruxism is common in children. Three out of ten kids grind or clench their teeth, usually before the age of five. They may grind their teeth in response to jaw growth, losing or getting in new teeth, or the pain and discomfort of other ailments, like allergies or ear infections. As in adults, stress often contributes is usually a passing phenomenon in kids, and most outgrow it by the time they reach adolescence.
Contact us at Croydon Dental if a family member has heard you grind your teeth or if you have a feeling you might be doing so at night.
Tooth decay, which is known as dental caries, is the most widespread dental disease among children. However, we can help prevent or reduce the incidence of decay by applying sealants to your child’s teeth.
WHAT CAUSES DECAY
Decay is caused by dental plaque, a thin, sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyone’s teeth.
When you eat sugar, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. After repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down, and a cavity (hole) is formed.
WHAT IS A SEALANT
A sealant is a clear or shaded plastic material that we apply to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars), where decay occurs most often. This sealant acts as a barrier, protecting the decay-prone areas of the back teeth from plaque and acid.
WHY ARE SEALANTS NECESSARY
Sealants form a thin covering over the pits and fissures on teeth, keeping out plaque and food and reducing the risk of decay.
WHO SHOULD HAVE SEALANTS APPLIED
Children receive the greatest benefit from having sealants applied to their teeth, especially to newly erupted permanent teeth. Sealants are recommended for all children, even those who receive topical applications of fluoridated water.
SEALING TREATMENT AT CROYDON DENTAL
Each tooth takes only a few minutes to seal. Tooth sealing only takes 3 steps:
- › First, we clean the teeth that will be sealed.
- › Second, we etch (roughen) the chewing surfaces with a weak acidic solution to help the sealant stick to the teeth.
- › Last, we brush the sealant on the tooth enamel and allow it to harden. Some sealants need a special curing light to help them harden; others do not.
Several years after the first sealing, you may need to have your or your child’s teeth re-sealed to keep teeth protected from decay.
Contact us at Croydon Dental if your child has a newly erupted tooth, to get their teeth protected with sealants.
It’s important to ask if you need dental x-rays if you’re unsure.
At Croydon Dental, we take x-rays based on clinical need versus a predetermined time interval. The protocol for x-rays has changed in recent years, and we’re current with these recommendations.
The need for radiographs is based on individual need. Dr. Les Ennis considers a number of factors before he prescribes x-rays.
BENEFITS OF X-RAYS
X-rays help with diagnosing, helping your dentist determine the appropriate treatment and likely outcome of the treatment. X-rays can show dentists things like
- › ill-fitting fillings,
- › decay not evident on visual examination,
- › loss of supporting bone structure,
- › tumor masses, and
- › dental abscesses.
RISKS OF X-RAYS
Using effective dose measurements, it’s fair to compare chest x-rays (0.08mSv), to the bitewing series (0.017mSv), to the panoramic (0.007mSv). Or, we can say that a complete mouth series equals about five days of background radiation. A bitewing series equals one day and a panoramic is equal to ten hours of background radiation.
A complete, full mouth series of radiographs results in a mortality risk estimate of 2.8 cases per one million examinations. By comparison, anyone that has smoked more than one cigarette has one in a million chance of dying of heart disease or cancer. We accept similar mortality risks every time we go on a three hundred mile road trip, ride a bicycle ten miles, or visit New York City for a weekend.
Contact us at Croydon Dental if you’d like to discuss if you need an x-ray or to talk more about its benefits and risks.
People who perform oral piercings have no formal education on sterilization or infection control guidelines. For the most part, they’re self-trained, which means there’s a wide range of skills and knowledge about what they’re doing.
So, the risk is totally taken by you, because the person who’s performing the piercing isn’t accountable to anyone.
RISKS OF ORAL PIERCING
- › Blood-borne disease may be transmitted i.e. HIV, hepatitis B and C, herpes simplex virus, tetanus, candida, Epstein-Barr, syphilis, and T.B.
- › Stroke, due to toxic shock
- › Swelling, which could result in blockage of the airway
- › Recurrent infections
- › Aspiration of the jewellery (swallowing or airway obstruction)
- › Pain and bleeding from the procedure with a resulting infection
- › Nerve damage (numbness)
- › Foreign body incorporation into site of piercing
- › Interference with chewing and swallowing
- › Interference with speech
- › Chipping or fracture of teeth due to the wrecking ball action of the barbell
- › Allergic reaction to jewellery or hypersensitivity
- › Increased salivation
- › Tissue trauma to the gums
- › Ludwigs angina (life threatening)
How can I relieve my dry mouth?
- › Carry a small water bottle so you can take frequent sips during the day
- › Moisten your mouth with artificial salivas as needed
- › Apply lip lubricants, as required
- › Avoid alcoholic, carbonated and caffeine-containing drinks
- › If acidic juices irritate your mouth, substitute fruit-flavoured drinks or milk
- › Avoid salty foods since they may increase your thirst
- › Use a humidifier or vaporizer, especially at night
- › Chew sugarless or dry-mouth gum with xylitol “(Trident)” or suck sugarless hard candies
- › Avoid dry foods such as cookies, toast and crackers, or soften them with liquids before eating
- › Puree foods or try soft foods like macaroni and cheese, stews, mashed potatoes, soup, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, canned fruits and vegetables, yogurt and ice cream
- › If it’s too difficult to eat a full meal, try eating smaller, more frequent meals
- › Drink liquids with meals and use gravies, sauces, yogurt and mayonnaise to make food easier to swallow
- › Suck on ice chips (but don’t chew them) or popsicles if their cold temperature doesn’t bother you
- › Maintain stringent oral hygiene. Cleanse teeth and/or dentures frequently. Use fluoridated products as directed. Wash hands before and after oral care
- › Stop smoking
- › Check inside your cheeks, the roof of your mouth, your gums and tongue daily for red, white or dark patches and ulcers. If you find any, contact our office for a check
- › Tablets and capsules are easier to swallow if you drink a little water first, and then swallow the drug, followed by at least half a glass of water. If you still have problems, talk with your pharmacist
- › If you are repeatedly having to have fillings done, a re-mineralization or fluoride trays may be needed
Contact us at Croydon Dental to book an appointment to get relief for your dry mouth.
Notice any contact your teeth make. Also notice if you’re clenching, grinding, gritting, tapping your teeth or tensing your jaw muscles.
Notice when these tooth contacts or when jaw muscle tensing most often occurs, such as during driving, studying, reading, social situations, conversation, fatigue, overwork, stress, emotional upsets, work, sports.
AVOIDING JAW ISSUES
Position your jaw to avoid tooth contacting habits: Place the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth and keep your teeth slightly apart. Keep this position whenever you’re not using your jaw.
Modify your diet: Eat softer foods and avoid eating hard foods. Soft foods place less stress on the jaw muscles and joints than coarser foods. Coarse, hard foods require you to bite into them with the front teeth, such as apples or sandwiches. Cut these foods up into small pieces and eat them on the back teeth. Don’t chew gum or soft chewy foods that require excessive jaw movements.
Avoid opening your jaw wide: Excessively moving your jaw places stress on the joints and muscles.
Don’t test your jaw: When you move your jaw to the point where you feel pain and discomfort, you’ve added to the stress on your muscles and joints and this can cause continuation of the problems you are trying to eliminate.
Keep up good sleep patterns: Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which puts pressure on your jaw. Avoid sleeping with your jaw resting on your hand or arm, which also puts pressure on your jaw.
Support your jaw during yawning: Place your index finger and thumb on our chin to provide some extra stability to the lower jaw when you yawn.
Avoid leaning: Avoid leaning on your chin or jaw at any time – even holding your head to press a telephone against your shoulder.
RELIEVING JAW PAIN OR DISCOMFORT
Your teeth are supposed to make contact during eating and swallowing, but at no other time. When your jaw isn’t working during eating, swallowing, yawning and talking, your teeth should be apart and your jaw should be at rest.
- › Apply moist heat to the area of discomfort twice a day for 10 minutes each time.
- › Keep rested and eat well.
- › Try to avoid additional stressful commitments.
- › Take a mild analgesic like ibuprofen (Advil) if your physician says it’s safe for you to do so.
Contact us at Croydon Dental to book an appointment to get relief for your jaw pain or discomfort.
PRENATAL DENTAL CARE
Mom’s teeth and gums need to be healthy as baby grows to ensure a healthy baby.
Published reports suggest that children acquire the bacteria that cause dental disease from their mothers. This occurs at an early age, around 26 months.
One research team discovered that women with periodontal disease were seven times more likely to deliver low birth weight babies prematurely.
FIRST DENTAL VISIT
Bring your child in for their first dental visit when their first tooth appears. If there’s a concern, bring him or her in earlier than this.
If they go to bed with a bottle we suggest a visit in their first year. Depending on the child, we may be able to clean their teeth as early as age 3.
At their first visit, we’ll check for developmental differences, talk about oral hygiene and other child-related dental issues. It’s a good idea to familiarize your child with a dentist’s office and staff before any hands on treatment.
CARING FOR YOUR CHILD’S SMILE
- › Have your child drink from a cup as soon as possible.
- › Don’t send your child to bed with a bottle. Sending your child to bed with a bottle could cause extensive decay of the top front teeth, requiring repair or removal
- › Start cleaning your child’s teeth as soon as they cut through the gums. Use a soft tooth brush or cloth to remove plaque daily with a pea-sized amount of fluoridated tooth paste.
- › Start flossing your child’s teeth when the teeth’s sides touch each other.
