dentistintownFAQs

Having a brace

2009-11-27T09:15:00.000Z

Q:

Now, I know its not right to rely on the internet for my teeth issues but my dentist isnt explaining things clearly enough to me as he doesnt know how to speak english. So he talks to my parents most the time.

-I currently have an expander (which i use to tighten 2 times a week) (I do not tighten it anymore)
-I have top braces only.
- I've tightened my braces three times already at the dentist.
-I've had braces for 3 months now.
-My dentist told me i needed dental HEADGEAR and BOTTOM BRACES aswell.
(I'm getting my bottom braces next month)

-Is my underbite severe?

-How long would i have to wear my headgear for?
-Why are my teeth tilting sideways?!

A:

Your concerns are all perfectly reasonable and you ask very sensible questions - questions that you need answers for. Unfortunately, it isn't possible for anyone to tell you anything useful without a lot more information. It's important to realize that any suggestions made without being in full possession of the facts will almost certainly be wrong.

You need to feel comfortable with the person who is carrying out your treatment. Have you discussed your worries with your parents? They might arrange for you to see someone else, if only for a second opinion. If the orthodontist talks to them, could they ask the questions on your behalf? I know this isn't a great answer but I can't think of anything else that's likely to help.

One thing to keep in mind - it will all be worth it in the end.

Help with bruised and swollen gums?

2009-11-27T09:09:00.000Z

Q:

So I've been wearing my retainers and when I woke up yesterday morning, the soft palate on my left side was extremely swollen. I looked in the mirror and it was bruised as well. It hurts so much that I can't sleep(it's 3:30 am here right now) I took off my retainers and I was wondering if my teeth will move?

What can I do about my bruised and swollen gums? I can't eat and I have difficulty opening my mouth!

Please help. Thank you

A:

It sounds as if you just need to get the retainer adjusted a little. These things are made on plaster models which are an exact reproduction of the mouth in terms of shape and size but they don't have the squashy bits your mouth has. This makes it impossible for the technician to be absolutely certain exactly how much certain bits of the retainer will bed in to your gums, roof of your mouth etc.

So all you need to do is go back to your orthodontist and get him or her to adjust the retainer - and usually only a surprisingly small amount of adjustment is required - and everything should be fine.

But don't just leave the retainer out because your teeth will move.

Hope this helps.

Why do you need an injection in the roof of your mouth?

2009-11-22T18:29:00.001Z

Q:

I went to the dentist to have the back tooth on the top left removed and I was fine till she tried to inject the roof of my mouth. I have never heard of this before and it terrified me - even more as I have a phobia with needles. I stopped her and left. I am due back on the 16th but am really scared. Why do you need that injection? Can't she just do it without that one?

A:

There's no need to numb the roof of your mouth for a filling but it does have to be done for an extraction. The normal injection numbs the tooth and the gum on the cheek side but it doesn't get the gum on the other side - and, trust me, you want that gum to be numb. If you really can't face that, there is an alternative. Ask your dentist if an intra-ligamental injection would be appropriate for the tooth you're having out. This involves inserting an ultra-fine needle at the side of the root and is generally far less uncomfortable - although it does have to be done slowly, so it takes longer to complete.

Teeth Too Big

2009-10-21T16:38:00.003+01:00

My two front teeth are too big - about 1 cm high and 0.7 cm wide. What can I do about this?

At some time we all get convinced that some part of us is abnormal. Upper front teeth that are 1.0 cm high and 7mm wide are not big. You don't say how old you are. This makes a big difference because the front teeth come through before most of the other permanent teeth and if you still have some of your baby teeth of course they will look big compared to them. Wait until all your second teeth are through and see how you feel then.

If you are an adult, it's normal for the two front teeth to be slightly longer than the teeth either side of them. I do a lot of cosmetic work and, trust me, the 'Hollywood Smile' is NOT straight across with flat tips to the teeth.

But if you still feel your teeth are too large, you need to see a dentist and find out what your options are. That has to be better than worrying needlessly about something that a) might not need any treatment at all or b) could be an easy fix.

I hope this helps. We all waste far too much of our lives fretting unnecessarily about things we think are wrong with us.

2009-10-21T16:35:00.000+01:00

What is a fast easy way to cure painful ulcers within the mouth?

A:

You can't cure them. As with the common cold, the only cure for mouth ulcers is time. You can, however, make them more comfortable while you have them. Any surface anaesthetic/antiseptic gel, paste or spray will help. I find Difflam very effective.

How Often to Brush

2009-09-23T09:03:00.000+01:00

How many times a day is it ok to brush your teeth? is 3 or 4 to much?

I heard to much brushing can be bad.

A:

It's not how often you brush that matters - it's HOW you brush. If you use proper technique, you don't need to brush more than twice a day and clean interdentally once. But, if your technique is good, you can brush pretty much as often as you want without doing any harm.

How do you ensure your technique is right? Book a session with a hygienist and get her to go through it with you. It's important to do this at least once - after all, you wouldn't fly in a plane if the pilot had only read about how the controls work - or asked advice on a forum :-)

Teeth Whitening Kits

2009-09-20T14:52:00.001+01:00

Q:

Hi, I was wondering what is the best teeth whitening kit, preferably available in stores rather than online? (UK)

A:

Please be aware that any tooth whitening kit you can buy over the counter will have its limitations. For instance, the trays are not tailor made for you, so they may irritate your gums or allow the gel to irritate your gums. They may not apply the gel evenly to your teeth, giving patchy results.

As for the gel itself - over-the-counter preparations are much weaker than those you can get from a dentist. Therefore, they are less effective and take longer to work. So, although a kit from Boots will be cheaper than a professional one, the difference in price soon evaporates if you need to buy 2 or 3 kits to get the same result.

Source(s):

Check out this article:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Tooth-Whitening-Mistakes

Dentistry and Medication

2009-09-14T20:35:00.001+01:00

Q:

Why does the dentist want to know what medication you're on? It doesn't affect a check-up does it? Someone says it's because you need anibiotics if you've had surgery on your joints.

A:

It's not just about replacement joints and antibiotics - in fact, current thinking is that you don't need antibiotics just because you've had a joint replaced.

Basically, there are 4 ways that your general health and dentistry can have a bad affect on each other:

1. Any drugs that are in your system will meet up with any that the dentist prescribes or injects (like local anaesthetics). And, just like people, these drugs might not get on - or they might get on too well, making one of them too active.
2. A condition in your mouth can be caused or changed by something going on elsewhere in your body. If your dentist doesn't know about this, you could get misdiagnosed.
3. A condition elsewhere in your body can be caused or altered by what's going on in your mouth.
4. Your general health or medication can dictate the way dentistry has to be performed on you in order to be safe and effective.

There are other factors, but that's enough to give you the picture.

Your dentist isn't being nosey; he or she needs to know, so tell them everything. They have the knowledge to decide what is and isn't relevant. If you try to do that for yourself, you might as well just close your eyes and walk out across a main road.

Pain After Having Wisdom Teeth Extracted

2009-09-14T10:22:00.002+01:00

Q:

I had all 4 of my impacted wisdom teeth removed on 9/3, so it's been 10 days. For the most part I feel better, but when I eat food always gets lodged in the holes. I use the syringe my oral surgeon gave me to get the food out and it works. But after eating and rinsing my lower teeth, especially one of them gets so irritated. It throbs and hurts like a bugger. I then take ibuprofen and it pretty much goes away until I eat again and the cycle begins again. Is this normal or could it be a sign of dry socket? It seems like the rinsing is really what is causing this.

A:

Sounds like you might have some exposed bone in the socket. When you have a tooth removed, the socket fills up with blood, then the blood clots, and then it starts to change into new gum which will permanently cover the area. However, if you lose some of the clot after bleeding has stopped but before new tissue has formed, you end up with and area of uncovered bone. This is why your surgeon will have told you NOT to rinse for the first 24 hours - to avoid disturbing the blood clot (after 24 hours, you must keep it rinsed out for a few days).

Exposed bone is painful and prone to infection. See your dentist. If you have exposed bone (which is what we mean by 'dry socket') the dentist will clean out the socket and establish a new blood clot so that healing can resume normally. If there is infection present, you may be prescribed an antibiotic.

Hope this helps.

2009-09-07T21:33:00.001+01:00

Q:

Why do my teeth hurt when I run?

A;

Maybe you're clenching your teeth together without realizing it as the strain builds.

OR

Do you have sinus trouble? If your sinuses aren't draining properly into your nose, you can get fluid sloshing around in there, irritating the nerves to your upper teeth. A sure-fire test is: if your teeth hurt when you run down stairs or nod your head forward suddenly - you have sinusitis.

Nasal inhalers or decongestants usually help. If not, you need to go to your dentist or your GP.

Ear ache from wisdom tooth?

2009-09-03T10:03:00.002+01:00

Q:

One of my wisdom teeth are coming through and im getting ear ache and i think its becasue of my widom tooth. It doesnt hurt all the time but i have had to tak pain killers for it. Do u think i sud see a dentist or will it be ok? Thanx

A:

There are a lot of things your dentist can do to ease discomfort from a wisdom tooth without taking it out. Make an appointment and in the meantime keep the area rinsed out as often as you can with hot salt water. Have the water as hot as you can without scalding yourself and add 2 tea spoon of salt. Aim to do this at least 4 times a day and it will work better than a mouthwash you might spend a lot of money on.

Pain killers will also help, especially anti-inflammatory ones such as Ibuprofen, provided you don't have a medical reason why you shouldn't take them..

I'm 15 and have tongue tie?

2009-09-03T09:45:00.000+01:00

Q:

I'm 15 and I have tongue tie where the bottom string uder ur tongue is short. I'm going to the orthodontist soon to get this fixed. And I whiste my 'S' sounds and get tongue tied a lot. When I get my tongue thing fixed will this problem be corrected?

A:

Well, yes your tongue will be able to move more freely afterwards but that might not be the sole cause of your problem. Crooked or misplaced teeth can cause whistly 'S' sounds. The orthodontist will be able to tell you if that's a factor for you. What do you mean when you say you often get tongue-tied? Is it that you're sometimes lost for a reply? If so, that's more of a confidence problem than a physical one. But then, you're bound to be more confident once the tongue tie has been fixed - so things will get much better.

Help with sore mouth?

2009-08-26T16:46:00.000+01:00

Q:

Hi, about 2 weeks ago I noticed I had split the side of my mouth and it was really sore red and had a white lump inside the split... was strange as I haven't noticed any damage to my mouth the previous night... I've tried lots of diff remedies and its still sore and cracks when I open my mouth or eat anything.. I've just come back from the doctor and hes given me an antibiotic cream called fucidin... I've already tried this as I had some from impetigo a few months ago so have no hope in it to be honest... it looks awful and I'm desperate to get rid of it.. any advice? I'm taking multivitamins, drink only water and dont smoke or drink any alcohol, dont eat spicy foods.. what could be the cause? to be honest it looks like a mouth ulcer...any help wil be much appreciated.

A:

Hard to say what this is without seeing it but it sounds as if it could be a fungal infection. If it is, then an antibiotic like fucidin won't help. You should go to your dentist. If it is a fungal infection, they will prescribe an anti-fungal agent and it should clear up in a week or two.

Does Root Canal Hurt?

2009-08-26T16:32:00.002+01:00

There's no reason why it should hurt - provided any acute infection has been cleared up first. Acutely infected teeth sometimes don't numb up very well so I often prescribe a course of antibiotics first. After that, there shouldn't be a problem.

Why Does the Dentist Want to Know What Medicines I'm Taking?

2009-08-25T13:47:00.003+01:00

Problems in your mouth can have a profound effect on your general health and trouble elsewhere in your body can show up in your mouth. This is one reason why we want to know about any medication you might be taking (another reason is because, on the whole, we would prefer not to kill you by prescribing or injecting something that reacts with something else we don’t know about – although we probably will want to kill you afterwards if you don’t mention something that turns out to be relevant).

So be sure to tell your dentist if, since your last dental visit, there has been a change in your general health or in any medications you are taking. If you’re not sure when the change took place or whether you’ve already told your dentist – mention it anyway. This is one area where you really can’t be too safe. And don’t make the surprisingly common mistake of thinking that various medications won’t meet up because they’ve been prescribed for different parts of your body. They will. Once a drug gets in there, it cruises around your blood stream looking for trouble. If we know what you’re taking, we can avoid problems.

Two drugs can react in one of three ways:

• One or both of them can reduce the effect of the other so it doesn’t work properly, or at all.

• One or both of them can increase the effect of the other so it works too well – e.g. in lowering your blood pressure to a dangerous level.

• They can do something completely different to what either would have done on its own – and that’s unlikely to be a good thing. In a movie, you might get super powers. In real life, you’re more likely to get ill – or dead.

Please don’t assume you know best about your own health because, even if you do – even if you’re the world’s foremost authority on pharmacology and therapeutics – your dentist still has a legal obligation to document everything you’re taking.

Do I Have A Cavity?

2009-08-24T12:01:00.002+01:00

Q:

One of my front tooth hurts sometimes. When I put pressure on it feels like stabbing kinda. My gums in between also hurt. Been going on for a month but I'm going to the dentist next week. What else could it be? I'm 19 so my teeth are all adult.

A:

I'm not sure why you're asking this question, as you say you're going to the dentist - Is it because you're looking for an answer that lets you out of going? If so, please think again. There are many reasons why your tooth might be hurting - decay, gum disease, trauma (a knock), unbalanced bite. It's a straight choice: you either get it fixed or it gets worse and you probably end up losing your tooth. Sorry if that's a bit blunt but, at 19 years old, tooth loss isn't a great option.

Why Do My Gums Show So Much?

2009-08-24T11:52:00.001+01:00

Q:

My gums show a lot when I laugh. First my dentist tells me that I breathe through my mouth too much and there is no way to fix it. Another time they told me I had bad oral hygiene. I heard of a surgery called gingivectomy on the Internet and was wondering what it is exactly. Also how painful is it because I’m usually really nervous at the dentist’s office. Last apparently it’s done with a laser or a scalpel. Laser one seems less painful/more efficient. Would that one cost more or does it depend on the dentist’s equipment.

A:

There are many possible reasons why your gums might show more than you would like and it's impossible to know which one you have without seeing you. You need to discuss this with your dentist - and if you're not happy with the one you've got, find another one. Ask around for personal recommendation.

You need to ask yourself the following questions:

* Have your gums always been like this or is it a recent development?

* Are they firm, pink and stippled or red, shiny and swollen? Do they bleed? In other words, do you gums show because they're enlarged, or is it because of your face shape? If the middle third of your face is small and you have a high lip line (which often goes with mouth breathing) then even perfectly normal, healthy gums will show more.

* Are you taking any medication? For example, some medicines for epilepsy can cause enlarged gums - but if you are on these, DON'T stop taking your meds. Ask your doctor to change you onto a different one.

If your gums are inflamed, it will almost certainly be associated with accumulation of plaque and tartar – mainly beneath the gum where you can’t get at it. This is a job for the hygienist and it will respond to scrupulous oral hygiene measures.

If the gum is still enlarged and overlapping the enamel after the inflammation has been cured, then gingivectomy (cutting the gum back) may be the answer – but it is very, very rarely necessary (I’ve only done 2 in the last 15 years and they were both for patients on long-term epilepsy medication) If you do need a gingivectomy, it will not hurt at all, because your gums will be numbed, first with paste and then an injection. It will be a little sore afterwards, though. As for whether a laser or scalpel would be used, that depends on so many variables that there’s no point speculating without seeing you.

If your gums show because that’s just the way your face is, you can change it but it’s a much bigger job. If you have the gum cut back you will be left with teeth that look very long and which are sensitive to hot and cold – because the root has been uncovered. Then you’ll need veneers to correct that. It’s do-able but you need to know what you’re getting into in terms of time, commitment, possible complications and expense.

Please don’t agonize over this alone. Go see someone who will be able to discuss what’s appropriate and best for you. If you live near Birmingham in the UK, I would be happy to take a look. Otherwise, ask around and get informed advice.

Good luck.

My Breath Stinks and I Like This Girl...

2009-08-24T10:54:00.001+01:00

Q:

I been talking to this girl, seems its going good but my breath stinks. I brush a lot but still no luck. Floss, mouthwash etc. I do that test, the one where you lick the top part of your hand.I smell it and it smells. I don't wanna kiss this girl and have her running soon after. What do I do? I tired forums but I don't know if I should believe what they tell me. The only thing that seems to work is sucking tic tacs 24/7.

A:

Please don't go the 24 hour mint route because that will rot your teeth - a big cause of bad breath.

The first thing you have to do is find out WHY you have bad breath because, until you do, you can't know how to fix it - no matter what simplistic solutions people might throw at you. Go see your dentist and follow his/her advice rigorously. I know you want a quick fix (who doesn't?) but, with this, quick fixes will just mask the problem, allowing it to get worse and may actually do you harm - as with the 'mint' solution.

You say you brush and floss - but do you know how good a job you're doing? Cleaning your teeth is a lot like washing dried egg off a plate - and one thorough job is worth a hundred rinses that leave a bit of egg behind.

See your dentist and in the meantime, check out this article:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Bad-Breath---Dont-Have-It

Hope this helps.