Ask the Encinitas Dentist: What To Do If You Sustain Dental Trauma

This article explores all the various measures one should take in the event of a dental emergency involving chipped, broken, cracked or displaced teeth as well as bleeding from the soft tissue.

The Encinitas Dentist: About Accidental Trauma

There are two things that are a sure bet when it comes to accidents and the Encinitas dentist knows that with accidents: (1) they are never planned and (2) they can cause some pretty nasty damage to your teeth and gums and even the underlying jaw bone. You may have witnessed an accident that involved someone receiving a hockey puck in the mouth, or some kid’s unfortunate dad getting hit in the mouth with the play swing. You yourself may even have a few gruesome stories of your own to tell, which could involve something as serious as a car accident or something as silly as slipping on a banana peel and careening face-first into a Stop sign. Regardless of the cause and the severity of the damage, accidental trauma received to the face and mouth is never pleasant, always painful and deserves the immediate attention of the Encinitas dentist. In order to leave you better informed about handling certain dental emergencies, here is a list of the various things the Encinitas dentist has seen and what you – as the victim, or the victim’s friend/family member/acquaintance - should do about it.

The Things the Encinitas Dentist has Seen

A Chipped Tooth ~ Teeth can quite easily become chipped, especially if you are an adrenalin junkie with a penchant for gobstoppers. If the chip is small and doesn’t hurt, it’s up to you to decide whether you want a cosmetic restoration (porcelain veneer, ceramic crown, etc.) placed by the Encinitas dentist.

A Broken or Cracked Tooth ~ The Encinitas dentist will want to repair a broken or cracked tooth not only because of the pain the exposed nerves in the root and pulp can cause, but because of the risk of infection caused by food and bacteria getting into the vital regions of the tooth. The Encinitas dentist may opt to place a ceramic crown, perform root canal therapy or even extract the tooth if it is damaged beyond repair.

Bleeding ~ Bleeding frequently accompanies any kind of dental trauma, even if you haven’t managed to crack or chip any of your pearly whites. Before you visit the Encinitas dentist, you should rinse your mouth out with warm, salty water to help clean the torn tissue and then apply an ice pack to the region of the cheek directly outside the wound. This will help to slow the bleeding and reduce swelling. If the bleeding does not stop, then go straight to your Encinitas dentist; you may require sutures.

Knocked-out Tooth ~ If a tooth has become completely displaced, then you mustn’t wait even a day to see the Encinitas dentist. Your exposed tooth socket will be very vulnerable to infection and because of the loss of support; the adjacent teeth will become unstable and start to shift. You will probably require a dental implant.

The Encinitas Dentist: Your Golden Rule

As it was previously stated, no matter what the cause of the damage and the severity of it, the golden rule to apply to any dental emergency is to immediately seek the attention of the Encinitas dentist. Only this healthcare professional will be able to properly assess the extent of the damage done and whether any measures need to be taken to prevent more serious problems, such as infection and decay, from developing.

The Dental Emergency in Encinitas: Dealing with Tooth Pain and Sensitivity

This article explains how tooth pain and sensitivity is usually indicative of underlying causes that could potentially become aggravated if left untreated. It is for this reason that any kind of tooth pain is regarded as a dental emergency.

The Dental Emergency in Encinitas: Introduction

If you, a friend or a family member were to have a dental emergency in Encinitas, would you know what to do? Would you know who to call? Growing up in school, we are taught the bare essentials of what do in medical emergencies. Most of us could probably administer the Heimlich maneuver or CPR (although the skill to which we deliver these potentially life-saving endeavors will hopefully remain untested), but if asked what to do in the case of a dental emergency in Encinitas, the response you’re most likely to give is a head scratch and a raised eyebrow! “What is that exactly?” Well, we can assure you that it has nothing to do with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. A dental emergency in Encinitas actually has a pretty broad definition and it encompasses anything related to pain generating from your the teeth and gums.

Dental Emergency in Encinitas: Never Ignore Pain

The definition of a dental emergency in Encinitas may sound somewhat reminiscent of that story about the boy who cried wolf… after all; a pain in your tooth can subside quickly and quite easily be forgotten. No need to call it an ‘emergency’. Sensitivity can be endured for months before your inability to enjoy ice-cream compels you to go to the dentist. There are even people who crack, chip and damage their teeth and gums in an accident and instead of receiving professional care, allow their mouths to heal on their own. In reality, a dental emergency in Encinitas encompasses all these scenarios and types of pain. And for each one of them and more, you absolutely need to seek the attention of a dental healthcare professional. Pain and sensitivity emanates from your teeth for a reason and it should never be ignored. It could be indicative of a fracture in your tooth, which has left the sensitive nerves housed within the pulp exposed. This would explain any pain you experience while chewing, or sensitivity to extreme temperatures. A dull throbbing or aching can also indicate that a filling has fallen out or that the nerves and blood vessels in your tooth have sustained damage and/or are infected.

When it comes to dental pain, there is usually an underlying cause that, if left untreated, can result in far more dire consequences for your oral health. It is for this reason that any kind of pain or sensitivity in a tooth or teeth is regarded as a dental emergency in Encinitas.

What You Need to Do in a Dental Emergency in Encinitas

If you have noticed a persistent pain in one or more of your teeth, then you should phone the dentist to set up an appointment immediately. Tell him that it is a dental emergency in Encinitas and that you need prompt attention. No matter how insignificant the pain or small the injury, anything of this nature can compromise the health of the living tissue inside your teeth. Should infection and decay set in, you are looking at a treatment plan that is not only far more invasive and expensive, but also cannot guarantee that the tooth will be saved. Tooth pain is a dental emergency in Encinitas, so don’t hesitate to contact your dentist straight away.

Ask the Encinitas Cosmetic Dentist: About Tooth Whitening, PART 2

This article, part 2 of 2, explores some of the common issues and questions pertaining to having your teeth lightened through tooth bleaching therapy.

Ask the Encinitas Cosmetic Dentist: Introduction

In our previous blog post, we addressed some of the questions frequently asked by patients interested in receiving a dental teeth whitening treatment from the Encinitas cosmetic dentist. Issues such as professional whitening versus home bleaching kits were tackled in order to provide you, the readers, with a better perspective on what is best for your oral health and aesthetics. In the second installment, the Encinitas cosmetic dentist will provide some more answers to frequently asked questions concerning dental whitening.

Question 4 ~ Is tooth whitening safe, or will it damage my teeth in the long run?

Many years’ worth of research and clinical testing has been dedicated to both the long and short term impacts of tooth whitening upon the health of the teeth and gums. But, according to the Encinitas cosmetic dentist, this research has shown it to be completely safe and to have no negative effects on your oral health. If you are really concerned about the safety of tooth whitening then it is always advisable that you:

• Receive your whitening treatment directly from the Encinitas cosmetic dentist or a related qualified healthcare professional,

• Consult with the Encinitas cosmetic dentist before embarking upon a home bleaching treatment. He will want to perform a thorough clinical exam (to make sure it is cavity-free) as well as perform a professional cleaning of your mouth. This will optimize the results of the whitening treatment and minimize the risks of pain and sensitivity from developing in response to the chemical bleaching agents.

• In conjunction with the advice you get from the Encinitas cosmetic dentist, follow the directions on your home bleaching kit very closely and stop immediately should any pain or acute sensitivity develop.

Question 5 ~ What should I do if my teeth and gums become sensitive in response to the bleaching treatment?

Nowadays, the Encinitas cosmetic dentist uses bleaching gels that are well-buffered, rendering sensitivity far less of a problem to the patients receiving a dental whitening treatment. If there is any sensitivity, then it is usually in response to extreme temperatures (such as hot coffee and cold ice-cream) and is generally expected to disappear after 48 hours. If you are using a home whitening kit and sensitivity ensues, then the Encinitas cosmetic dentist recommends that you try wearing the mouthguard with the bleaching gel for shorter periods of time and use toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. You might also want to compliment your whitening treatment with a fluoride product that will help re-mineralize your teeth. This you can brush onto your teeth or wear in your mouth tray four minutes before and after your whitening treatment.

Question 6 ~ Is tooth whitening ever a bad idea for certain people?

The Encinitas cosmetic dentist will advise against tooth whitening in the event that you present with an oral bacterial infection, gum disease, cavities or aggressive teeth wear as a result of Bruxism (teeth-grinding). Pregnant and breast-feeding women are also advised by the Encinitas cosmetic dentist to avoid tooth whitening, as well as people with bleach-resistant ceramic restorations (crowns, veneers, etc.)