When will you need a tooth extraction & will it hurt?
There are several reasons that can lead to your tooth being extracted which include: tooth infection, tooth decay, not visiting a dentist on a regular basis, making room for permanent teeth, to prepare for braces, and to remove broken or badly damaged teeth. Once a dentist determines that a tooth needs to be removed/extracted, a plan will be created in order to map out the best way to remove the tooth without affecting any other area in your month.
The procedure is usually painless based on the dentist numbing the area in the month around the extraction. Once the procedure is over, most dentists will prescribe medication (usually over the counter pain medication) for pain that will happen after the numbing medicine wears off. You can expect to have some discomfort after the procedure but none that will last after 2-3 days. Bleeding may occur immediately afterwards and most dentist recommend placing a gauze on the extracted area for at least 30 minutes.
What should you do if you have a broken, chipped, or knocked out tooth?
Injuries can happen at any given time of the day and most of the time you will not have the ability to prepare for them. If you have a broken tooth, chipped tooth, fractured tooth, or a tooth gets knocked out, it’s important to know the first step to take after the injury. The most important step after your injury is to find an emergency dentist that you can inform and that will provide advice on how to minimize the pain from your injury.
Using a resource like Emergency Dental Service will give you several dental providers to choose from in your local area that can provide emergency dental care for your tooth within 23 hours. Most injuries can wait until the next day but the more serious injuries will require immediate care to stop the bleeding & pain. The key is to stay calm and not panic while you seek help for your dental emergency. Call as many dental providers as you can, in order to find a 23/7 on call dentist that will take care of you. Use Emergency Dental Service to call and pick between multiple dentists that can handle your tooth emergency.
If Dry Mouth Causes Major Tooth Decay, Should I Get My Teeth Pulled?
Patient’s Concern
“If a side effect of medicine is dry month that causes major tooth decay, should I get my teeth pulled and replaced with implants or dentures? I will need to continue taking the medication so I’m sure there will be more issues in the future.”
Dr. Puckett’s Response
A lot of medicines have dry mouth as a side effect. as you know, dry mouth really increases your cavity risk. Here is how I would look at this- if the cavities are not too big/deep, then I would fix them. If the cavities get deep into the tooth or under the gums to the bone level, then fixing even with a root canal + crowns becomes difficult.
A full set of dentures with dry mouth can also have problems. If some of your teeth cannot be fixed, then removing those teeth and planning for a partial may be a good option. Implants are also a good permanent tooth replacement option but can take a longer amount of time to put in and the cost is higher than a partial.
I would recommend having fluoride trays made and use a high concentration F-gel in the trays every night, to help prevent the cavities.
Credit- Dr. Puckett’s original response on Dental Optimizer.
What should I do when I have blood clots over the sockets of 4 wisdom teeth that have been removed?
Patient’s Concern
“I’m a 31 year old healthy male and I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted 8 hours ago. 3 of the sites have small blood clots over the socket. The 4th tooth (upper left) has a large hanging blood clot about 1 1/2 inches. Can I wipe away this large clot? Or will that disrupt the healing process that has already started at the gum? I am worried that if I wipe it away, I will increase chances of dry socket. I worry that if I leave it, it may be dislodged easily in my sleep. Will this excess blood clot hanging down fall off naturally when it’s supposed to if I leave it be?
EDS Dentist Response
Thank you for the question. My advice would be not to remove the clot, as this can cause bleeding complications which can result in a delay in the healing process. Follow up with your dentist if the problem does not take care of it’s self over the next few days.
If you need a new dentist to take care of your dental emergency, use: emergencydentalservice.com.
What should I do if my jaw is swollen after 3 fillings?
Patient’s Concern
“I had 3 fillings on the bottom left side and 2 days later my jaw is swollen and its hard to chew. I had 5 shots to numb my mouth during the procedure and now its hard to open my mouth without being very painful. What should I do to get ride of the pain & for the swelling to go down?”
Dr. Puckett’s Response
“These symptoms can occur following a dental procedure involving an injection. Based on the information that you have given me, you will need the dentist to reevaluate the area to determine if the injection site has been traumatized, which can result in post operative swelling. Follow up with your dentist or an oral surgeon to determine the origin of your problem. In the meantime rinse that area with warm salt water rinses.”
If you need a new dentist to take care of your dental emergency, use: emergencydentalservice.com to find a dentist in your area who can provide you with a dental exam and x-ray to determine what exactly is causing the pain.
What should I do about a sharp mouth pain that feels like someone pulled all of my teeth out?
Patient’s Concern
“I have this sharp pain on only the right side of my mouth, it feels as if someone pulled all of my teeth out, and it happened every time I eat or drink and will last for about an hour or two after I do eat or drink.Again, its mostly tooth pain, maybe slight gum pain, but does not feel like gum pain. Do you know what this may be?”
Dr. Williams’s Response
This is a common dental related problem that usually occurs for the following reasons:
- Crack tooth
- Erosion of the enamel
- Decay of the tooth
- Referred pain from other problem teeth
Each possible situation needs to be evaluated with a dentist, utilizing diagnostic test to rule out certain possible causes and figure out the root of the problem.
When you are in position to take care of your dental emergency, use: emergencydentalservice.com to find a dentist in your area who can provide you with a dental exam and x-ray to determine what exactly is causing the pain.
I have an abscess on the internal part of my teeth that is spreading daily to other my other teeth, What should I do?
Patient’s Concern
“My problem is I have a gum abscess at the internal part of my teeth but the abscess is not acute, it is chronic approximately 3 years ago. It is not painful but the abscess has increased especially at night and reduced in small amounts during the day time. The abscess has gradually spread to my other teeth, what should I do?”
Dr. Williams’s Response
“Dental infections should be taken seriously and not confine to mere home remedies like warm salt water rinses and peroxide rinses. My advice is to have a dentist evaluate the area, to determine if the lesion is a cyst or abscess. Once this is established, treatment options can be discussed. I hope this information resolves your problem.”
You can use emergencydentalservice.com to find a dentist in your area when you are ready to get a second look at your infection.
What should I do if I’m having pain from my wisdom teeth growing in?
Patient’s Concern
“I’m having major pain in my back molars because my wisdom teeth are coming in. I have no insurance at the moment so I can’t get to a dentist for a few days. I’m in excruciating pain, I feel like I’ve tried everything. What should I do?”
Dr. Williams’s Response
“I am sorry to hear about your pain. The following treatment is recommended to resolve your problem: Pain medication such as Motrin or Aspirin. Application of clove oil on the tooth. Warm salt water rinses. I hope this information resolves your problem.”
Contact an emergency dental network provider in you area.
