by Nate on February 18, 2011
Here is a short list of dental-health tips that most patients have either forgotten or never knew:
- Don’t eat ice cubes. It is the season for this refreshing pastime, but it can result in fractured teeth. Many older fillings are made of silver, which doesn’t bond to teeth like the white amalgams and can cause tiny cracks because of the stress of chewing hard items like cubes, candy or unpopped popcorn kernels. The older we get, the more brittle our teeth become.
- To clean the sulcus (the space between the gumline and the point where gum attaches to the tooth), turn your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and get the bristles in there.
- A normal depth for the sulcus is 2-3 millimeters, but if it reaches 7-8 it’s time to start worrying.
- To clean in a particularly deep pocket, try tying a single or double knot in your floss to catch any food particles.
- When flossing the back teeth, curve the thread around the tooth and push it underneath the gumline.
- When the outer bristles of your brush start to flare, it’s time to change it.
- If you eat a sweet snack and can’t get to your toothbrush for a while, rinse with water to delay the sugar’s activity.
- Stop smoking. Smoking is so destructive to teeth and gums that many periodontists won’t even treat these patients because the prognosis for recovery is so poor.
Root canals are a scary prospect for most people. Even without knowing exactly what occurs during a root canal, most people have the connotation of a very painful dental procedure. But perhaps knowing is half the battle. For many people, understanding the step-by-step procedure might help them relax and realize that root canals are not as scary when they know what to expect.
The first thing you should know about your root canal is that you will be numb. The Bloomfield dentist will administer local anesthesia to ensure you have no feeling around the affected area. If you have never had these shots, they are tiny pinches that are mostly uncomfortable more than painful. If the idea of the numbing shots is enough to get you rattled, the Bloomfield dentist will offer you nitrous oxide to help you relax. It is just as important to him or her that you are at ease.
Once the area is numb, a rubber dental dam will be placed over your mouth to prevent saliva from touching the affected tooth. This is also placed here to protect your mouth from the dental tools that will be used. Once everything is prepared, the Bloomfield dentist will begin by drilling a hole into your tooth (remember, you WILL be numb!). This will give him access to the nerve and a part of the tooth called the pulp chamber. The nerve will be removed, along with any other affected tissue, before the root canal is cleaned, enlarged and shaped in preparation for the temporary filling. The permanent filling will be performed during another appointment. The Bloomfield dentist may apply medication to prevent an infection, and if the tooth is already infected, you may be prescribed antibiotics.
After the filling and possible medication, you’re done! At least for this visit. You will need to return and have the temporary filling removed and switched out for permanent material. The Bloomfield dentist will place a crown over the tooth to restore function and also to give the tooth proper structure and a natural appearance.
Now, that doesn’t sound that bad, does it?
