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Archive:
- 2019
- February (5)
- Composite Resin Could Amp up Your Teeth's Attractiveness in Just One Visit
- Test You're Brushing and Flossing Success with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Harms Your Health
- Conscious Sedation Eases Treatment Anxiety for Young Dental Patients
- Legal or Not, Marijuana Poses a Health Risk to Your Gums
- January (7)
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- A New Resolution - Floss!
- How Fillings Make Your Smile Healthy Again
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Child Feel More Comfortable Going to the Dentist
- You may Need Orthodontic Treatment Before Obtaining Implants
- Flossing Daily Around Implants will Help Prevent Losing Your Bridge
- 'Get Rid' of Those Unattractive Teeth with Porcelain Veneers
- 2018
- December (6)
- NSAIDs Could be Just as Effective as Narcotics Managing Dental Pain
- What You Need to Know to Buy the Right Toothbrush
- Overcoming Gum Recession will Restore Dental Health and your Smile
- Protecting Primary Teeth from Decay Helps Ensure Future Dental Health
- Stop Smoking to Reduce Your Risk of Gum Disease
- Sealants Provide a Little Extra Protection for Children at High Risk for Decay
- November (6)
- Avoid Implant Failure by Watching Out for These Mouth Problems
- Don't Let GERD Ruin Your Teeth's Health
- The Connection Between GERD and Oral Health
- 4 Things to Know About Diabetes and Gum Health
- Inflammation: the Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
- Don't Wait - Seek Out Treatment for Gum Recession Now
- October (6)
- Mild Pain Relievers may be all you need for Discomfort after Dental Work
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- Watch for These Developing Bite Problems with Your Child's Teeth
- A Topical Fluoride Treatment Could Protect Your Child from Tooth Decay
- 3 Surprising Sugar Sources Your Baby Might be Consuming
- Sedation Can Help Create a More Positive Dental Experience for a Child
- September (7)
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- A Low Sugar, High Fiber Diet will Help Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy
- Have Your Child's Chronic Mouth Breathing Checked to Avoid Bite Problems
- Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Gets Started with Daily Oral Hygiene
- August (7)
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- Take Years off Your Smile by Treating Age-Related Dental Problems
- Diabetes Doesn't Have to Stop You From Acquiring Dental Implants
- Replacing a Tooth or Saving it - Which Should you do?
- 5 Causes of Bad Breath and What You Can Do About It!
- 3 Reasons You Should Consider Tooth Whitening
- Don't Ignore Tooth Pain - You May Need a Root Canal
- July (7)
- Need an Effective but Affordable Tooth Replacement? Look at a Flexible RPD
- Don't Take a Vacation From Oral Hygiene This Summer!
- Keep Alert for this Extreme Form of Gingivitis
- Signs You May Need a Root Canal
- The Importance of Baby Teeth
- What You Can Do to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- What's So Special About Dental Implants?
- June (6)
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- Pediatric Dentists Specialize in Dental Care for Children and Teens
- 3 Areas to Watch to Avoid Excessive Tooth Wear
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
- RPDs Offer Another Tooth Replacement Option for those on a Tight Budget
- May (7)
- Taking the Right Steps to Prevent Early Tooth Decay in Children
- Mouthguards Reduce Risk of Concussion as well as Dental Injuries
- Your Denture Options
- Bone Loss at the Roots can Put Your Tooth in Danger of Loss
- 3 Possible Timing Scenarios for Getting Your New Implant
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Becomes a Major Health Issue
- 4 Things You Should Focus on During Pregnancy for Optimal Dental Health
- April (6)
- Not Crazy about Flossing? Try a Water Flosser
- Don't Let Sports or Energy Drinks Rob you of Your Teeth's Enamel
- Stay Ahead of Gum Disease Re-Infection with Periodontal Maintenance
- Bad Breath in Children
- Instill Good Dental Habits in Your Child as Early as Possible
- Advances in Porcelain Veneers Improve Both Strength and Appearance
- February (5)
- Children with Chronic Health Conditions may Need Extra Dental Care
- Dentures Require Planning and Attention to Detail to Look Natural
- You may Need Orthodontic Work Before Getting a Dental Implant
- We can Rid You of that Lump in Your Mouth you Keep Biting
- Find out What Kind of Tooth Staining you Have Before Seeking a Solution
- 2017
- November (5)
- Paying Attention to Certain Factors Helps Ensure Successful Implant Outcomes
- Tooth Decay can be Less of a Problem with Minimally Invasive Dentistry
- How Effective is Your Oral Hygiene? Find Out with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
- Support Your Child's Dental Development with Preventive Care
- Treating Gum Disease Important to Saving the Underlying Bone
- July (6)
- The Simple Bitewing X-Ray is a Game Changer for Maintaining Dental Health
- Porcelain Veneers: A Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- 5 Things you can do to Improve Your Child's Future Dental Health
- Loose Adult Teeth Require Immediate Attention and Treatment
- The Benefits Of Dental Crowns
- You Don't have to Suffer from Irritating Canker Sores
- May (5)
- Protect Your Child's Long-Term Dental Health with Regular Office Visits
- Could Dentures Be Right for Me?
- Get a Dental Exam as Soon as Possible if you Suspect Gum Disease
- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- Artificial Sweeteners are By and Large a Safe Alternative to Sugar
- March (6)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
- Why Are Porcelain Veneers Effective?
- Be Sure to have These 3 Essentials Covered Beforehand for Veneer Success
- Conscious Sedation can Help Ease Your Child's Dental Visit Anxiety
- All Gum Disease Treatments Have the Same Goal - Removing Bacterial Plaque
- 2016
- November (6)
- Start Early with Your Baby's Dental Care
- Ensure the Best Outcome with the Right Care for a Teen's Missing Tooth
- Dental Implants can Replace Your Whole Tooth, Not Just What You See
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Teaching Your Child Good Oral Hygiene Habits
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- July (5)
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- 4 Reasons Saving Your Child's Decayed Baby Tooth is a Good Idea
- Antibiotic Resistance Requires Action - and a Change of Attitude
- Thumb Sucking And Your Child's Developing Smile
- Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
- March (6)
- 4 Advantages to Using Composite Resins for Restoring Teeth
- Persistent Jaw Pain After an Injury Needs Immediate Attention
- Watch for these 4 Signs of Gum Disease
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 3 Ways Your Dental Hygienist Improves Your Oral Health
- The Benefits of Dental Implants
- 2015
- December (5)
- Sleep Apnea and Behavioral Problems in Children: How Your Dentist Can Help
- Did You Know? February Is National Children's Dental Health Month!
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Is Dental Treatment Safe During Pregnancy?
- Treating Dry Mouth is Important for Maintaining Good Oral Health
- 2014
- September (6)
- New Partial Dentures More Comfortable and Durable Than Older Models
- New Guidelines Issued for Administering Antibiotics Before a Dental Procedure
- Bone Grafting can put Implants Back on Your Options List
- 5 Oral Health Care Tips To Remember This Summer
- Removing Bacterial Plaque is Critical to Halting Advancing Gum Disease
- Early Detection is Critical to Surviving Oral Cancer
- August (5)
- Our Arsenal of Weapons in the War Against Gum Disease
- Overcome Oral Cancer With Screenings and Lifestyle Changes
- Taking Precautions Before, During and After Implants Will Help Ensure Success
- Home vs. Professional Teeth Whitening - Weighing Your Options
- Preserving or Restoring Teeth - Both Paths Lead to Better Oral Health
- 2013
- October (6)
- Health Risks of Oral Piercings
- Cancer Treatment and Oral Health: What You Should Know
- Treating Thumb Sucking Now Could Reduce Orthodontic Treatment Later
- Patients in Syracuse Seek Veneers to Mask Dental Blemishes
- Loose Teeth - A Sign of Trouble That Requires Quick Action
- Implant Overdentures: a Marriage of Options for Lower Jaw Tooth Replacement
- 2012
- August (7)
- Can Thumb Sucking Harm Your Child's Teeth?
- Testing Your Knowledge: Do Your Children Have Good Oral Health?
- Enhance Your Smile Through Teeth Whitening
- How Do Dental Implants Help Preserve Your Youthful Appearance?
- Are Dental Implants Okay For Teenagers?
- Questions You Should Ask Before Getting Porcelain Veneers
- Your Dentist May Be Able To Help You Stop Snoring
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Categories:
Dentist Blog
Posts for tag: dental emergency

Vacationing abroad can be the trip of a lifetime — or a nightmare if you have a medical or dental emergency while traveling. Dental care in many locations around the world can be limited, expensive or even dangerous.
Here are 3 important things you should to do to prepare for a possible dental emergency during that dream vacation in a foreign country.
Have a complete checkup, cleaning and necessary dental work before you leave. Whoever said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” must have been a traveler. Better to take care of problems beforehand than have them erupt into an emergency far from home. Be sure especially to have decayed or cracked teeth repaired, as well as any planned dental work like root canal treatments before you go. This is especially important if you’re flying — high altitudes can increase pressure and pain for many dental problems.
Research your destination’s available dental and medical care ahead of time. Standards and practices in other countries can differ from those in the United States, sometimes drastically. Knowing what’s available and what’s expected in terms of service and price will help immensely if you do encounter a health emergency while traveling. A good starting place is A Traveler’s Guide to Safe Dental Care, available at www.osap.org.
Know who to contact if you have a dental emergency. While it may be frightening having a dental issue in a strange place, you’re not alone — there are most likely a number of fellow Americans in your location who can help. Have contact information ready for people you know or military personnel living in your locale, as well as contacts to the American Embassy in that country. And if you’re staying in a hotel, be sure to make friends with the local concierge!
It’s always unsettling to have a dental emergency, but especially so when you’re far from home. Doing a little preparation for the possibility will help lessen the stress if it happens and get you the help you need.
If you would like more information on preparing for dental emergencies while traveling, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Traveling Abroad? Tips for Dealing with Dental Emergencies.”

Tooth decay and other oral diseases aren’t the only dangers your teeth face — accidental injuries also pose a risk. Fortunately, much can be done to save injured teeth, if you act quickly.
Dental injuries where part of the enamel crown has chipped off are the most common. Even if only one tooth appears damaged, adjacent teeth and bone might also have been damaged internally. Most chip injuries can be repaired either by reattaching the broken crown or with a tooth-colored filling or veneer. If the damage has extended into the inner tooth pulp then a root canal treatment might ultimately be necessary.
Teeth that have been knocked loose from normal alignment (dislodged) or where the entire tooth with its root has separated from the socket (avulsed) are rare but severe when they occur. It’s imperative to see a dentist as soon as possible — even more than five minutes’ of elapsed time can drastically reduce the tooth’s survivability. Dislodged teeth are usually splinted to adjacent teeth for several weeks; we would then carefully monitor the healing process and intervene with endodontic treatment (focused on the tooth’s interior) should something unfavorable occur.
With the possible exception of a primary (baby) tooth, an avulsed tooth should be placed back in the socket as soon as possible. This can be done by someone on scene, as long as the tooth is handled gently, the root not touched, and the tooth rinsed with cold, clean water if it has become dirty. If no one is available to do this, the tooth should be placed in milk to avoid drying out the root, and the patient and tooth transported to a dentist immediately. Once in the socket, the treatment is similar as for a dislodged tooth with splinting and careful watching.
The damaged tooth should be checked regularly. Your body’s defense mechanism could still reject it, so there’s a danger the root could be eaten away, or resorbed. Some forms of resorption can’t be treated — the aim then is to preserve the natural tooth for as long as possible, and then replace it with a life-like restoration to regain form and function.
If you would like more information on the treatment of injured teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Trauma & Nerve Damage to Teeth.”

There's nothing quite like watching your son or daughter compete on the athletic field. It's a mixture of anticipation, pride — and occasionally, anxiety. Despite all the protective gear and training, kids are sometimes injured playing the sports they love. In fact, when it comes to dental injuries, teens are the most susceptible of any age group. Here's what you should know about preventing sports-related dental injuries in kids.
Of course you know that football and hockey players should always wear mouthguards, both at games and during practice. But don't forget about kids who play soccer, do gymnastics, wrestle or play basketball. According to the American Dental Association (ADA) these athletes — along with participants in about 20 other sports — also need to wear this important piece of protective gear. In fact, the ADA states that not wearing a mouthguard makes an athlete 60 times more likely to sustain dental injury!
In selecting a mouthguard, there are three basic options to choose from: the “off-the-shelf” type, the so-called “boil and bite” protector, and the custom-fitted mouthguard that we can fabricate. Let's look briefly at all three.
The first type, available at many sporting goods stores, comes in a limited range of sizes, and an unknown range of quality. It's the least expensive option, offering a minimal level of protection that's probably better than nothing.
The second type, although popular, is also limited in its protection. This one is designed to be immersed in hot water, and then formed in the mouth using finger, tongue and bite pressure. If it can be made to fit adequately, it's probably better than the first type — though it often lacks proper extensions, and fails to cover the back teeth. Also, upon impact, the rubber-like material will distort and not offer as much protection as you would like to have.
The third is a piece of quality sports equipment that's custom-made for your child's mouth (or your own). To fabricate this mouthguard, we first make a model of the individual's teeth, and then mold the protector to fit just right. Made from tough, high-quality material, it's designed to cover all teeth, back and front, without being excessively bulky. It can even be made to accommodate growing teeth and jaws. And, it's reasonable in cost.
To paraphrase the ADA's recommendation, the best mouthguard is the one you wear. A comfortable, correctly-fitted mouthguard is easy to wear — and it can help prevent dental injury, giving you one less thing to worry about. Now, if you could just get you child to keep her eye on the ball.
If you have questions about mouthguards or sports-related dental injuries, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”

Participating in athletic activities offers numerous well-documented health benefits — not to mention instilling the intangible values of discipline, teamwork and goal-setting. Of course, in nearly every sport, the possibility of injury exists as well. But don't let that stop you or someone you love from playing! Instead, you can learn about the potential hazards of dental injury, and take some practical steps to minimize the risk.
It should come as no surprise that injury to the mouth is an ever-present possibility in so-called “collision” sports like football and ice hockey. But did you know that the greatest number of dental injuries result from the games of baseball and basketball, which are often played informally? Even non-contact sports like skiing, bicycling and skateboarding carry a real risk of injury.
Who suffers dental injury? Men are slightly more likely than women — but only by a small percentage. Injury peaks in the teenage years, and seems to decrease afterward — but older athletes tend to have more severe problems. In short, most anyone who participates in sports is subject to possible dental injury.
Besides the obvious aesthetic imperfections, a damaged or missing tooth can also result in functional problems with the bite — a potentially serious condition. If a tooth can't be immediately replanted, restoring it can be expensive: The total cost of each tooth replacement is estimated at $10,000-$20,000 over a lifetime. So tooth damage or loss can cause a multitude of troubles.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended that participants in all of the sports mentioned above — as well as two dozen others — should wear a custom-fitted mouthguard. Why? Because when it comes to dental injury, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
Numerous studies have shown that wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard is an effective way to prevent dental injury. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, mouthguards prevent some 200,000 injuries each year. And the ADA says that athletes who don't wear mouthguards are 60 times more likely to sustain harm to the teeth than those who do wear them.
Off-the-shelf mouthguards in a limited range of sizes are available at many sporting-goods stores. But these can't compare to the superior protection and durability offered by a mouthguard that's custom-made just for you. Using an exact model of your teeth, we can individually fabricate a piece of protective gear that fits correctly and feels comfortable in your mouth. A custom mouthguard may be more economical than you think — yet its real payoff comes in preventing dental injury.
If you have questions about mouthguards or sports-related dental injuries, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”

Your lower jaw is an integral part of eating, speaking and other tasks involving the mouth. But what happens if you suffer an injury to one of the two joints that connect it to the skull? The result could be serious pain and the inability to bring the upper and lower teeth together properly.
The exact types of injuries causing the pain and disability can vary, like the displacement of a tooth or a group of teeth. Another is swelling in the joint space that prevents the head of the joint (the condyle) from fully seating in the joint space; you could also experience a joint dislocation as the condyle is forced completely out of the joint space. Either swelling or dislocation can prevent the back teeth on the side of the affected joint from fitting together properly.
Another traumatic injury is a fracture of the bone at or near the joint; one of the most common is known as a “sub-condylar” fracture where the break occurs just below the condyle and results in more severe pain than inflammation or dislocation. A more serious fracture may involve the joint itself.
To treat the symptoms properly, it’s important to determine which of these injuries has occurred. This requires a full examination, including x-ray imaging, to determine if the injury involves soft tissue, bone or both. In the case of inflammation, we would prescribe anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medication. The latter is especially helpful because trauma often leads to muscle spasms that lock the jaw in place to reduce further damage (nature’s splint, if you will). A dislocation may also require gentle manipulation to seat the condyle back into the joint.
Fractures are treated generally by repositioning the broken portions of the bone into their normal position and then immobilizing them while they heal. Immobilization is accomplished by joining the upper and lower teeth together, either by external or internal means. The latter option requires a surgical procedure.
If you’ve suffered an injury that results in any of these symptoms you should contact our office immediately. Only a complete diagnosis can point the way to the proper treatment that will relieve your discomfort.
If you would like more information on the causes and treatment of jaw pain, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Jaw Pain — What’s the Cause?”