1025 South 320th ST Suite 201 Federal Way, WA 98003
- BROKEN OR CRACKED TEETH
- TOOTHACHE
- JAW PAIN (TMD)
- LOOSE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CROWN
- A BLOW TO THE HEAD, JAW OR LIPS
- MOUTH SORES, WISDOM TOOTH DISCOMFORT
-
SENSITIVITY FROM BLEACHING
Brynn Vogel says that if you are a kid around 5 or 6 years old, and you have lost a front tooth, call the "Tooth Fairy".
You wake up in the night with a toothache, or maybe you’ve been suffering for days. What should you do?
Occasionally, discomfort can be caused by food getting stuck between your teeth. First, rinse your mouth with warm water to make sure it is clean. Use floss in an up-and-down motion, or use a device to clean between the teeth, gently rubbing the sides of the tooth to remove any food that might be caught. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists make an appointment for an examination of the area.
JAW PAIN (TMD)
Jaw pain can be caused by occlusal disharmonies (often the bite needs to be checked after dental work), oral habits such as grinding and clenching, opening your mouth for extended times, trauma or injury to the jaw, and stress at home or at work. You may have a dull ache around the ear and the pain often radiates into the face. You may have tenderness of the muscles or teeth. Your mouth opening may be limited and you may have headaches
- Do not open too wide, and avoid clenching.
- Remember “Lips together, teeth apart”.
- Soft chew diet
- Apply warm moist heat. Apply hot towels or a water bottle in intervals of ½ hour on with ½ hour of rest.
- Limit intake of sugar and caffeine
- Avoid sleeping on your jaw. Try a cervical pillow or roll up a towel to place under your neck.
- Wear your Biteguard at night. (Do not wear Biteguard 24 hrs a day.)
- The adult medication of choice is over the counter ibuprofen, 200mg. Take 1 to 4 tablets with meals three times a day for five days. If necessary for pain you can take 1 to 4 tablets with meals twice a day for an additional 15 days. At this point you should cease taking ibuprofen. (Do not take ibuprofen if your physician has instructed you not to, if it interferes with any of your medications, or if it irritates your stomach.)
- Finally, be good to yourself. Do something enjoyable. If your pain becomes severe or unmanageable, and you have been examined to rule out tooth problems, you will need to see a specialist in Oral Medicine or your physician. We will refer you to South Sound Oral Medicine at 253-874-2583.
LOOSE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CROWN
If your temporary crown is loose or missing, it is seldom an emergency. If possible, call our office so we can re-cement or remake the temporary crown. If you cannot get in right away try to chew on the other side so as not to damage the prepared tooth. You can place the temporary crown back onto the tooth by putting a dab of vaseline or denture adhesive inside the crown and placing it back on the tooth. (The cheek side of the temporary crown is usually longer than the tongue side)
If a permanent crown has become dislodged, make an appointment for the crown to be re-cemented. Save the crown and bring it to the office for evaluation and re-cementation.
A BLOW TO THE HEAD, JAW, OR LIPS
Go to your hospital emergency room immediately. They can evaluate your condition and refer you to an oral surgeon if necessary. If a tooth has been knocked out, hold the tooth by the crown and if it is dirty rinse the tooth in water. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn’t possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as quickly as possible. Remember to take the tooth with you!
MOUTH SORES, WISDOM TEETH DISCOMFORT
If you have pain and swelling from inflammation, and there is no infection try warm salt water rinses (1 tsp salt in an 8 oz glass of warm water). If you are having pain with eating try Miracle Mouthrinse. Mix equal parts by volume of over the counter liquid Benadryl and Kaopectate (You may substitute Maalox in place of Kaopectate.). Rinse with one teaspoon every two hours and spit out. This is not recommended for small children incapable of spitting out the rinse. If you have wisdom teeth you will most likely be referred to an oral surgeon. Mouth sores should heal in about a week. You may feel more comfortable taking ibuprofen (if tolerated) or acetaminophen. If not, make an appointment to have the areas of discomfort examined.
DISCOMFORT AFTER DENTAL PROCEDURES
It is normal to experience some hot, cold and pressure sensitivity, and tenderness after your appointment. Injection sites and gums may also be sore. For a few days you may want to take ibuprofen or acetaminophen with meals. Rinse with warm salt water (1 tsp of salt in an 8 oz glass of water). Follow recommended oral hygiene instructions. Try to avoid eating hard and sticky foods, and if possible chew on the opposite side of your mouth.
Very deep cavities may involve the nerve of the tooth. If you have severe pain that is not relieved by following the above instructions, you may need root canal treatment. We refer to Drs Nguyen and Roberts at 253-952-3636.
SENSITIVITY FROM BLEACHING
It is normal for patients to experience some mild sensitivity, especially if your teeth are normally sensitive. This discomfort usually disappears once you’ve completed the bleaching process. If your gums are irritated reduce the amount of whitening gel that you put in the trays, and wipe off the excess from the gum line with a toothbrush, tissue or finger. It may be necessary to wear the bleach trays every other day, so the teeth have a break. This does not affect the results of the bleaching; it just makes the process take longer. Use toothpaste for sensitive teeth, like Sensodyne. If you plan to do touch-up bleaching in the future, you may be able to prevent cold discomfort by brushing with a product like Sensodyne two weeks prior to bleaching.