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Dental

Nov 19

Daughter’s elbow loosened son’s tooth. Is a pediatric dentist necessary?

By Damaged Tooth, Pediatric Dentist

My 7 yr old son and 3 yr old daughter were wrestling yesterday evening. They play around a lot which is fine with me, but sometimes they get a little rough. The 5 yr old can actually handle it. While they were wrestling, my son tried to pin her down. He is careful not to hurt her, but this time she hurt him instead. She took defense with her elbow which went right into my son’s mouth.  Her elbow hit one of his teeth pretty hard. The tooth bled for about 20 minutes and today before he went to school he said it hurts a little. I checked it and it’s a little loose. I wasn’t really worried about it because it’s not a permanent tooth, but my husband thinks we need to have it looked at by our pediatric dentist. Is this really necessary? I don’t want to call the office because I know they will tell me to bring my son in whether it’s needed or not. Thanks. Cherise

Cherise – When a tooth is loosened it is normal for it to bleed a little from the gums. A slightly loose tooth usually tightens up on its own.

If the tooth feels very loose, or if your son is in persistent pain, you should call your pediatric dentist. Your dentist will likely want to check the tooth anyway to see if it needs to be repositioned, or if it’s very loose, your dentist may want to remove the tooth altogether.

If a primary tooth is loose and needs to be extracted, a spacer may be needed to hold the place for the permanent tooth so that the adjacent teeth won’t shift into the space.

Contacting your pediatric dentist just to check out the tooth is a good precaution.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Oct 29

Severe toothache but dentist says it’s fine. Am I crazy or is she?

By Toothache

I had a mild toothache that started early this month. The pain increased significantly by mid-month so I made an appointment with my dentist. She examined the tooth, took an x-ray and said everything is fine. No prescription, no follow-up appointment, nothing. So I made a second appointment last week. When she came into the exam room and saw it was me again she shook her head and sighed. She said she would write me a prescription for pain but nothing is wrong with my tooth. So what is the prescription for? Anyway, I told her that I want to know what’s wrong with my tooth not get drugged up with pain meds. Well my tooth still hurts. Could she really think that I have a severe toothache and nothing at all is wrong? I know I’m not the crazy one. Appreciate your help. Tish

Tish – We are not certain why you received this response from your dentist. If you have severe lingering pain in your tooth, the tooth is likely infected and abscessed. An abscess is an infection at the root of your tooth. The infection needs to be cleaned out so it won’t continue to spread into the bone and beyond. Later, the tooth will be protected with a porcelain crown.

Make an appointment with another dentist. He or she will see you right away.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Sep 24

Do I need to see a dentist?

By Damaged Tooth

I rollerblade on Monday nights and last month I collided with another blader. The impact was on my face and although I was wearing a mouthguard it still jammed my mouth pretty good. I guess I’m lucky that I didn’t lose a tooth. Anyway I was just looking in the mirror and notice what looks like a hairline crack in my tooth. It doesn’t hurt consistently-only every now and then. Do I need to see a dentist? – Matthew

Matthew – We are sorry to hear about your accident. If you see a hairline crack in your tooth and are experiencing pain from time to time, you should get it checked by a dentist.

Treatment for a cracked tooth varies depending on the size and length of the crack. A simple crack may need to be concealed with dental bonding. If the pulp of the tooth is affected, a root canal treatment may be needed. If the root of the tooth is damaged, it may need to be removed.

An untreated crack may progressively get worse. Make an appointment with your dentist right away.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Apr 16

Is it okay to get dental work done while I am pregnant?

By Gum Disease, Tooth Decay, Toothache

Hello. My baby is due in July. I need dental work done, but it is nothing critical. My dentist says that my pregnancy is not an issue. I won’t say that I don’t trust my dentist, but I don’t know him well. We recently moved from Ohio six months ago, so this is a new dentist for me. I just want to verify that there is no known problem with getting the work done at this stage of my pregnancy. Thank you. Rachel

Rachel – At this stage of your pregnancy, one of the biggest problems with getting dental work done is your comfort. You will be reclined, so you may experience discomfort during the treatment.

What type of dental work is being done? Have you been told how long the dental procedure will take?

Dental cleanings and exams during pregnancy should continue as normal. You want your teeth to be kept clean to reduce the chances of having tooth decay or gum disease. Dental x-rays and invasive dental treatment should be avoided.

If you are in pain with a toothache, or if there is an infection in your tooth, it should be treated promptly to stop the infection.

If you have the dental work done, consider bringing a pillow or whatever back support makes you comfortable. Speak with your dentist about any concerns you have about being comfortable. The staff will make the effort to get you as comfortable as possible.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Jan 23

I am having severe pain after 2 teeth were pulled

By Teeth Extraction

Hi. I had 2 teeth pulled yesterday, lower left molars. I haven’t decided how I want to replace them, though. My dentist said that there would not be much pain afterward, but if I felt pain to take ibuprofen. My pain is extreme and ibuprofen is not helping. It hurts to talk, open my mouth or chew. Does it sound like something went wrong with the procedure? – Thanks. Thomas C.

Thomas – Your description of the pain you’re experience doesn’t sound very unusual. There can be trauma with tooth extraction, and the pain can be severe.

Your expectations, based on what your dentist told you, were much different than what you are actually experiencing. Some dentists let their patients know the worst that can happen, while others only tell you the mildest experience you might have after an extraction.

It’s best to call your dentist and let him or her know about the severe pain you are experiencing. You may need to see your dentist again. Or antibiotics or pain-relief medication may be prescribed.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Dec 27

Could my toothache cause my cheek to swell?

By Dental Crowns, Toothache

A toothache can cause swelling in your cheek if there is an abscess. When you have a tooth infection, a collection of infected material, or pus, can form in the middle of the tooth. This collection of infected material is called an abscess.

The abscess can spread into your jawbone and cheek. The infection will continue to spread until it’s treated, so recommend that you promptly make an appointment with your dentist. The tooth will likely require a root canal treatment.

If your tooth is weak or cracked, a crown may be used to protect it. But there is no need for concern about the crown. Porcelain crowns are made to have the characteristics and color of your natural teeth. You will be given a prescription of antibiotics to prevent further spread of the infection.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Dec 25

Over 60 and getting new cavities

By Health Issues and Teeth

If you’re over 60 and getting cavities, even though you haven’t had them for years, it could be that medication is a contributing factor.

There are more than 500 medications that have dry mouth as a side effect. Medication for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, allergies, asthma, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease—all have dry mouth as a side effect.

Normally, the properties in saliva neutralize acid and fight bacteria in your mouth. When your mouth is dry, it’s more difficult to fight bacteria. Bacteria can lead to tooth decay, loose teeth, or completely losing some of your teeth.

What can you do about it? Sip on water to keep moisture in your mouth, chewing gum increases saliva production. If you chew gum with sugar in it, be sure to chew it after the sugary taste is gone.

Let your dentist know if you are taking medication that promotes dry mouth. He or she will closely monitor your teeth and gums. Fluoride rinse may be recommended or fluoride toothpaste may be prescribed.

Avoid gum disease and treatment for tooth replacement by taking the necessary precautions.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Sep 12

Trauma to tooth

By Dental Emergency

Last night my teeth collided with my husband’s head. It is still sore this morning. It is also a little loose. How long will it feel like this?  Will it turn gray? Will it always be loose?

Katarina L from Phoenix, AZ

Katarina,

I think it is important you see your dentist as soon as possible to have your tooth evaluated. You’ve got blunt force trauma. Your symptoms make me wonder if the nerve of the tooth is damaged or if you have a fractured tooth root.  If the nerve is damage, your dentist should recommend a root canal and a dental crown in order to save your tooth.

To answer some of your other questions, yes, it will turn gray eventually if there is nerve damage. However, you should have any problem taken care of well before that can happen. Your tooth will tighten back up unless you have a severe fracture.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Apr 25

Pain after a white filling

By Fillings

About 7 months ago I had a silver filling replaced with a white filling. There was some sensitivity to the tooth afterward, but dentist said that is normal and it will get better in time. Now months later I can barely chew any food, including bread. Do you think I have an infection? Did the dentist do something wrong?

Cara C. from Minnesota.

Cara,

Without examining you I couldn’t tell you if you have an infection, though I suspect you do. When the pain is sensitivity from a dental filling it gets better. It might take a while to get better, but it will progressively improve. What you describing is the pain worsening and that is often the sign of an infection.  While it is possible your dentist did something wrong, it is equally possible that you had an underlying infection under the filling and the additional work to the tooth added stress and it began showing the signs of its infection.  I would go back to your dentist and tell him what is going on. An x-ray should be able to show something after this many months with an infection.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

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