Take Care of Dental Emergencies Immediately

Dental emergencies happen, and if you need to see a dentist as quickly as possible, call the team from Dental Care of Corona. With Dental Care of Corona, your emergency visit is free. Regardless of the dental emergency, your dental emergency exam and your dental emergency x-rays are free of charge. Your dentist will let you know what the problem is and how much it will cost before any repairs are made. All you have to do is pay for the dental repair should you decide to go ahead with it.

If you have a dental emergency, you can be assured that you will get in to see the dentist when you need to. Unlike other dentists in Corona, Dental Care of Corona always has openings that are reserved for dental emergencies during normal business hours. That means that every day there will be appointments set aside for emergencies.

Regardless of the dental emergency, Dental Care of Corona will make sure that a dentist sees you as quickly as possible. If a dental emergency isn’t taken care of right away, it could make the problem worse, and more costly.

So just what is a dental emergency? A dental emergency could be a cracked or chipped tooth or a lost filling. If you or someone in the family wears braces and has suffered a blow to the mouth it is imperative that you see your dentist as quickly as possible as it could have far reaching consequences. Other dental emergencies include, but are not limited to, broken teeth, a knocked out tooth or problems with crowns and bridges.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, it is vital that you call Dental Care of Corona as quickly as possible. Dentists are standing by to make sure that you are taken care of right away. Call or click and schedule your dental emergency appointment now. 

When a Dental Emergency Needs Treatment

There is nothing worse than a dental emergency, especially if it is one of your kids on Little League opening day.

Dental emergencies happen every second of every day, and even more so once spring sports start, but thankfully, your dental emergency can usually be taken care of on the spot.

According to a recent study conducted by the American Dental Association, dental emergencies happen in both individual and contact sports. Even people who play tennis, surf, or participate in a friendly game of racquetball could be finding themselves headed to the E.R. or their dentist’s office.

Your dentist explains that most facial injuries could have been prevented had the participant worn a custom-made mouthguard. Any type of mouthguard is fine, but a custom-made mouth guard offers much better protection. With that being said, accidents do happen, and according to your dentist, some of the most common ones could have be prevented.

Almost 50 percent of girls and boys will suffer from a tooth or mouth related injury during childhood. Mouth injuries are quite common with mouth and tooth injuries happening after a fall, a fight, or a sports injury.

In the majority of cases, mouth and tooth injuries are not serious or life threatening. Your dentist explains that although in some rare cases serious complications may arise, injuries to the mouth and teeth could have lasting effects on your sons or your daughter’s appearance ultimately affecting his or her self-esteem and confidence.

After a mouth or tooth injury, most parents scratch their heads when it comes to seeking medical attention. 

Your dentist explains that any of the symptoms below could indicate an emergency dental visit. 

• Pain or tenderness in or on a tooth
• Broken, loose, or missing teeth
• Bleeding does not stop after pressure has been applied
• Jaw pain
• Breathing problems or problems with swallowing
• Something stuck on the tongue, cheek, and mouth or in the throat (Never remove)
• Gaping cut on his or her face
• A puncture at the back or your child’s throat
• A lip cut that has crossed over the lip line border into surrounding skin
• Blurred Vision
• Slurred Speech
• Weakness
• Numbness
• High temperature above 100.4 degrees 

Other signs of infection from a tooth or mouth injury could be increasing pain, stiffness or pain in the neck, chest pain or drooling. If your child cannot open his or her mouth, it’s time to see the doctor or your dentist.

If you have a dental emergency on your hands and notice one or more of the signs above, call or click and schedule an emergency dental visit with your dentist as quickly as possible.

Think Before You Eat and Drink

It’s the silly season again and that means lots of parties and lots of food, and even if you are watching your weight, there are some foods that you should avoid or keep to a minimum to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

When you eat foods and drinks that contain sugar, the bacteria that naturally occur in your mouth will feed on sugar creating acids. Those acids will wear down the enamel making it weaker. The weaker your tooth’s enamel, the more susceptible you will be to tooth decay and gum disease.

The holidays are known for lots of goodies including sweet treats, cakes, candies and deliciously sweet dried fruit, however, those dates and dried cherries in the fruitcake could cause problems for your teeth. Dried fruit may be good for your figure, but can also stick to your teeth. If you must enjoy a dried apricot, fig, or date, rinse your mouth with water afterwards.

If you snack on sweets all day or over an extended period, such as a holiday party or holiday event, it can be especially harmful, as damaging acids will form in your mouth every time you consume a snack that is loaded with sugar. Even healthy servings of cranberry sauce can cause those acids to start forming. If that isn’t bad enough the sugary treat will continue affecting your teeth for 20 minutes or more after you have finished.

Snacking on sugary drinks and sweets all day long will increase your risk of gum disease and decay. If you brush and floss after indulging, you will see a reduction in bacteria.

When it comes to keeping cavities at bay, your dentist recommends that you balance out your sugary drinks and sweets with other types of foods. Eating sweets with foods that are rich in carbohydrates will help ease the impact that sugar will have on your teeth.

If you must indulge, choose wisely and consume sweets that dissolve quickly as this will limit the contact with the enamel on your teeth. Instead of caramels and gummy Santa’s, opt for plain dark chocolate, which is said to be good for your teeth.

Make sure that you are prepared and carry floss and a toothbrush with you. If you are eating sweets, it is important to brush if you can. However make sure that you wait about a half an hour if you are consuming foods that are acidic, such as wine or citrus fruits, as brushing can soften the enamel if you do not wait.

This holiday season think before you eat and drink, and remember to schedule an appointment with your dentist for the New Year. 

Dental Emergency Quick Fixes

Dental accidents happen, but unfortunately, sometimes it is not always possible to make it to the dentist in a timely manner. Of course, there is no substitute for an emergency visit to your dentist however; there are some things you can do to make your dentist’s job a little bit easier.

Braces

If you or anyone in your family wears wire and bracket braces, it is important that you check them regularly. If a wire protrudes out, should snap, or rubs against your gum or cheek, try to push it back where it sits more comfortably. Use a pencil with an eraser on the end, and use the eraser to push it gently into a place where it will not rub. If that does not work, cover the wire that is protruding with a small sized cotton ball, a piece of gauze, or some orthodontic wax. Make sure that you schedule an appointment with your orthodontist as quickly as possible. Also, make sure that you never cut the protruding wire as the person who is wearing the braces could inhale it into their lungs or swallow it.

Missing Dental Filling

If you should have a filling fall out, try and plug the cavity with dental cement or dental was. You can buy both the wax or cement at your local pharmacy. If a filling should fall out you will want to see your dentist quickly. If you still have the filling, make sure to bring it with you.

Missing Dental Crown

If you lose a crown, try to slip it back into position on the tooth using toothpaste, dental cement or an adhesive used for dentures. This will hold the crown into place until you can make it to the dentist’s office.

Never attempt a DIY repair of an already damaged tooth, crown, filling or dental implant with super glue. All of these dental emergencies are jobs for your dentist.

It is nearly impossible to avoid a dental emergency; however, you can keep your teeth and gums in tiptop shape by scheduling regular appointments with your dentist. Call and schedule your dental checkup today. 

The Consequences of Tooth Decay

Second only to the common cold, dental caries, or dental decay is a disease that will cause damage to the structure of a tooth or teeth. Cavities, which are spaces or hollowed out holes, are the most noteworthy consequences of decay. If dental caries remain untreated, they can cause pain, the loss of the decayed tooth or death. In the most extreme dental decay cases, an infection can eventually enter your brain through the cavernous sinus, which is the air cell behind your eye.

If you take care of your cavities, drilling and filling is all you will have to deal with, however, without proper dental treatment, those dental caries can affect your speech, diet and your overall quality of life. If left unfilled that simple cavity may require root canal therapy as well.  

Tooth decay is a worldwide epidemic that is costly, painful, and most importantly, preventable. Oral diseases cause disability and pain for millions of people all over the United States every year, with oral diseases ranging from cavities to oral cancer.

Dental decay starts early with dental caries affecting over a quarter of children in America between the ages of two and five with more than half affecting adolescents to teens ages twelve to fifteen. Hardest hit are children who come from low-income homes. In addition to dysfunction and pain, cavities that are left untreated can cause school absences, a lack of social interactions, poor appearance, and low weight. All of these problems could reduce the capacity to lead a successful life.

However, kids and teens are not alone as tooth decay affects approximately 90 percent of adults over the age of 40. Even more shocking is that over one quarter of American adults over 60 have lost every single tooth, primarily because of tooth decay.

Don’t become a statistic. Schedule regular dental checkups for your entire family, practice good oral health habits, and a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and you will have a heads up when it comes to tooth decay. Call your dentist for an appointment today. 

Get a Mouthguard and participate in National Face Protection Month

It’s National Face Protection month, and if you or your family is participating in any type of sport this spring, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your dentist who can fit you with a custom-made mouth protector.

A mouthguard is essential when it comes to Little League baseball, basketball, soccer and other group sports, but what some people don’t realize is that a sports mouth protector should also be included in your sports bag if you like to bike, surf, play racquetball, or tennis. Swimmers, kids and adults who like to go inline skating and even people who water ski are ordering custom made mouthguards from their dentist to keep their teeth and gums protected.

According to the ADA, mouthguards should be an essential part of the uniform and are just as important as helmets, knee and elbow pads. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of the 7 million recreation and sports related injuries that happen every year involve kids who are just five years old.

The National Youth Sports Safety foundation recently reported that both professional and amateur athletes who do not wear mouth protectors are an astounding sixty times more likely to cause injury to their teeth, gums or face. With that being said, a survey back in 2009 said that over sixty-seven percent of parents claimed that their children were not wearing sports mouthguards while playing organized sports. An additional 84 percent of kids don’t wear mouth protectors because it was not required even though shoulder pads and helmets are.

There are three types of mouthguards available. Stock, Boil and Bite and Custom Made.

Stock mouthguards are the least expensive, but are not as effective as the other two as they can be uncomfortable and ill fitting making kids and adults less likely to use them. Stock mouthguards can also make it difficult to breathe and talk.

Boil and Bite mouthguards are available from your local sporting goods store or pharmacy and are a step up from stock mouth protectors as you place them in warm water before putting in your mouth. Once in your mouth they actually mold to your teeth.

Custom-made mouthguards are available from your dentist and are your best bet when it comes to sports mouth protectors as your dentist will make a mold before sending it off to a dental lab. Custom made mouthguards will fit your teeth perfectly make it less likely that you will leave it at home.

Participate in National Face Protection month and schedule an appointment with your dentist for a custom-made mouthguard today.

How to Cope with a Dental Emergency

Even if you had thought you had taken care of everything and are ready for your big ugly Sweater Christmas party, the thought of a broken veneer probably hadn’t even crossed your path. Unfortunately, things quickly changed when you decided to open the champagne with your teeth.

Accidents are part of life and invariably happen at the most inopportune times. A lost filling cracked tooth or other dental emergency should be taken care of as soon as possible to avoid further damage. Putting a piece of cotton over that old silver amalgam filling that you lost when you were having dinner should just be a quick fix until you get to the dentist.

According to the American Dental Association, a broken bridge, or any other dental emergency can cause serious problems. Ignoring a dental issue will increase your risk requiring more expensive and extensive therapy later.  

If you’ve got a toothache, skip the painkillers, including aspirin and get to the dentist. If you are swollen, grab a cold compress and place it on your cheek or mouth. Rinse your mouth and floss in order to remove any food particles.

Make sure you save all of the pieces if you break or chip a tooth. Rinse your mouth and be careful looking for remnants of the tooth. If you’re bleeding, apply gauze until the bleeding stops. Place a cold compress on the outside of your mouth, lip, or cheek near the chipped or broken tooth to help reduce swelling and relieve any pain.

If you have partially dislodged or knocked out your tooth this is a dental emergency and you need to call your dentist right away. If it has been partially dislodged, take Advil or Tylenol to help with the pain and apply a cold compress on the outside of your mouth. If you have knocked it out, gently rinse being careful not to remove or wash away attached tissue fragments. If you can, put the tooth back without forcing it into place. If this isn’t possible, place the tooth in a container of water with a pinch of salt, or milk without the salt. See your dentist immediately as chances are your tooth can be saved.

Take your time during the holidays and be sure and brush, floss and see your dentist as needed, especially if you are experiencing a dental emergency.