All posts by AllSmiles

Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry

The dentist’s drill chipped my tooth

I had 3 cavities filled on Tuesday. Everything seemed to be going fine. I didn’t feel any pain with the drilling, and I was quite pleased. But then the drill hit one of my front teeth! I know that I must have looked alarmed, because the dentist kept saying everything is okay. This is not the dentist I would normally go to. This one is less expensive than my regular dentist, so I decided to give him a try for a cleaning. I liked him so I decided that I would let him fill my cavities. This was just my second visit. When I got home and really looked at my teeth, I saw I small chip on a left front tooth! I am torn about what to do. It’s not difficult to see the chip. If this dentist didn’t tell me that he chipped my tooth can I trust him to fix it, or will he just say that he fixed it? – Noel T.

Noel – You do have a big decision to make. You should let the new dentist know about the chipped tooth right away. It may be wise to schedule an appointment to speak with him in person about it.

After you speak with the dentist, if you don’t want him to restore your tooth, you can ask if he will pay for the cost of having it restored. You can then return to your usual dentist or go to a cosmetic dentist for the restoration. Dental bonding can be made to match the color of your natural tooth. The bonding will be applied to the tooth, shaped, hardened, shaped again, and polished. If it’s done by a cosmetic dentist, people won’t be able to tell where your tooth was chipped.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

General Dentistry

Why is my breath so horrible and my dentist isn’t helping me?

My breath smells horrible. When I blow my breath into my hands it smells like a rotten potato. I brush and floss twice a day and I gargle but it still stinks so bad. I told my dentist and he said that I don’t have any rotten teeth but he didn’t give me any suggestions or clues as to what may be going on. Please help. – T.H.

T.H. – In addition to tooth decay, there are many causes of bad breath.

  • Food and drink – Onions, garlic, certain vegetables, and coffee can cause your breath to have a strong odor. Some of the odors stay on your tongue, so in addition to flossing and brushing your teeth, regularly brush your tongue.
  • Dry mouth – Tobacco and alcohol can dry your mouth. Certain medications, certain diseases, and certain chronic conditions can make your mouth dry and create odor, so drink plenty of water. You can also chew sugar-free gum, or suck on sugar-free candy to assist saliva production. If your mouth is dry, speak with a dentist about how to increase or stimulate saliva production.
  • Toothbrush – Your toothbrush should be changed regularly. Bacteria and germs can cling to your toothbrush and transfer into your mouth and cause additional odor.
  • Nose and throat conditions – Congestion or inflammation in your nose and throat, including sinus drainage can cause breath odor.
  • Oral health – Gum disease can also create strong breath odors. So can faulty tooth restoration; bacteria can breed beneath it.
  • Physical health – Certain diseases and metabolic disorders can cause bad breath. Chronic reflux of stomach acid that often goes into your throat and mouth can affect your breath.

You can decide whether you want to speak with your dentist again about the problem, or get a second opinion from another dentist. If after an exam and review of your medial history, the problem doesn’t seem to be related to your oral health, you will be referred to a medical physician.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

General Dentistry

Does a dentist need to check out my cut tongue or will it heal by itself?

Last Thursday I did something dumb that cut my tongue. I didn’t have scissors so I was trying to break into a hard plastic package with my teeth. The package slipped and cut my tongue. It hit my bottom teeth too but they are fine. My tongue started bleeding and I compressed and iced it but my tongue still hurts. I see a gash in it and every now and then it still bleeds. It will bleed heavy then stop when I compress it and put ice on it. When will it heal? Will it heal by itself? Do I need to have a dentist check it out? Thanks. Dylan R.

Dylan – A cut tongue usually heals on its own. The time that it takes to heal depends on how deeply it is cut. Hydrogen peroxide rinses, antiseptic rinses, or salt water rinses can help.

The concern is that your tongue is still bleeding, and sometimes heavily. We recommend that you make an appointment with a dentist to examine your tongue. The dentist will confirm whether your tongue will heal on its own or if sticthes are needed.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

General Dentistry

Bleeding after dentist appointment

I had my teeth cleaned last Wednesday and there was a substitute hygienist there who was really rough. My gums never bleed, but they bled all through the appointment. I called the dentist’s office this morning because on and off this morning my gums are still bleeding. They told me that the bleeding should slack off today or tomorrow. I keep rinsing my mouth with water but it doesn’t permanently stop. I am not sure that I want to go back to that office. What should I do? – Jackie

Jackie – Your concern is understandable—particularly since your gums do not usually bleed when your teeth are cleaned.

Although gums may bleed during dental cleaning, they should not bleed heavily, unless extensive gum disease is present. It may be that you had more plaque buildup than usual during your most recent cleaning. Your gums may bleed for several days after your dental appointment. You should continue to rinse your mouth and include salt in the rinse.

If the bleeding persists, gets worse, or if it’s enough to worry you, schedule an appointment with your dentist to examine your gums and determine the cause of the problem. Swollen gums should also be examined by a dentist. If you are not comfortable with returning to your current dentist, get recommendations from friends or relatives for a new dentist.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Affordable Dentistry

Why didn’t dentist ask me if I could afford this?

After my last dental cleaning, I was told that I needed 2 fillings. No problem. I made the appointment and returned last week for the fillings. While I was in the chair, the dentist said something about 4 fillings and another appointment for preparing my teeth for the crowns. I am certain that I was told that I needed only 2 fillings and nobody said anything to me about crowns. When I asked about it his response was sort of like with the condition of my teeth surely I knew that crowns were needed. Why wouldn’t this be discussed with me? I can’t afford this work any time soon. Is it common for work to be planned on a patient without discussing it with the patient? Sonja

Sonja – Any dental treatment planned or in progress should be thoroughly explained to you. In addition to recommended treatment, your options should be discussed with you.

If it’s necessary treatment, your dentist should be able to give you options as to how the treatment can be made affordable for you. Often treatment can be done in phases, or payment options can be discussed with you.

At this point, you should discuss your concerns with your dentist. If you are not satisfied with the response from your dentist, you can consider getting a second opinion.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

General Dentistry, Toothache

Can a dentist tell if my tooth is making my ear hurt?

Can a dentist tell if my tooth is making my ear hurt or do I need to see a regular doctor? – Janae

Janae – Pain in your tooth or jaw can refer into your ear. If you have a toothache, sensitivity in your tooth, or if there is swelling in the gums around your tooth, you should see a dentist. The toothache may be causing pain in your ear.

If there is no indication of a problem with your tooth, you may choose to see your medical doctor first.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Teeth whitening

Free teeth whitening turned my teeth gray

I got free teeth whitening online and it turned my teeth a weird gray color. I only used it twice. I am afraid that I have totally messed up my teeth. What could have happened? – Lanai

Lanai – If a product that was marketed as teeth whitening gel turned your teeth gray in just two uses, you didn’t receive whitening gel. Without looking at the container or testing the gel, it’s difficult to say what you received.

See a dentist right away and take the product with you to the appointment. Your teeth need to be examined to determine what needs to be done to help restore them.

For our readers: The safest way to whiten your teeth is through your dentist. If you choose to purchase online products, do your research first. Free products or products that are exceptionally low in cost may not yield good results.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Invisalign

Will the superglue hold on my Invisalign?

I have Invisalign. This is the 3rd time that I either lost or cracked a set. I don’t want to tell my mom what happened or how it happened this time. I just want to fix it myself. Will superglue hold them together and still work with all of the saliva in my mouth? – Shayne

Shayne – Super glue is not for use in your mouth. You need a new Invisalign® aligner, and you should not switch in advance to the next set of aligners.

Tell your mom what happened so that you can see your dentist and get new aligners. It is best to get new aligners so that your treatment can continue as planned. We are sure that your mother would prefer you to get replacement aligners that to interrupt and prolong your treatment, or for you to experience bad effects from having super glue in your mouth.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentist problems – help

I went to the dentist last week for a chipped tooth. I made an appointment. My appointment was not cleaning and exam time. I made the appointment specifically for the chipped tooth. My dentist looked at the tooth and all he said was that I should come back in 3 weeks. He didn’t tell me what he would or could do about it. Just reschedule. I was somewhat surprised because this is my regular dentist who I have been seeing for the past 8 years. Why do I have to wait 3 weeks and walk around with a chipped tooth?  Why would this happen? – Tonya

Tonya – Your dentist didn’t explain the reason for the delay in restoring your teeth, so we can’t speculate on why he responded that way.

But you do have choices. You can call your dentist’s office to ask why you were rescheduled for three weeks later.

You can also choose to visit another dentist.  Find a skilled cosmetic dentist to examine your tooth and recommend treatment for it. Cosmetic dentistry restores chipped teeth and can look natural if it’s done by an experienced cosmetic dentist. You may be able to have your tooth restored by a cosmetic dentist much faster than your next appointment with your usual dentist.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

 

Cosmetic Dentistry, Porcelain Crowns

Stinky teeth and headaches. Need to find cheapest dentist in town. Not a dental school please!

How can I find the cheapest dentist around my town without calling every office? I have at least 3 teeth that I know are rotten. They stink and give me headaches and they make my breath stink too. I need to cover them up withcaps and I have only a little dental insurance so I don’t want Lexus caps more like Ford Fiesta caps. Help please. L.Z.

L.Z. – You can get the treatment you need by finding a dentist who offers payment plans or financing to make your treatment affordable.

You can either ask friends and family members for recommendations, or you can find dentists by searching on the Internet for one who will give you natural-looking dental crowns, or caps, and who offers payment plans.

If it’s within your budget, consider having the work done in phases so that you can afford quality crowns that will look natural and last. If you receive inferior crowns, it may be that they will need to be replaced sooner than your budget allows.

Phasing the work and taking advantage of payment plans or financing will give you a long-lasting restoration for your teeth and be easy on your budget.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.