All posts by AllSmiles

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.

Invisalign

Can my sister and me share Invisalign?

Both me and my sister have gaps between our teeth. Mine are a little more crooked than hers. She is 16 and I will be 18 next month. Our mom said we can get Invisalign but since we both have jobs we have to help pay for it. We are wondering if we can share Invisalign. If I start on it first then give the trays to her whenever I am finished with a set. That way both of our teeth will get straight for the price of one. Is this possible? thanks – Lillie

Lillie – You and your sister are not able to share Invisalign® aligners. The aligners are custom made for each person.

The aligners are made based on the shape and current position of your teeth, and the precise positions to which your teeth need to move to get them perfectly aligned. The required movement of your teeth will be different from your sister’s.

Your aligners will not fit your sister’s teeth and vice versa. Trying to make your aligners fit on someone else’s teeth will do more harm than good. Your dentist will have separate treatment plans and separate Invisalign aligners for you and your sister.

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

Teeth whitening

Huge S&H charges from free teeth whitening scam

I got several pop-up ads for free teeth whitening on web pages I was viewing. The ad said that I only need to pay shipping and handling so I ordered it. I never received free teeth whitening, but I did receive three charges on my credit card for the shipping and handling – $24.99 for each charge! Now I am working with my credit card company to get the charges removed. Do you know of any legitimate places where I can get free teeth whitening? – Jan

Jan – We are sorry to hear about your costly experience. There are many scams for free teeth whitening. Often, if you do receive the product, it doesn’t work well, if it works at all.

Believe it or not, many dentists offer free teeth whitening. Dr. Lacy offers free take-home whitening treatment to patients who remain current with their exams and cleanings. If the teeth whitening from your didn’t isn’t free, he or she may offer specials or work out a plan with you to make it affordable for you.

Let your dentist know that you want to whiten your smile. He or she will let you know your payment options.

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