First Aid For Knocked Out Teeth

March 31, 2020 admin No Comments

A tooth can get knocked out from a blow or an accident. It happens to children all the time but knowing how to handle a dental emergency is very important. When the entire tooth is knocked out, it is said to have avulsed. Avulsed tooth needs immediate and prompt treatment .If action is taken quickly preferably within 30 minutes there is a chance to save the tooth.

Emergency action can save the avulsed tooth so that it can be replanted successfully and last for years to come. What can be done if a tooth gets knocked off?

Locate the tooth at the accident site and pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface) and NOT the root.
If dirty, gently rinse the tooth with water. The tooth should never be scrubbed or washed with any soap or chemicals. It should be very gently handled to preserve the cells on the root surface.
Try to reposition the tooth into the socket immediately, if possible. Push it in with your fingers slowly and hold it in place by biting down on it.
If repositioning is not possible, or you are unable to do it, store the tooth in cold milk (do not use flavored milk). When milk is not available, place the tooth in the child’s mouth (between the cheeks and gums). Be very careful and do not let the child swallow the tooth.
Milk teeth cannot be replanted. This holds good only for permanent tooth.
Do not use regular water for storage of the tooth as the root surface cells gets destroyed.
See a dental surgeon within 30 minutes of the injury.

If you cannot find a knocked-out tooth, it is still important to see a dentist as soon as possible. The tooth, whether permanent or milk tooth, might be pushed up into the gums and would need to be re-positioned.

Dental Health

CAN SINUSITIS GIVE A TOOTHACHE?

March 31, 2020 admin No Comments

The roots of the top back teeth (premolars and molars) lie just beneath the maxillary sinus. As we age, our sinuses grow and push against the roots of our upper back teeth. An inflamed maxillary sinus exerts pressure on the nerves that enter the roots of the upper teeth resulting in a toothache. This toothache is often confused with other causes of tooth pain like gum disease, tooth decay, or an impacted wisdom tooth. Every winter, allergy sufferers find themselves in dismay with a stuffy nose and a vague pain all over their head and cheek. Many a times, this is accompanied by a persistent toothache of the upper teeth. What does sinusitis have to do with your teeth? Are they related? Yes they are and a sinus infection can bring along with it, a nagging tooth ache. How do you know if the pain you’re feeling is from a sinus infection or a tooth that needs attention? What kind of pain occurs in sinus toothache? These toothaches are intense, continuous, and in the upper back teeth. Sometimes the toothache will be on one side and sometimes it may be on both. It is also possible for the toothache to jump to the lower teeth, causing what is known as a referred pain. What can be done if you have a sinus toothache? Tooth pain related to sinusitis will often diminish or disappear within a few days as the sinusitis is treated. If the pain persists, the cause could be related to the tooth itself. Persistent tooth ache may indicate the presence of other factors such as:

Gum disease
Bruxism, or tooth grinding
Dental decay
Dental abscesses

What is the treatment of a sinus toothache? Any kind of discomfort should not be ignored. There are chances that the toothache is not related to the sinus infection which is why a dental consult should be sought. The dental surgeon will investigate to determine the cause of the pain. A clinical examination, patient’s history and radiographs would be taken to look for the source of pain. If a dental issue is not found, the pain is attributed to the inflamed sinus for which treatment for the sinusitis would be advised. The physician would prescribe antihistamines, decongestants or/and antibiotics, nasal sprays to treat the inflammation and provide relief from the sinusitis and sinus toothache. Sinusitis induced toothache is a relatively common complaint for patients who develop a sinus infection due to a cold or other reasons. Accurate diagnosis is important for the effective treatment of the sinus toothache and the underlying infection that is causing it.

Children Dental

WHY ARE MILK TEETH IMPORTANT?

March 31, 2020 admin No Comments

Primary teeth, also known as “baby teeth” or “deciduous teeth,” or “milk teeth”, begin to erupt approximately six months to one year after birth. Typically, preschool children have a complete set of 20 baby teeth. While the front baby teeth will be shed for permanent adult teeth between 6-8years of age, but the back teeth (canines and molars) aren’t replaced until age 10-12.

Frequently in pediatric dental practice we find parents ignorant about the primary tooth, its function and importance. They often question the necessity of treatment to save and maintain the milk tooth in function since primary teeth will eventually shed.

Maintaining healthy primary teeth is essential to a child’s overall oral and general development. The primary teeth are important in a child’s life as they help in mastication/chewing, in speech & pronunciation, contribute to aesthetics and preserve the integrity of the dental arches, finally guiding permanent teeth into their correct positions. Primary teeth hold the place open for permanent teeth, so that when your child’s adult teeth begin to push through the gum line there is a place ready for them, and the chances of crowded or overlapping teeth and improper eruption are minimized. Your child’s baby teeth also help in the proper growth of jaws.

Untreated carious/decayed teeth in young children frequently lead to pain and infection, necessitating emergency visits to the dentist. Carious teeth in early childhood are not only indicative of future dental problems, they also adversely affect growth and cognitive development by interfering with nutrition, sleep and concentration at school. In addition, they may have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life.If left untreated, primary teeth can drop out completely – causing health and spacing problems for emerging permanent teeth.

Thus there is no logical reason for leaving primary teeth decayed and untreated in a child’s mouth. Early recognition and timely referral of infants and young children with dental caries is critical in preventing the unpleasant complications.So taking care of your child’s SMILE starts right NOW!

Children Dental

CAP THE MILK TOOTH

March 31, 2020 admin No Comments

Why do dentists advise dental caps in children?

Pediatric dentists use metal crowns in children to seal the decay on primary molars and prevent tooth decay from progressing. These are stainless steel crowns and are biocompatible and relatively cheap. An extensively decayed baby tooth needs more than simply filling up the tooth. And therefore, we advise restoring the milk tooth with a metal crown. And especially if the tooth has received pulpal therapy (root canal therapy).Your child’s back teeth are the most used for chewing, and therefore require a restoration that will hold up under pressure until it is time for the milk teeth to fall out .Parents believe that the baby teeth will not remain in their child’s mouth for long. But the truth is that those molars remain around 12 years of age which means those teeth need to be preserved till then as the baby teeth help in guiding the permanent teeth in its proper position and maintains the space for them.

The most commonly used crowns for milk teeth in children are stainless steel crowns. Ceramic tooth coloured crowns are available nowadays . Primary teeth that have extensive decay over multiple surfaces, teeth that are broken or have a significant defect need capping. The crowns are durable and sturdy having full coverage protection for the tooth and less likely to need retreatment. The crowns function like a natural tooth. They allow the child to chew and speak comfortably and stay in place until the milk tooth falls off.

How are metal crowns made in children?

These pre-formed metal crowns are available in different sizes and are easily customizable for any tooth. The pediatric dentist will remove the decayed/damaged part of the tooth making the tooth decay free. We need accurate fit of the crown over the tooth. We check to see if it fully covers the tooth or not. The dentist will advise if the tooth needs to undergo root canal therapy. In such a scenario, the doctor will place the crown after the root canal is completed. Post crown placement the child may feel a little uncomfortable to bite down. But however, the discomfort will go away in 1-2 days.

Our aim is to go for the best treatment option for the milk teeth and the permanent tooth underneath it. Stainless steel metal crowns in children are a long-lasting and cost-effective way to preserve teeth . They preserve a primary tooth and can guide the permanent tooth in its correct position.