| Q. |
What are some examples of
dental care emergencies?
|
| A. |
Some examples of dentistry emergencies are
avulsed
teeth, extruded teeth, broken teeth, a bitten tongue or lip, objects
that are caught between teeth, toothaches, and possible broken
jaw.
|
| Q. |
What are avulsed teeth?
|
| A. |
Avulsed teeth are teeth that are knocked
out.
|
| Q. |
What should you do if your tooth is
knocked out?
|
| A. |
If your tooth is knocked out you should carefully
rinse the tooth with water. You should attempt to place the tooth
back in its socket and secure it with a wet wrap. If you can not
place the tooth back in its socket, put it in a glass with either
saliva or milk. Then you should contact your dentist
immediately.
|
| Q. |
What are extruded teeth?
|
| A. |
Extruded teeth are
teeth that are forced out of
position.
|
| Q. |
What should you do if your tooth is pushed out
of position?
|
| A. |
If your tooth is pushed out of
place you should reposition it to its normal alignment using very
light finger pressure. You should hold the tooth in place with a
moist gauze or tissue. Make sure that a dentist sees you within a
half an hour.
|
| Q. |
What do you do
when you have a toothache?
|
| A. |
When you have a toothache, you
should clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water and remove any
food that is trapped between teeth by flossing. Do not apply aspirin
on the aching tooth or gum tissues. See your dentist as soon as
possible.
|
|
Q. |
What do you do if you have something
caught between your teeth
|
| A. |
If you have an object caught
between your teeth you should try to remove it with dental floss
gently. Sometimes it helps to double up the floss. Do not attempt to
remove the object with a sharp or pointed device. If you can not
still can not remove the object, see your
dentist.
|
| Q. |
How would you
treat a bitten tongue or lip?
|
| A. |
To treat a bitten tongue or lip
you should gently clean the area with a cloth and apply cold
compresses to reduce swelling. If the bleeding continues, go to the
hospital emergency room.
|
| Q. |
Why do we brush our teeth?
|
| A. |
We brush our
teeth to remove bacteria and left over
food particles from the mouth.
|
| Q. |
How long should you brush your
teeth?
|
| A. |
You should brush your teeth twice a day for at least
two to three minutes (until they are clean!).
|
| Q. |
What can you do to slow down acid
production when you can’t brush your teeth?
|
| A. |
If you can’t brush your teeth you can rinse your
mouth with water after a meal or snack to reduce acid reproduction
by 30%. Wiping your teeth with a napkin is also a temporary measure
until you can brush your teeth. Chewing sugar free gum helps,
too.
|
|
Q. |
What is tooth bleaching?
|
| A. |
Tooth bleaching or whitening is the process of
lightening stains or discoloration of your
teeth.
|
| Q. |
What is involved in tooth
bleaching?
|
| A. |
Your dentist will determine which bleaching method
is right for you. They will either use an in-office bleaching system
or laser bleaching during your dental visit. But, most patients
choose dentist-at-home-supervised bleaching. This method involves a
custom-made mouth guard for the patient along with bleaching
materials. You will be given instructions on how to wear the mouth
guard and this type of method generally required ten to fourteen
days to complete.
|
| Q. |
How does tooth
bleaching work?
|
| A. |
Tooth bleaching whitens the
teeth when the active whitening agent, carbamide peroxide, contacts
water and hydrogen peroxide is released.
|
| Q. |
Is tooth
bleaching safe?
|
| A. |
Studies have proven bleaching
to be safe and effective. Bleaching does not soften, demineralize,
or weaken the
teeth. |
| Q. |
What are digitized X-rays?
|
| A. |
A digitized X-ray is a computerized technology that
allows a small sensor placed inside the patient’s mouth to take the
X-ray and instantly display it on a computer screen for the dentist
to review. |
