Instructions after wisdom tooth removal

CARE TO BE TAKEN AFTER WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION

                 Wisdom tooth removal is a very common procedure and traumatic one for the patient, wisdom teeth are either removed as a preventive measure for future impending complications when the tooth is not erupting in the correct position or when the wisdom tooth are impacted or get decayed that lead to pericoronitis or periapical infection. Following any diagnostic methods recommended by the dentist is IOPA or an OPG will help in deciding “when to remove impacted wisdom tooth”.

          Depending on the type of impaction, the wisdom tooth removal is planned. There is simple wisdom tooth removal which is less traumatic but in case 3^rd molar is covered by bone and is impacted, it requires bone trimming to remove the tooth. After wisdom tooth removal swelling starts on 2nd & 3rd day and subsequently it reduces. The patient might also encounter difficulty in mouth opening which is also common.The dentist will give you the instructions or you can read ahead the instructions to follow to help manage wisdom tooth removal.

Care to be taken after wisdom tooth removal in an organized time based manner – 1^st hour after wisdom tooth removal, 1^st day, care for 2^nd and 3^rd day.

CARE/INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW FOR THE FIRST HOUR AFTER WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL:

Immediately after removal of wisdom tooth and after leaving the dentist’s office the main thing you need to follow is

• Bite down on the cotton or gauze  piece firmly for 1hour.
• Do not remove the cotton from the site of extraction.
• Make sure your tongue doesn’t inspect the extraction site.
• Do not spit or gargle for 1 hour, swallow the saliva or blood which fills your oral cavity.
• Do not smoke and do not drink with a straw.
  
• If the cotton or gauze is dislodged from the site, replace it with a moist or wet piece as a dry piece might dislodge the blood clot.
• Apply ice pack from outside the oral cavity.
• Never apply or have anything hot.

ICE PACK APPLICATION

CARE/INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW FOR THE FIRST DAY AFTER WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL:

Once proper care is taken for the 1^st hour after extraction, there will be formation of a organized blood clot and bleeding will be controlled and once that is achieved you have to follow the steps, that are divided into 2 categories –things to do and things not to do after wisdom tooth removal.

NOTE: If you are seeing constant bleeding after 6-8 hours after extraction call up your dentist and get it checked.

THINGS NOT TO DO 1^ST DAY AFTER WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL –

• Do not gargle aggressively till the 2^nd to 3^rd day after extraction.
• Do not brush on that site for one day after extraction.
• 
  

  

  DON'T BRUSH ON 1ST DAY AFTER REMOVAL

• Do not touch the extraction site with your tongue or fingers or any other object.
• Do not smoke as it will lead to dry socket and it delays healing as well which is a very painful condition caused due to exposed bone and needs immediate attention.
• Take rest for the first day after extraction and avoid any stress inducing work or even driving for long hours.
• Avoid hot food and drinks and never drink anything with a straw as this will dislodge the blood clot as well due to the increased  negative pressure created.
• Swelling is normal after surgery which might start after 6-8 hrs. Never apply anything hot or apply pain balms outside the extraction site as this will aggravate the swelling and pain considerably.
• Do not chew on hard substances for 1^st day and  avoid chewing gums or popcorn or the substances which can get stuck in the extraction sockets.
• Do not try to open your mouth wide forcefully on the 1^st day after surgery.

THINGS TO DO FOR FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD DAY AFTER WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL—

• It is important to maintain good oral hygiene, so you need to gargle gently and not aggressively – this has to be done after 24 hours of the surgery.
• Making a solution of lukewarm water with salt in it is the best way to keep your mouth clean after surgery.
• 
  

  

  MOUTH CLEANING WITH SALT WATER

• You can start brushing on the second day after extraction but take utmost care at the extraction site, avoid vigorous brushing and brushing in a slow and organized manner is needed to keep the surroundings of the extraction site clean and neat.
• The swelling will be at its highest intensity for the second and third days after extraction and it will gradually keep decreasing from 3^rd day onwards.
• With swelling and due to opening of mouth for a prolonged time, you will be facing difficulty in mouth opening. Slow stretching exercise by opening and closing the mouth for several times from 2^nd day on wards help in loosening up the muscles.

DIET AFTER WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL:

•       Do not eat any solid food till the local anesthetic wares off (you might injure your tongue).
•       Take nourishing food which is not hot or hard.
•       Liquid or soft diet which doesn’t need chewing is recommended for the 1^st day after extraction.
•       From 2^nd day onwards solid foods can be taken but not hot and spicy oily foods.
•        Do not skip meals on 2^nd and 3^rd day as there is swelling and restricted mouth opening it will be better to take liquid or semisolid diet till mouth opening is improved.

CONCLUSION:

No two patients are the same  and no two wisdom tooth removal surgeries panout in the same manner, so if you have any doubts regarding increased and prolonged bleeding and persistent pain after day1 contact your dental office for expert opinion as there might be post extraction infection which should be dealt with in the dental office immediately.

Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center has specialists with proven expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery.This offering from Rootz is primarily to benefit patients from OMR, Thoraipakkam, Perungudi, Neelankarai, Palavakkam, Injambakkam etc .For more information regarding treatments contact us today.

                         Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center, 

                                                No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,

                                                Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,

                                                Chennai - 600 097,

                                                Phone :- 9786688755,044-49504825

                                                              Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com

Cavities in children

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES

                                Early childhood caries (ECC), also known as baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD) is a preventable, infectious disease caused by certain types of bacteria that live in your mouth. Bacteria stick to the film on your teeth called plaque. The bacteria feed on what you eat, especially sugars & cooked starch and produce acids, these acids can break down the tooth’s outer surface and dissolve valuable minerals. The result is cavities. Children who snack frequently, have a high level of bacteria, or go to sleep with a bottle containing anything other than water, are more likely to have ECC. 

How to prevent ECC? 

                      

Many parents do not realize that nutritious food and drinks such as milk, formula, breast milk, and fruit juice have naturally occurring sugars that contribute to the decay process. When children go to bed with a bottle containing milk for example, liquid sits in the child’s mouth for an extended period creating a perfect environment for bacteria. You can’t stop feeding your child nutritious food, but you can regulate when and how often your child is exposed to “sugar hits.” Limit between meal snacking and if a bottle is needed, use only water at nap/bed time. 

Research shows that children are not born with the bacteria that cause decay, but are infected with it, usually at an early age, from their caregiver – primarily mom. If you have ever had a cavity, you carry the bacteria that cause cavities. Caregivers with untreated cavities have higher levels of bacteria in their mouth and are more likely to pass bacteria to their children. Visit your dentist for a check up and have cavities filled. Your dentist may recommend a mouthwash or chewing gum containing xylitol to help reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth.

Bacteria is passed through saliva before the first tooth appears. 

• Avoid sharing spoons and forks with your child 

• Proper feeding techniques and cleaning your child’s mouth will also help prevent ECC. 

• Hold your baby when you feed him/her 

• Remove the bottle when baby falls asleep 

• Wipe off baby’s teeth/gums with a damp washcloth at least twice per day and when baby is done eating.

Parents play an important role in the early detection of decay. Lift your child’s lip to look for early signs of decay – white spots. If you see white spots, especially on your child’s front teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist may want to apply fluoride for a few months to protect your child’s teeth from further damage. When your baby‘s first tooth erupts, begin cleaning baby’s teeth with a soft washcloth or small, soft toothbrush with a tiny smear of toothpaste with fluoride. At this age, your dentist or pediatrician may also want to prescribe fluoride supplements. Fluoride helps strengthen developing teeth making them more resistant to decay. Children that drink fluoridated community water should not receive fluoride supplements. Begin brushing your child’s teeth with a pea-size dab of toothpaste at age two. Instruct your child to spit out the toothpaste after brushing. Continue to help your child brush their teeth until they have mastered this skill – usually around eight years old.

 

Remember:

 • Avoid passing your saliva to your child.

 • Put water in baby’s bottle or sippy cup at nap/bed time.

 • Lift your child’s lip to look for signs of decay.

 • Offer healthy foods and limit sugary food and drinks.

 • Keep baby’s mouth clean.

 • Take baby to a dentist when his or her first tooth erupts or by age one, whichever is earlier. Schedule your exam with a dentist for optimal oral health.

Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center has specialists with proven expertise in pediatric dentistry.This offering from Rootz is primarily to benefit patients from OMR, Thoraipakkam, Perungudi, Neelankarai, Palavakkam, Injambakkam etc .For more information regarding treatments contact us today.

                                             

                                   Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center, 

                                                     No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,

                                                     Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,

                                                     Chennai - 600 097,

                                                     Phone :- 9786688755,044-49504825

                                                     Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com

Broken front teeth

           Broken Front Tooth! Now What?

                There are few dental traumas worse than breaking a front tooth. A broken front tooth impairs your ability to eat and talk, and there’s the embarrassment that comes from missing such a key part of your smile.

The time just after breaking or losing a front tooth requires quick decisions made from solid information. Like a lot of medical issues, there are a lot of myths there about what to do or not to do.

What’s the Status of Your Broken Front Tooth?

All of this information applies to dental injuries that occur as a result of a trauma, not because of tooth decay. A broken front tooth sounds simple, but there are actually several varieties of trauma that a person can suffer. Each has its own symptoms and treatment plan:

Loose Tooth

A tooth concussion is another name for a loose tooth as a result of taking a hit to the mouth. It is typically accompanied by bleeding and mild to moderate pain.

If your tooth is still intact but a little loose, you might be feeling lucky because you were spared the worst. That might be true, but it does not mean you can sit back and relax. Depending on the strength of the hit, the tooth might have damage to the root or have been pushed into your jaw, neither of which are visible to you.

Because of this, it’s important to seek emergency dental treatment as soon as possible after the concussion occurs.

Broken Tooth

A broken tooth occurs when a substantial piece of the tooth is knocked out, often exposing its roots and pulp.

This will look like a mixture of white, dark, and red areas. If you suffer a broken tooth, you will likely be in moderate to severe pain and will feel the need to see a dentist as soon as possible. Left untreated, broken teeth can result in severe pain, infection, swelling, and a potential medical emergency.

Knocked Out Tooth (Tooth Avulsion)

A tooth that’s been completely knocked out, also known as a dental avulsion, will result in the most bleeding of these three traumas. Much like any other wound, apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding. Head for the emergency room if the bleeding does not stop within 30 minutes, or if you have a history of problems with clotting after an injury.

If you can find the tooth, place it in milk (or water or saliva if milk is not available) to preserve it until you are able to get to the dentist. Do not touch or attempt to scrub the tooth’s root.

Dental Emergency – What to Expect at the Dentist

In most situations the dentist will take X-rays of the affected area to determine the severity of the situation, then create a treatment plan for temporary and permanent solutions based on the severity of the injury.

Each situation is different, but if the original tooth can be saved, the dentist will usually try to save it. If the front tooth is broken then it may be splinted to the teeth on either side to help keep it stable while it heals. For an avulsed tooth, the dentist may want to try to reinsert the tooth. If the tooth can be reinserted, this is the best case scenario, however, expect a few follow up appointments for the dentist to monitor the healing of the tooth.

If the broken front tooth cannot be saved, the doctor will discuss your options for short and long term tooth replacement options. These may include a crown, bridge, implant or partial denture.

Get Help Quickly

Your tooth is not going to heal on its own, so it’s important to get to the dentist as soon as possible after the trauma occurs. Not seeking medical care can lead to an infection or the possibility that a partially-damaged tooth would need to be completely extracted.

                             Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center, 

                                          No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,

                                         Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,

                                        Chennai - 600 097,

                                        Phone :- 9786688755,044-49504825

                                                     Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com

    Best Age for Braces?

One question that many people, especially parents, face is at what is the best age for braces?

Get them too early and further treatment might be required later in life; get them too late and they may need to be worn for a longer period of time or cause additional problems for the already angst-ridden teenage years.

There’s no universal right answer to this question, but we can draw from our years of experience to provide some advice on factors to consider when deciding the best age for braces.

Early Intervention: Ages 7-9

We recommend having a child evaluated for braces as early as age 7. This does not mean that braces will be applied that early, but it can give you a roadmap of what future treatment might look like.

By age 7, most baby teeth have started to come out and an orthodontist can get a good sense of what the alignment of permanent teeth will look like. 

In some cases, braces or partial teeth aligners may be applied at this stage if a child is having difficulty talking or eating due to poor teeth alignment.

A child is also a candidate for early braces if he or she has protruding teeth, a cross bite, or tooth crowding.

cross bite(front teeth)                                                       Cross Bite(back teeth)

Catching and treating these symptoms early can prevent them from becoming worse as more permanent teeth arrive.

If your child needs braces at an early age, be prepared to help him or her take care of them. Wearing braces can provide a valuable lesson in self-care, but may require additional intervention until good habits are formed.

Prime Treatment Time: Ages 10-14

Most children who receive braces begin treatment between the ages of 10 and 14. At this age, baby teeth have completely fallen out and the jaw is stable enough to support long-term orthodontic treatment.Braces come in several varieties from traditional metal brackets to ceramics and invisible aligners.

METAL BRACKETS

CERAMIC BRACKETS

INVISIBLE ALIGNERS

What used to be a stigma about wearing braces has largely been eliminated due to the prevalence of braces among adolescents, but it is important to talk with your child about the changes to his or her appearance that will come as a result of wearing braces.

Unlike young children, teens and pre-teens should be mature and responsible enough to manage braces on their own with little parental intervention. The average time for wearing braces at this age is one and a half to two years.

Once braces come off, a retainer will likely be needed to keep teeth in their correct alignment and prevent additional treatment later on.

FIXED RETAINERS

Older Options: Ages 14+

Contrary to what you might think, you are never too old for braces! Many adults do not have access to orthodontics as kids or delay getting braces for other reasons.

Think of teeth the way you would any other bone on your body. They do stop growing at the end of adolescence, but it’s still possible to correct them throughout your life. If your arm breaks, it can heal and be put back into place with a cast. Teeth are no different.

As an adult, you likely already have an established routine that will need to modified to account for braces. You may need to alter your diet, your morning and evening schedules, or even some of the activities you do. Wearing braces for a few years can save you from more serious dental issues down the road.

CONCLUSION

                     In the end, the best way to know the best age for braces is to receive a professional evaluation from an certified orthodontist.

Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center has specialists with proven expertise in orthodontic dentistry.This offering from Rootz is primarily to benefit patients from OMR, Thoraipakkam, Perungudi, Neelankarai, Palavakkam, Injambakkam etc .For more information regarding treatments contact us today.

Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center, 

No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,
Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thoraipakkam,
Chennai - 600 097,
Phone :- 9786688755 

Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com

Web:- www.rootzdentalcare.in