Dr. Antonia P. Koulis, DDS

Yes, it's perfectly okay, so please don't worry. OTC products many times don't have the same strength or potency as prescription grade products, but even then, if you ingest a little bit - unless you're totally allergic to it - you won't cause any harm to your system.

Sorry to hear that. Pain after an extraction is very common even after a week and It may be due to a number of different factors:
1. The complexity of the extraction procedure which can lead to more trauma in the surrounding area and hence more resulting pain and extended healing time.
2. Food build-up in the socket
3. A remnant of a root tip or loose bone chip (something that naturally can occur in all cases of extractions) may be working its way up and needs to be removed or,
4. The occurence of a dry socket - a condition which needs to be treated immediately but not life threatening.
In order to rule out which of these exist, though, I would suggest you return to the doctor that removed your tooth so that he/she can properly evaluate . They will do this by taking an X-ray of the area and directly looking into the extraction site and the surrounding area.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

Yes cola, coffee, and tea are all culprits when it comes to tooth discolorations. I would try to have your teeth professionally cleaned and if you're still not happy with the results, get a tooth whitening.

I'm sorry this is happening to you! There could be a number of reasons.
1. In the case of a tooth colored composite restoration:
a. it may be that during the placement of the filling, saliva and/or blood entered the tooth thus not allowing the materials to bond with the tooth
b. there wasn't any retention made on the tooth to help it stick and stay in or
c. the materials used by the dentists have exceeded their shelf life and so there can be no bonding to hold the filling in.
2. If this is an amalgam filling :
a. once again, retention here is key. When placing an amalgam restoration, you literally have to create retention by drilling out more tooth in a way that the filling can stay put or,
b. The filling was too big to adequately restore the tooth in which case you will need a different restoration ie. full crown, etc.

I'm sorry to hear that. While, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that placing a thin layer of porcelain on your tooth (a veneer) would be the ideal option since it gives you the longevity , you can, if the chip is within a certain size, be replaced with a regular composite filling material. The result in expeert hands can be just as beautiful. However, you need to keep 2 things in mind.
1. A composite has a finite "lasting power" and eventually it too may chip away so you will need to replace it or fix it, and
2. A composite restoration will stain over time depending on the foods or drinks you consume.
Good luck!

I'm sorry to hear this. Usually, the number one reason for bad breath is underlying gum disease. Of course, teeth that are broken down or have
multiple cavities may also lead to bad breath. If it's not an oral issue, it may be stemming from your stomach. Before conducting medical tests, though, I would make an appointment with your dentist to evaluate your periodontal condition by conducting a thorough medical history, a complete periodontal exam, a cavity check and take current X-rays if you haven't had them for awhile. By doing so, the dentist can conclude if in fact the bad breath is stemming from an oral issue or you need to be referred to a specialist for further work up. Good luck.

Fortunately you have many options in order of most conservative to more expensive yet ideal due to minimal trauma to surrounding teeth or permanence of restoration replacing your missing tooth.

1. Don't replace at all, however doing this may eventually lead to the other teeth shifting and other dental issues to arise.

2. Have a removable partial denture made to replace the missing tooth. As its name suggests, this will need to be removed and cleaned.

3. Make a permanent bridge to replace the missing tooth. While this is a permanent solution, you do have to prepare the other 2 teeth on either side to anchor the missing tooth.

4. Replace the missing tooth with a single implant. While many people think implants are expensive, their value lies in the fact that you don't touch any of your natural teeth so you minimize the risk of replacing a bridge should decay occur in the connecting teeth.
I hope stating these options help you make a decision. Of course, the final decision should be made after consulting with your own dentist so that he/she can evaluate your mouth, gums, bone levels, etc., since these may also determine the treatment course of action you choose.

Grinding is very bad for your teeth because it not only will cause your teeth to chip, break, become looser or even shorter, but it could alter your bite significantly leading to muscle pains associated with TMJ disorder. I suggest you visit your dentist to evaluate your mouth and discuss treatmenrt options for you. It may be as simple as wearing a custom made mouth guard

While I understand that you don't want braces, in an effort to provide you with all options, I wouldn't be thorough if I didn't at least mention why orthodontic treatment may be the best way to treat a gap between your teeth. Orthodontic treatment, you see, is the least damaging to your actual teeth since, in the majority of cases, no "prep" work is needed to place them on. If it's the actual silver color of the brackets are the turn off, keep in mind that there are now clear braces available as a more invisible option. Other orthodontic techniques with no brackets are Invisalign or Clear Correct. Both of these, use a system of trays to correct any mis-alignment or teeth gap issues. And now to non-ortho options. Veneers or Composite restorations (tooth-colored fillings) are 2 very easy and fast ways to close that gap. Veneers are lab processed restorations that are placed over prepared teeth and usually accomplished in as little as 2 appointments. Veneers will never change color and the lab following the dentist's precise instructions can make your teeth absolutely beautiful and natural looking. Of course, they are also more expensive than the second option: composite build-ups. Composite Restorations provide you with not only a beautiful result, but a quick one as well - only 1 appointment needed. However, these restorations will discolor and chip over time and will need to be replaced. Any way you decide, please remember you must find a dentist not only well experienced in the knowledge of these techniques, but one that also understands and has thorough knowledge of how your bite, habits, facial structure, coloration and other factors can lead to, in the majority of cases, predictable results.

No, it’s not normal. Usually, there’s 2 major reasons why this would occur:

1. Your teeth are shifting and the teeth can’t come together properly leading to a traumatic bite that leads to your teeth chipping.
Or
2. You have been grinding your teeth to the point that it’s causing them to become weaker and so more prone to chip, weakening them. Either way, you should see a dentist so that they can properly evaluate your bite so that they can prescribe the appropriate treatment for your specific situation.

Yes you still have to floss even though you brush as often as you do. (Bravo to you for doing that!) However, to answer your question, the reason flossing is important is because by doing this step, you are actually are removing food particles and loose plaque between your teeth, allowing your brush that should be the second step in your hygiene routine to actually do its job - truly cleaning your teeth and not moving the food around in your mouth with your brush. FYI, you should also clean your tongue. In this case, don’t use your toothbrush since the bristles of your brush bend and will redeposit the tongue plaque. Rather, use a metal instrument which can be sanitized by placing it in the dishwasher. We like the Yango because it carries a lifetime guarantee and can be placed in the dishwasher.

This is a very common concern among patients and I want to reassure you that unless your general physician has diagnosed your child with some developmental, metabolic, or systemic condition, it is perfectly normal. Some children get their teeth as early as 4 months while others just want to take their time. Don’t worry. Enjoy your time with your beautiful baby and don’t worry about timelines. They’re just very general guidelines but are children our all unique individuals and as such develop at different times and in different ways