James John White

Certainly, just be aware that coffee (or tea) will stain the teeth and it is difficult to remove with the tooth brush. A daily rinse with 3% hydrogen peroxide helps keep stain away. The dental hygienist can remove stain with a Prophyjet that we use in my office. Good luck with the braces!

If you have a toothache you need attention. Dental problems only get worse without treatment and never better.

Until there is no more numbness in your mouth and/or lips.

Nothing a dentist can do is forever. Forever is never possible in any aspect of life. Perhaps a poor analogy would be that one is continually repairing their automobile even thought it was just repaired for something else. The dishwasher breaks down though just serviced, the wash machine needs servicing though just purchased a few years ago, etc. Not even natural, virgin teeth can always last forever, they break, chip, move, etc. Many factors are involved in how long dentistry will last, efficient regular brushing, flossing, good diet, positioning of teeth, decay index, seeing your dentist and dental hygienist several times a year for routine maintenance. The better a person takes care of their dental investment, the longer it will last.

Brushing, flossing, water pik. The cleaner you keep your teeth the less chance that plaque will collect on the tooth's surface. The bacteria live in the plaque. Keeping excellent oral hygiene and seeing your dental professional twice a year is the best step in the right direction to keeping your teeth a lifetime. It is all doable and it works!

Typically it takes at least 2 weeks for symptoms to abate. Further healing time is needed for them to totally resolve. They are viral in cause and there is no magic pill that can prevent them. A topical application of Debacterol (chemical cautery) by Northern Research, comes in unit doses of 12, and will usually relieve the pain/discomfort from canker sores. It does not make them heal any faster but the discomfort goes away. Your dentist will need to call in the Rx.

Brushing, frequent use of a water pik, and using a floss threader to go under the appliances and between the teeth to floss everything from between the teeth. Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide can also assist in taking things off the braces, but does not replace everything else.

An oral surgeon is the one who will best direct you regarding this concern.

Any toothpaste which contains the recommended levels of fluoride will assist in helping to strengthen enamel.

Two Advil and Two Tylenol (4 tabs.) taken at once and then alternating between Advil and Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as needed should help get you over this period of discomfort. In today's dentistry most people find that having a root canal done by an endodontist (root canal specialist) is rarely followed with a great deal of discomfort especially when there was no severe infections present.

You can drink coffee anytime after the anesthetic has worn off. Just be careful it's not too hot.

James J. White, DDS, FAGD, FADI