Dr. Justin P. Rader

An infection in the tooth is different than the rest of the body because the pulp (artery/vein/nerve) are directly encased by the hardest material in the body. So when decay from bacteria eats a hole in the tooth or trauma to the tooth reach the pulp, it begins to die or become necrotic. So now, the bacteria eat the pulp for food and our body wants to get away from the infection, so our immune system dissolves bone around the infection and tries to encase it in thicker skin, thus an abcess. The source of the infection is not gone and we don't have blood supply to the infected area to deliver antibodies or antibiotics in the tooth, it is a chronic infection. It is resolved by removing the dead pulp tissue and dead hard tissue (cavity) from the tooth and restoring it by getting in the canal of the root and sealing it with what is called a Root Canal and Crown. The other way to remove the source of the infection is to remove the tooth if it is not restorable or the patient does not want to do a root canal. The main goal of preventing this from happening is to get regular dental exams/cleanings to identify possible food traps or early cavities before they progress to the pulp in the tooth.

The teeth will need to be tested to diagnose if the nerve or pulp inside the sensitive teeth are simply swollen and reversible or swollen and irreversible or if the nerve has died. Some people feel the sensitivity more than others, so vitality testing and a dentist exam with xrays will give a better answer. If it is the simplest case of sensitivity, then use a fluoride mouthrinse every night and sensodyne toothpaste everyday and should start feeling better in a few days to a week. Also, a person may need some type of night guard if clenching/grinding your teeth during the day and/or night....

Staining of teeth over time is caused by our dark foods and drinks. The high frequency of consuming them makes staining teeth worse faster due to acid contact time on enamel. Teeth need a break between meals to get back to a neutral environment to combat bad bacteria and remineralize. Coffee, tea, soda,energy drinks, wine, blueberries are some of the staining agents. Smoking is tremendously staining due to tar and drying out teeth to make teeth stain easier and nicotine reduces saliva production to keep teeth a little dryer than should be. Medications can dry mouth a bit as well. Saliva aids in getting acids neutralized as well and bathing teeth to remove foods from teeth. But the only way to remove the biofilm like plaque is to brush 2xday for 2 min. each time and floss and use of fluoride mouthrinse at night. Then try some whitening strips and options for whitening at your dental office once you have a healthy mouth. Sensitive teeth could be from multiple reasons and whitening can make them more sensitive. Then reduce frequency of drinks and snacks to just meal times with only water between meals and you may have to find how often you need whitening touch up to maintain the shade of white you want.

Clove oil is used in dentistry. It is called Eugenol. Often used for dry socket in extractions when the clot was pulled out during healing, as eugenol aids in reducing the symptoms. It can be used for symptomatic teeth, but it is only treating the symptoms and will need to be looked at by a dentist in order to get a diagnosis and recommended treatment.

An abcess related to a tooth is not resolved the same way an abcess in soft tissue of the body. Antibiotics can calm it down for about a month, but will needed dental treatment from a dentist. With possible options as extraction if the tooth is unrestorable or Root canal and crown to save the tooth.

Braces depend the system used to determine the frequency of changing out parts. Generally, one time per month to get traditional braces with brackets and wires. The clear aligner braces may need changed out every two weeks but visit to a dental office every 4-6 weeks.

Teeth are more than just calcium. It is multiple minerals from our diet that we are concerned about and can be properly consumed through leafy green veggies and other supplements. Daily care and fluoride rinses are encouraged to aid in making the teeth more resistant to acid erosion from regular foods and highly recommended to not sip on drinks like coffee/tea/soda/energy drinks between meals.

With symptoms like that, you should see a dentist right away for treatment options. It will need evaluated for possible large restorations in order to save the tooth. If the tooth is not restorable from large decay/cavity or a fracture below the bone level, then it will most likely need extracted and tooth replacement options discussed.

When your gums bleed or a wound in the mouth is open, then the saliva and plaque have access to get into your blood stream. If soft plaque stays in the mouth without being brushed off, it will harden up. Both are like houses for the bacteria to live in. It is a biofilm that needs to be removed 2xday so it does not harden and more difficult to remove with out the aid of a hygienist. The bacteria use acid as their byproduct to erode enamel and thus a cavity forms. When they live in the hole of the tooth they created, the they are more difficult to reach and grow more quickly toward the center of the tooth and can eat the nerve for food. It can lead to dead pulp inside the tooth that leads to an abcess and your body trys to fight the bacteria from the very beginning, but we need to give our body a chance by simply removing it when it is soft and allow our mouth to be in a neutral environment between meals with introduction of more soda/coffee/snacks that aid the bacterial growth. Many of the bacteria live these biofilms/plaque and we swallow them over and over or we push them into the blood stream upon bleeding in the gums/abcess... So yes, bacteria of the mouth does spread to the throat/heart and other area of the body through swallowing them and in the blood.

Braces are usually the best way. Sometimes a filling can be added on each tooth, but a person/dentist will need to look at the aesthetics of the proportions of the tooth at that point. The teeth may look too wide if trying to close too big of a gap. Sometimes, one can get multiple crowns/veneers on the front teeth to fill the gap and maintain some proportions, but that is spendy financially for a small gap and to do to health teeth. If you can, finish with braces/clear tray liners and then maintain it with a retainer.

There can be recent abrasion to teeth if switching toothbrushes is too hard, but many abrasions look similar to erosion or abfractions that grooves at the gumline as well. One dentist may see it as your normal and it has not changed for some time, but a new exam will want to cover all concerns and then monitor. It is good to be aware of it and watch with the supervision of your dentist.

The best you can do is try to maintain the filling for as long as you can by avoiding staining foods/drinks/smoking right on that tooth. Use of a straw and little frequency of bathing the teeth with such things as soda/coffee/wine/smoking/blueberries can get more life out of a filling. Rinse with water and use of flouride mouthrinse to harden the teeth to make them more resistant to acid erosion from those drink/foods/smoking. And if smoking, it is always best to stop.

Many people have some time of TMJ function that is affected. It is common for varioius life events as a child, sports, falling, or impact. Once it happens, many people develop a click/pop that is persistent. Try not to encourage it; you don't want it to get more pronounced like a callus getting rubbed will get bigger. It may just be easier for you to get a sore joint now and will need to manage it gently with chewy foods. If it gets sore again or pops/clicks easier, then stay off the chewy things for up to 3-4 weeks, because a joint just takes time for the swelling to go down before you get back to normal use again.

Daily care and diet play the biggest role in enamel breaking down. Acid erosion happens when we eat, so having coffee/soda/snacks in between meal times can prolong acid wear and tooth enamel breakdown. Reduce that frequency to just meal times, Brush 2xday and floss. Use of flouride mouthrinse each night is good to harden the enamel in order to make it more resistant to acid erosion. And regular dental exam/cleanings to help with areas that may need more attention.

It can be the way the enamel developed, but many people do rub their teeth together and cause the enamel to become a sharp edge. It can be smoothed down if it causes trauma to lips and tongue.

Many dental offices offer non-insured dental plans. Others pay as they go. Most of the times, if your oral health is good and doesn't need much work, then it is less expensive to just pay for the 2x cleanings and checkups with X-rays per year.

This can be a problem for frequent pressure on your teeth over time. Try to retrain your swallow reflex with your tongue to move back when swallowing. Easier said than done. Use a retainer at night. A clear tray retainer can be made at most dental offices or an orthodontist.

When you brush your teeth, spit the toothpaste out but don't rinse with water afterwards. Before bedtime, place a little glob of toothpaste over the sensitivity and you may evaluate your teeth for clenching or grinding habits. An over-the-counter night guard that covers your upper arch of teeth can be purchased and use it for about a month. If you grind through it, then you will need a professionally made night guard. If you grind during the day, try to stop. Easier said then done. Or distract your habits with gum or sugarless lozenges and it may come to a daytime mouth guard on lower that is thin.

Use mouth rinses that are antiseptic and have flouride in them, like a purple Listerine, every night before bedtime. There is a Listerine zero version that has zero alcohol if it burns too much. You may have sensitive teeth and gums, but if daily care is not doing it with brushing 2x per day at 2 minutes each, check on your diet. If there is high frequency of acid consumption (coffee, soda, energy drinks), then your teeth may be demineralized from them. Use them only at mealtimes and then only water in between meals. If this is not an issue, revisit with your dentist to see about possible cavities or different prescription mouthrinse/toothpaste.