Baton Rouge Dentist

Archives for June 2024

Why Does Cool Water Relieve My Toothache Temporarily?

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I got four fillings 12 years ago, and two fell out. The fills that fell out don’t hurt, but one of the remaining fillings causes severe pain when I chew on that side of my mouth. Swishing my mouth with cool water relieves the pain but only briefly. Why would a stable filling hurt? Thanks. Braxton from OK

 

Braxton,

The tooth with the filling that hurts when you chew has symptoms of dying tooth pulp. You will need root canal treatment to save the tooth. Bacteria may have seeped beneath the filling, causing decay. As the tooth pulp dies, gases from bacteria increase pressure inside the tooth and cause a toothache.

Why Does Cool Water Decrease Tooth Pain?

Cool water decreases the gases released from bacteria inside a tooth and temporarily eases tooth pain. It is like the relief from applying an ice pack to reduce swelling in a sprained wrist or ankle.

You can get relief from root canal treatment to remove the infected tissue inside your tooth. After the root canal, your dentist will seal the tooth after replacing the diseased pulp with dental filler material. A dental crown will protect the tooth from further weakening.

Your dentist will recommend replacing the fillings that fell out. Checking the remaining fillings can prevent future concerns.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post.  Read how Dr. Perry strives to provide some of the best dental care in Baton Rouge.

My Full-Mouth Reconstruction Is Falling Apart

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In the fall of 2022, I got a full-mouth reconstruction with crowns, veneers, and dental implants. I’ve had six veneers and crowns fall off, but the dentist put them all back. The problem is worse now with gaps between my teeth and exposed screws. It hurts to eat anything hard, crunchy, or chewy. My mouth feels raw. The dentist closed his office without notification, and I’ve searched online but haven’t found his new office. Will I need to repeat all my dental work? Megan from Toledo, OH

Megan,

Unfortunately, it seems that you have been victimized. Although you cannot find a record online, contact the Ohio Dental Board to report the problem and determine if you have any recourse.

We advise you not to look for a dentist with cheap implant services. Most often, cheap dental implants involve shortcuts in diagnostics (X-ray or 3D CT scan) or cheap implant fixtures. Although you don’t need the most expensive implant dentist, avoid looking for a bargain.

Check dentists’ advanced implant and cosmetic dentistry training before scheduling consultations. If you cannot find a dentist with satisfactory training and experience, find a periodontist, a specialist with two to three years of post-graduate training in dental implants. If you consult a dentist instead of a specialist, ask about their experience in full-mouth reconstruction.

Ensure the dentist you choose makes a careful diagnosis with a three-dimensional CT scan before creating a treatment plan for implants and cosmetic dentistry. Please don’t accept anything less.

Also, check the dentist’s online review, looking for any hints from patients about the dentist’s clinical troubles. Although you can’t trust all online reviews, check them.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post. Please read about how he strives to provide his patients with the best care possible.