Miami Dental Blog
How to Care for Your Teeth after Receiving Dental Treatment
While some of the dental procedures such as whitening or regular cleanings are not complicated at all, others such as a dental implant or root canal treatment may lead to post-treatment complications in a few cases.
All dental procedures have one thing in common, they all need proper after-care to ensure optimal healing and better results. Usually, your doctor will provide you with the after-care instructions. At your Miami family dentist, we provide patients with detailed guidance and support after any dental treatment.
However, you may need to take special care depending on your dental procedure. Here we will try to cover three different types of dental producers to provide you with a general idea of how to take care of your teeth and gums.
1) Caring for Your Tooth after a Root Canal
Thanks to the advancement in dentistry, root canal treatments are no longer as painful as they used to be. However, you still need to take a few precautions after the procedure to get better results.
- Usually, anesthesia is used during the root canal treatment. It can last up to one-three hours. You should wait till it wears off completely as chewing on the numb side may lead to injuring your tongue or lip.
- Ask your dentist what and when you should eat after the treatment. Usually, you can eat soft foods and liquids immediately after the treatment. Avoid eating hot or cold foods and beverages as they will cause irritation.
- Root canal treatment takes place in two stages. First, the dentist will remove your infection and add a temporary filling. In a few weeks, a permanent crown is used to replace this filling. You should avoid eating chewy, hard, and crunchy food until crown replacement as it can damage the temporary filling. These foods can even break the tooth.
- You may feel mild tenderness around the treated area which is extremely common. You may also feel a slight pain while opening and closing your jaw. You can use over-the-counter medication to treat the pain. Your dentist may also prescribe painkillers. Take them as directed. But, if the pain persists or becomes acute, call your dentist immediately.
- You should brush and floss your teeth during the treatment. However, be careful. Use a brush with soft bristles. Don’t force floss around the treated area.
- Though rare, post-root canal infections can occur and may lead to further complications. Visible swelling around the treatment area is often a sign of post-root canal infection. Sometimes they can also be the result of allergic reactions to medications or anesthesia. If this happens, contact your dentist right away.
2) Caring for Your Tooth after a Dental Implant
A dental implant involves the surgical attachment of a crown, bridge, facial prosthesis or denture to the jaw bone or skull. It is one of the most common dental treatments and needs proper after-care.
- Compared to the root canal, the numbness may last longer after a dental implant. It can last for a few hours following the procedure. But, you may experience residual numbness or tingling up to six weeks after the treatment.
- Avoid eating or moving your jaw until the anesthesia fades off completely. Eat only soft foods, at least for the first two-four days. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol for the 48 hours after the treatment.
- Mild gum swelling and pain are quite common during dental implants. You can use over-the-counter painkillers every three-four hours till the bedtime to reduce the pain.
- Apply an ice bag to the affected facial area every 15 minutes on the first day after the implant.
- As long as possible, use a soft nylon toothbrush to clean your teeth after the implant. At least, use an electric brush with soft and pliable bristles. Clean the area around the new crown and the implant gently. You can also use a nylon-coated interdental brush or proxabrush clean the hard-to-reach areas around the implant.
- You may need to use a floss threader or a specialized floss with a built-in threader designed for cleaning around a fixed bridge or dental implant. You can use oral irrigators or water flossers to clean the area around your implant and crown.
3) Caring for Your Tooth after Extraction
Tooth extraction involves painless removal of a tooth or tooth roots. It may involve surgical removal of tooth and tooth particles. According to Dr. Papiernik, you need to take extra care of your oral health following the extraction.
“Recovery typically takes a few days. Care is taken to cause minimum trauma to the surrounding tissues to reduce the bleeding and possible infection. Patients can go home immediately after the extraction. But, you should take precautions to reduce pain, discomfort, and chances of infection,” says the leading Miami dentist.
- To minimize the pain, take the prescribed or over-the-counter painkillers as advised by your dentist.
- While you may not need complete bed rest, you should avoid heavy exercise or activity immediately, at least for 24 hours. Keep your head elevated.
- Maintain gentle but firm pressure on the gauze used for stopping the bleeding. Don’t wiggle it with your tongue. Keep it in place for two-three hours to help your body naturally, heal and clot.
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt-water every one-two hours. Avoid using mouthwash as it may cause inflammation.
- To keep the swelling down, apply an ice pack to the affected area for ten minutes.
- You can drink from the straw for the first 24 hours. However, you can eat soft foods such as yogurt, soups, and sauces for the next couple of days. Later, you can continue eating solid foods but avoid crunchy, chewy, and hard foods.
- Keep brushing and flossing your teeth regularly except for the extracted area. Use a brush with soft bristles to avoid damaging the healing wound.
- Avoid smoking as it increases the chances of getting a dry socket and infection.
- You may feel a bit of tenderness for a few days. But, avoid poking the affected area with your tongue or fingers. It may lead to bleeding or dry socket or even infection.
Wrap Up
Almost all dental processes have become a lot safer and painless owing to the advanced technology. However, you still need to take care of your oral health following a treatment be it a root canal, a dental implant, or a tooth extraction. These tips will help you understand how you can take care of your teeth to reduce the chances of throbbing pain, discomfort, and potential infection. Contact us if you have any question. We will be happy to help you!
Why Dentists Need to Use Intraoral Cameras during Treatment
An intraoral camera is a tiny video camera that allows dental practitioners to take images of the patient’s mouth, teeth, and gums. It looks like a large pen that dentists insert in the patient’s mouth and move it around so images of all parts can be taken and viewed on a monitor or a computer screen.
Intraoral cameras help in the diagnosis of several dental conditions such as decayed and cracked teeth. They also help dentists explain the oral issues to patients with the help of the images taken. Dentists can use this tool to show their patients, in real-time, the condition of their mouth.
How Does It Work?
The tip of the intraoral camera is fitted with a tiny lens. The camera is connected to the dentist’s computer, and as the dentist moves it inside the mouth, it captures images, which are transferred to the computer for being viewed by the dentist and the patient. These cameras come with zooming capabilities and produce clear images.
Modern intraoral cameras allow dentists to freeze certain shots (without shadows and distortions) to study them closely. The images can be unfrozen, enlarged, organized, and used for future reference or deleted. While extraoral cameras have been around, intraoral cameras trounce them with their superior image quality, better speed, and ease of use. A lot of functions can be automated in intraoral cameras, which saves the dentist’s and the patient’s time and effort.
Why Dentists Need Intraoral Cameras?
Apart from the above-stated advantages of using intraoral cameras, dentists stand to benefit from using them in the following ways:
1) For an Impactful First Appointment
More often than not, patients are scared and confused when they visit a dentist’s clinic for the first time. Availing family dental care is like a distant dream for them. With the help of an intraoral camera, however, dentists can allay these fears, making patients comfortable and turning them into loyal clients.
During the first appointment, dentists (or members of the dental care team) can spend a few minutes showing patients the condition of their mouth, so they can see for themselves that they need treatment. Whether it is examining cavities, plaque, tooth decay or gum disease, they can be shown to patients for them to believe that there is, in fact, a problem. This helps dentists gain their confidence.
2) Helps in Early Detection of Oral Issues
Several dental procedures, especially those that span a number of sessions, are infamous for causing pain due to having reached an advanced stage. However, if these issues are detected early, the treatment is shorter and less painful.
Intraoral cameras can help in detecting oral issues at an early stage, even when they may not be visible to the naked eye. Teeth-related issues become serious only when the decay reaches their root/pulp. This can be easily prevented by introducing intraoral cameras in the diagnosis stage. Dentists can thus provide better dental care services.
3) Enables Better Case Acceptance
Intraoral cameras are excellent tools when it comes to educating patients about their oral issues. Many a time, dentists have a hard time explaining the gravity of the dental situations to patients, while patients struggle to make sense of jargon that dentists use. As a result, they feel unconvinced and anxious about the treatment plan, and may not be able to establish a trustworthy relationship with the dentist.
However, when dentists are able to show enlarged images of the mouth to patients and explain the issues while they clearly see them in front of their eyes, they begin to trust the dentists’ diagnosis. They can then agree upon a treatment plan.
Dentists at the Miami family dental care agree with this when they say, “The intraoral camera makes it possible for our staff to actually view the inside of your mouth while planning treatments and during procedures. With this camera, we can see your teeth displayed on a video screen and walk you through the procedure. As a result, our staff is able to work with you as a team to plan and meet your dental health care goals.”
4) Provides Better Understanding of Advised Treatment
Intraoral cameras come with features that enable dentists to examine every part of the mouth. They come with rotating heads with LED lighting for better visibility. They also have strong magnifying capabilities, which allow dentists to examine every tooth and discover hidden problems in the mouth.
Further, when diagnosing the problem, dentists and patients are able to discuss it better and arrive at a better understanding of the treatment.
5) Increases Dentist’s Credibility
Patients will always prefer to engage a dentist they trust. After all, their oral health is in their dental practitioner’s hands. They will always prefer a dentist who not only knows about dental issues, procedures, and the latest dental technologies, but also one who is easily accessible with an impressive reputation in his/her vicinity.
For example, a dental implant patient from Miami, FL will prefer getting his/her dental implants in Miami from an experienced local dentist, then travel far and wide.
Similarly, a dentist who maintains transparency in his diagnosis and treatment will always have patients thronging his/her clinic. Intraoral cameras can be helpful here. Their use can be highly instrumental in increasing the dentist’s credibility.
6) Makes Insurance Claims Easier
A lot of dental patients do have insurance cover for medical treatments. However, in order to claim it, insurance companies ask for a clear explanation of the problem and the treatment procedure. Images taken with intraoral cameras can come handy here as they can provide the appropriate evidence needed to support a patient’s case. This, in turn, saves the patient and the insurance company a lot of hassle.
Conclusion
Patients can trust their dental care provider only if they have unhindered access to the case details. They want to ensure that their money is being spent on authentic diagnosis and treatment. Intraoral cameras make both these scenarios possible. Investing in a high-quality intraoral camera is a must for modern dentists if they want to earn patients’ trust and keep their own credibility intact. It is an important piece of equipment that all dental offices should be equipped with.
5 Ways Stress Is Affecting Your Oral Health
The World Health Organization considers stress to be the health epidemic of the 21st century. The reasons for stress abound. Other than workplace stress, finances, family issues, and health ailments are the most common reasons why people feel stressed.
Statistics reveal that stress costs the U.S. economy $300 billion each year. The American Institute of Stress shares that 77 percent of Americans regularly experience physical symptoms of stress, such as fatigue, tension headaches, teeth grinding, lack of appetite, and muscle pain.
In fact, researchers say that chronic stress contributes to a progressive and long-term development of oral diseases like tooth and gum infections, chipped teeth, and mouth ulcers. (Refer to the image below).
First, to cope with stress, an individual may resort to unhealthy habits like drug abuse, tobacco chewing, smoking, and poor diet, which can adversely affect oral health. Secondly, stress triggers (stressors) cause improper functioning of the circulatory, respiratory, and the immune system, increasing the risk of oral infections.
The information shared in this post will help you understand how chronic stress affects oral health. You will also find effective tips on combating stress in your daily life, thereby reducing the risk of common oral health issues.
How Stress Affects Oral Health
1) Stress Can Wreck Your Gums
Several scientific studies confirm the link between stress and poor gum health. Stress affects the immune system and increases the levels of Cortisol (a stress hormone) in the saliva, thereby allowing plaque bacteria and other microorganisms to build up along the gum line. Thus, stress increases the risk of oral infections and inflamed and bleeding gums.
2) Stress Makes Your Teeth Grind
Did you know, excessive stress can cause you to clench your teeth and grind them back and forth even when you are asleep?
Teeth grinding (a condition called bruxism) and jaw clenching is often a result of heightened stress. On several occasions, the person grinding his/her teeth isn’t aware of this phenomenon, thereby causing intense trauma to facial muscles, headaches, pain and stiffness in the jaw (TMJ Disorder), broken or chipped teeth, tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums, and canker sores.
3) Stress Triggers Oral Sores and Ulcers
Oral sores (commonly referred to as canker sores or mouth ulcers) are small painful lesions that usually appear on the inner part of lips, at the base of the gums, the tongue, or in the mouth.
Though stress is not the only cause of these sores, it can trigger an outbreak, causing pain and discomfort when eating and talking. Researchers have found a definite correlation between psychological stress and the development of canker sores. In fact, stress often causes individuals to involuntarily bite their inner cheek or lips, damaging the mouth tissue and causing mouth sores and ulcers.
4) Stress Causes Your Mouth to Dry
Have you noticed how your mouth goes dry when you feel nervous? That’s absolutely normal! However, in the case of chronic stress, the amount of saliva flowing into the mouth is reduced, causing a disorder called dry mouth syndrome. Stress-induced dry mouth is painful, causes foul breath, and triggers a constant burning sensation in the mouth.
5) Stress Forces You to Neglect Your Oral Health
When you feel overwhelmed, the first thing you tend to neglect is self-care through healthy practices like maintaining oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) and consuming a healthy diet. Research has also shown that excessive stress can cause you to opt for unhealthy food items that can wreak havoc on your oral wellbeing.
If you suffer from any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is advisable to visit your local dental services team to get expert oral health advice.
Stress is a silent killer that not only increases the risk of heart diseases, asthma, and diabetes but also ruins your oral health. Though stress is an inseparable part of life, a few lifestyle changes can help you manage it before you face serious oral health issues.
Use the tips shared below to manage stress and take good care of your teeth and gums.
Effective Tips to Relieve Stress and Improve Your Oral Health
1) Manage Time Effectively
Procrastination and poor time management often cause stress, reducing your productivity and taking a toll on your fitness (especially oral health).
Know your goals and take time to prioritize your tasks in a logical manner. Plan your day the first thing in the morning and eliminate self-induced interruptions (social media and non-urgent phone calls) that are the most insidious time wasters.
Watching where you spend your time and organizing your day can help you overcome stress and prevent stress-induced oral health issues.
2) Include Meditation in Your Routine
If your stress levels are consistently high, practicing meditation can help calm you down, reducing the risk of oral health issues like teeth grinding, gum infections, and mouth sores. Countless studies show that meditation reduces stress by lowering the levels of Cortisol and encourages you to be mindful of your food choices, thereby improving your oral health.
3) Develop Healthy Habits
Developing healthy habits like regular dental care, avoiding sugary food, and exercising can reduce the level of stress hormone in your body and improve your oral health.
Furthermore, it is wise to avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs as they affect your immune system, increasing the risk of gum disorders.
Talk to your family dental care practitioner for more tips on managing stress and avoiding dental disorders.
4) Go for Routine Dental Cleaning
Regular visits to your family dentist can help in the early diagnosis and management of stress-related oral disorders.
A local dentist, periodontist, or a cosmetic dentist can offer you the best advice on general and preventive dental care as per your needs. For instance, if you reside in Miami, FL, and need dental advice pertaining to chipped teeth, you can look for practitioners who specialize in cosmetic dentistry in Miami, who can help improve your dental health.
Most dental clinics conduct a comprehensive examination to check whether your teeth and gums are showing signs of stress-related wear and tear. Thus, to get on to the road to better oral wellbeing and find healthy ways to combat stress, contact a dental expert.
Stress affects oral health in more ways than one. Use the information shared in this post to recognize the symptoms of stress-induced oral disorders and safeguard your teeth and gums during the stressful episodes in your life.
Should I Get Dental Implants? Insights on Dental Implants from Miami Dentist, Dr. Serge Papiernik
- They Look and Feel Natural: A dental implant feels, fits and functions like a natural tooth. Other options may interfere with your normal everyday eating, smiling, and speaking.
- Worry-Free: Dental implants allow you to bite naturally, eat virtually anything you want, and brush your teeth normally. Dentures can feel uncomfortable when eating, restrict your food choices, and need to be removed for cleaning.
- Not removable like a denture: Dental implants are fixed in place, so they won’t move, click or shift, giving you confidence in your smile. Dentures may slip when eating, talking or even laughing, which isn’t so funny.
- Dental implants are built to last. That makes them your best long-term, cost-effective solution. Traditional, tooth-supported dental bridges only last five to seven years, and with proper care often more than 10 years, but at some point they may need to be replaced. Those costs can really add up over time. While dental implants may need periodic adjustments, they can last a lifetime.
South Miami Dentist.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
https://miamismiledental.com/
Want a Hollywood Smile: What are my options for whitening my teeth?
South Miami Dentist, Dr. Papiernik, on Teeth whitening.South Miami Dentist.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
https://miamismiledental.com/
Are Porcelain Veneers Right for me? South Miami Dentist, Dr. Papiernik on Answers Question About Dental Veneers
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| Veneers do seem like the best way to replicate picture-perfect teeth, but … |
South Miami Dentist.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
https://miamismiledental.com/
Miami Dentist Discusses How Diabetes can Take a Negative Toll on Your Oral Health
- · You may have less saliva, causing your mouth to feel dry. (Dry mouth is also caused by certain medications.)
- · Because saliva protects your teeth, you’re also at a higher risk of cavities.
- · Gums may become inflamed and bleed often (gingivitis).
- · You may have problems tasting food.
- · You may experience delayed wound healing.
- · You may be susceptible to infections inside of your mouth.
- · For children with diabetes, teeth may erupt at an age earlier than is typical.
Dr. Papiernik specializes in cosmetic dentistry, dental veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, dental crowns, dental bridges, dental cleanings, and restorative dentistry.
South Miami Dentist
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
http://www.miamismile.net
Smile Again With Confidence & Great Breath by Treating Halitosis
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| Smile again with great breath. Miami dentist tells you how! |
Dr. Papiernik specializes in cosmetic dentistry, dental veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, dental crowns, dental bridges, dental cleanings, and restorative dentistry.
Dr. Papiernik truly enjoys seeing the effect that a healthy smile has on his patient’s lives. He believes that a healthy smile begins with knowledge. That is why one of his goals is to help elevate each patient’s dental awareness and to provide them with the best tools to maintain their dental health at its optimum. Please call (305) 670 5100 to schedule an appointment.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
http://www.miamismile.net
Chewing Gum is Bad for Your Teeth…Or is it?
Dr. Papiernik specializes in cosmetic dentistry, dental veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, dental crowns, dental bridges, dental cleanings, and restorative dentistry.
Dr. Papiernik truly enjoys seeing the effect that a healthy smile has on his patient’s lives. He believes that a healthy smile begins with knowledge. That is why one of his goals is to help elevate each patient’s dental awareness and to provide them with the best tools to maintain their dental health at its optimum. Please call (305) 670 5100 to schedule an appointment.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
http://www.miamismile.net
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Hi-Tech Dental Office – Cosmetic Dentist in Coral Gables, Miami, South M…
Coral Gables, South Miami Dentist
http://miamismile.net/
Dr. Papiernik is one of the top Cosmetic Dentist in Miami. He serves patients from Coral Gables and surrounding comunnities. His office is located in the South Miami area. His office is a great example of a modern dental practice with computer in every room, digital impressions, and massage chairs for the patients.
Miami Smile Dental a high-tech dental practice in Coral Gables, Florida that encompasses all factors of dentistry including dental implant restoration, general dentistry, periodontics, orthodontics, and teeth whitening.
Dr. Papiernik specializes in cosmetic dentistry, dental veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, dental crowns, dental bridges, dental cleanings, and restorative dentistry.
Dr. Papiernik truly enjoys seeing the effect that a healthy smile has on his patient’s lives. He believes that a healthy smile begins with knowledge. That is why one of his goals is to help elevate each patient’s dental awareness and to provide them with the best tools to maintain their dental health at its optimum. Please call (305) 670 5100 to schedule an appointment.
find the best dentist in Coral Gables, Florida for you, call our office.
Miami Smile Dental
Dr. Serge Papiernik
9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite #920
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 670 5100
http://www.miamismile.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiamiSmileDental
Blog: http://miamismile.blogspot.com
Google Plus: http://plus.google.com/104977253005263626481/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-5oElyggBXnylkWMFcbuw?feature=mhee
Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-5oElyggBXnylkWMFcbuw?feature=mhee