Dental Extraction Guide

by: Christine Zafra

If you think pus can’t build inside your gums, it can. This only happens when you have cracked tooth, a tooth decay or periodontal disease that have not been treated for so long. This is a very painful thing for someone who has it. What dentists normally do is that they extract the tooth to prevent further infection, and after that, the dentist then drains the pus using a Jackson Pratt bulb. However, if you wish to delay the treatment, the infection might get swollen and puncture the bone of your tooth. It can lead to the soft tissues of your gums and may spread even further inside.

by: Christine Zafra

If you had your molar extraction (or any tooth for that matter) 3 days ago, and still, the open wound is bleeding, go see your dentist right away. Your extraction might have had some complications or you either have diabetes or lack blood clotting minerals. If you have health related issues, then see your doctor as well and get meds to prevent further bleeding. Normally, it takes up to two days (48 hours) for the bleeding to stop, and it is normal if you see little spots of blood mixed with your saliva. Follow the doctor’s advice. You wouldn’t want to further the complication, do you?

by: Christine Zafra

After you have had your extraction, there are some instances that an infection might occur. Although it is occasional, but various reports have been made about it. We all know that the mouth is full of bacteria. Yes, even though you brush your teeth regularly, or even more than the average times people should brush their teeth, bacteria builds up inside every time you eat, breathe, or even talk (airborne bacteria). Sometimes, these bacteria get in the newly extracted place of the tooth and that’s when infection starts. Dentists usually prescribe antibiotics to cure the infection and kill the bacteria around and in the open wound.

After getting a tooth extraction, one must deal with the side effect of anesthesia: numbness of the mouth. It’s neither uncomfortable or not, it’s just disturbing that there’s a hanging lip that doesn’t feel quite that it belongs to you. However, things are going to change for the better.

Novalar Pharmaceuticals just got a go signal from the Food and Drugs Administration to market OraVerse, a drug meant to undo the effects of anesthesia. According to them they’ll start selling the drug for $12.50 a shot.

The drug is not recommended to children below 6. Their target market most likely will be children (older than 6 of course) because they tend to accidentally bite their tongue when it’s numb. Another market to tap are those who just got some cosmetic dental work done and who would wish to look great when they leave the dentist’s office.

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Dead Jaw Syndrome or Osteonecrosis of the Jaw happens when bone tissue in the jaw fails to heal after a minor trauma like getting your tooth extracted. However, there are some instances that particular drugs that increases the risk of this condition.

Researchers form the University of Southern California School of Dentistry are saying that microbial biofilms are the culprit behind this infection. It was also found out that taking bisphosphonate drugs like Fosamax, Boniva and Actonel makes the infection worse. These drugs are prescribed to patients with osteoporosis. According to one of the researchers:

“Now that we’ve know biofilms are behind the infection of the jaw, we are studying ways to effectively treat or prevent the osteonecrosis.”

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by: Christine Zafra

If you love sodas and can’t live without them when eating your favorite steak, you better thank Virginia Tech for clarifying the connection of soft drinks with tooth decay. There is none, said the pioneers of the research.

But before you jump around and buy a crate of soda for you personal consumption (really, where do you put those?), here is the catch: that study is only effective for the children, the teenagers and the adolescents. People 25 and up? You better contain your soda intake. Also, your teeth are much brittle than before, so a little carbonated water can wash up the enamel, slowly but surely.

by: Christine Zafra

If you think only the movie Minority Report can predict what’s going to happen in the future, then think twice. This has something to do with a person’s teeth (not pre-crime though) and saliva (again, not the pre-cognitive). Researchers from the University of Southern California said that they have developed something useful for the world of dentistry. With the use of a child’s saliva (a swab or a drop maybe), they can now determine (30 – 40 years from testing) if that child will get cavities, which of the forming teeth will have cavities and how many. Talk about Sci-fi!

by: Christine Zafra

Tufts University made a study about the connection of dental problems with being a potato couch. Can you guess what the results were?

Yes, of course, the two are related with each other. And if you guessed that they are directly proportional (if one goes up, the other goes up too), then you are correct again. The longer the hours children (and the adults too!) stay in front of the idiot box, the higher their chances of getting a tooth decay since they eat a lot of calorie packed foods (i.e. junk food etc.). Responsible parents should restrain the hours of their kids in front of the TV, or better yet, give them salad or apples so that they’ll be healthier.

by: Christine Zafra

There is a recent study conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that states that children who do not eat breakfast in the morning, are the ones who are in danger of tooth decay. They have a higher as indicated in the study since they are not living a healthy lifestyle. People from the lower socio-economic strata are experiencing this since they don’t normally have breakfast in the morning. Also children from the higher ups are also in danger of tooth decay if they do not eat healthy foods. Keep in mind that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

by: Christine Zafra

There are a lot of people who avoid the dentist because they have a bad notion of what’s going to happen to them the moment they sit the chair of doom. But that should not be the case. A lot of people develop different kinds of tooth and gum diseases because of this. What the dentists can do is to make them a little less anxious by telling them what can happen in case they don’t go to their dentists regularly. How gross and brutal it might seem, but if pictures of decaying tooth can persuade them, then, why not use it for their own good?