No two denturists are the same. If you have been wearing dentures for a while, you know that no two sets of dentures are the same. Finding a quality, experienced denturist can seriously impact the comfort of your dentures. You do not have to deal with loose plates, gums that are rubbed raw, distorted speech, and the inability to eat your favorite foods. If you have any of these problems, there are a few things that you can try before replacing your dentures. Use what I have learned over my 15 years of wearing dentures to find a perfect fit and optimum comfort in your dentures.
finding comfort when wearing dentures
It's A Hard Knock Life: What To Do If You Knock Out A Tooth
Priscilla Hansen
Each year, 5 million people knock out a tooth. This can be a traumatic experience and, often times, people panic. Luckily, there are steps you can take to save your tooth along with other dental solutions that will restore your smile.
Save the Tooth
If you knock out your tooth, it may be possible to put it back into the gum. However, time is of the essence. To ensure the greatest success of your tooth reimplantation, you'll want to follow these steps:
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- To reduce damage to the root, you'll want to find the tooth and pick it up by the crown.
- Rinse the tooth in water but be careful not to scrub or use soap on the tooth.
- Put the tooth back into its socket and gently close your mouth.
- If you are unable to put the tooth back in its socket, you can put it in your mouth next to your cheek. This will keep the tooth moist and protect it from bacteria growth.
- A second alternative is to place the tooth in whole milk or a saline solution. Most importantly, do not transport the tooth dry because the root of the tooth will likely die.
Finally, try to see a dentist within a half an hour after the accident.
See the Dentist
To ensure your tooth is restored, your dentist will take the following steps:
- Take x-rays to see if your tooth is healthy enough to make a complete recovery.
- If your tooth was knocked out for longer than 20 minutes, your dentist will have to submerge the tooth in a saline solution and use antibiotics. This process keeps the periodontal ligament cells healthy so your tooth can be properly reimplanted.
- Since the tooth likely picked up some bacteria, you may be given oral antibiotics to prevent infection.
- If your tooth is not healthy enough to be reimplanted, your dentist may talk to you about putting in a dental implant, or an artificial tooth root that is surgically placed into the jawbone as an anchor for a replacement tooth.
Of course, you will have to go back to see your dentist for a check-up to have the splint removed and make sure the tooth is properly healing.
What about Baby Teeth?
Since baby teeth have shallow roots, they are more susceptible to being knocked out. Still, if your child knocks out a baby tooth, your dentist will be less likely to reattach it because the permanent teeth will eventually come in. However, if your child is very young and his or her permanent teeth won't be coming in for a while, your dentist may need to put in a false tooth. After all, a gap in your child's mouth may lead to crowding, otherwise known as overlapping. This can lead to insufficient space for the permanent teeth.
Having your tooth knocked out can be a dental emergency. However, you don't have to let it ruin your smile.
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