Category Archives: Dental Health

Avoiding and Detecting Dental Accidents

Most dental emergencies in adulthood are the result of a sporting injury. The easiest way to prevent damage to the mouth and teeth during sport is to wear a mouthguard. This acts as a shock absorber for the teeth and jaw, and is particularly recommended in sports where the face may take a knock, such as football and softball. Other activities that can result in adult dental injuries include:

Chewing on ice, popcorn kernels or anything hard;
Using teeth rather than scissors;
Grinding or clenching teeth;
Brittleness after dental surgery, such as root canal.

Common Emergencies

If a tooth is broken or has fallen out completely, it is vital to call a dentist immediately and make an appointment. At Reva Dental our dentists leave room in their schedules for emergency appointments and will see all cases of dental trauma on the same day.

A broken tooth

As soon as possible after the injury, rinse the mouth out with warm water;
Use a cold compress on the area to reduce any swelling;
If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure to the gums but do not press directly on the broken tooth;
If you can, locate as much of the broken tooth as possible and take to the dentist with you;
Most broken teeth can be fixed, either through filling or surgery. A crown or cap over the tooth may also be needed.

A knocked out tooth

If the tooth has been knocked out completely, there is a good possibility your dentist can put it back.

Rinse the tooth very gently in warm water. Always hold it by the tooth and not by the root, as this will cause permanent damage;
If possible, insert the tooth back in its space in your jaw. If not, immerse it in a glass of milk. Do not dry it or wrap it in tissue;
Take the tooth with you to the dentist;
If re-attached within 1 hour of falling out, there is a good chance the tooth will take root again;
If you were unconscious at any stage, go to a hospital for a check-up.
Always consult your dentist, but it is advised to avoid taking aspirin or any other medication that slows clotting before your visit. Ibuprofen is a better alternative for pain.

Toothache

If anything has been caught between teeth, try and remove the object with dental floss. You should never try and remove objects with anything sharp. If the object remains stuck, or if there is pain, see a dentist.
For a lost filling, call your dentist and make a booking as soon as possible. As a short-term precaution until you can get to the dentist, place a piece of softened sugarless chewing gum in the spot where the filling has fallen out.
Toothache, particularly sharp pain or sensitivity after an accident might be an indicator of a cracked tooth. Such cracks are often invisible to the naked eye, and must be tended to by a dentist.

Calling the Dentist

If you have experienced an emergency, giving the correct information to your dentist can save time and problems. Make sure you explain:

The location of the tooth;
How long the tooth has been injured or painful;
How the injury was caused;
The severity of the pain;
Any other symptoms, such as swelling or fever.
If you have already taken painkillers, explain the type and how many. If you have a tooth, or pieces of tooth, make sure you take them with you to the dentist.

If you have a dental emergency call Reva Dental on 056 7763786 to schedule your appointment; see www.revadental.ie

Dental Health, Root Canal Treatment

What is Root Canal Treatment or RCT?

February 16, 2015 REVA Dental

Root canal treatment treats disorders of the pulp, commonly called the “nerve” of the tooth. It is a treatment that aims to eliminate pain and save a tooth with a diseased, infected or badly damaged pulp (nerve).

What is the Pulp?

The dental pulp is the name given to the soft tissues situated in a canal or channel that runs through the root of a tooth. It consists mainly of nerves and blood vessels. The main function of the dental pulp is to regulate the growth and development of the tooth during childhood. Once the tooth is fully formed, the main source of nutrition for the tooth comes from the tissues surrounding the root. Therefore, a tooth can function normally without its pulp and can be kept indefinitely. After root canal treatment, the tooth is pulpless but it is NOT a dead tooth.

How does the pulp become diseased?

The following are the most common causes of pulp damage…

Deep decay
Repeated dental procedures
Very large fillings
Severe gum disease
Loose fillings
Excessive wear of teeth
Trauma
Physical blow to a tooth
Continual clenching or grinding

Regardless of the cause, the tooth pulp becomes irritated and infected. Bacteria grow within the tooth pulp causing pressure and pain sometimes accompanied by swelling of the face. Sometimes the deterioration of the pulp happens so gradually that little pain is felt. Either way, eventually the bacteria can destroy the pulp. As this happens, the bone surrounding the tooth may become infected and abscessed which may lead to the destruction of the bone surrounding the tooth.

What Happens During Treatment?

Step 1: Relief of Pain

Removal of the infected/damaged pulp from the inside of the tooth. Measurement of the length of the root canals.

Step 2: The root canals are cleaned, shaped and sterilized to a form that can be completely sealed.

Step 3: The final stage is to seal the canals with a filling material to prevent further infection.

This treatment can take one or a number of visits, depending on the state of the tooth and the severity of the infection. Sedative dressings and temporary fillings may be placed inside your tooth between visits in order to settle the surrounding tissues and destroy any remaining bacteria.

Is there an alternative to RCT?

The only alternative method of removing the infection is to extract the tooth. Loss of a tooth can lead to many other complex problems in the region, which should be avoided.

For Example, if a back tooth is lost and not replaced, the following problems can occur…

Drifting of adjacent teeth
Further decay, food trapping and gum disease
Over eruption of opposing tooth
Jaw joint degeneration
Jaw muscle problems

Will there be any pain?

RCT is a comfortable procedure and it involves no pain since the tooth will be anaesthetised during treatment.

Success of Treatment

Studies indicate that about 95% of cases heal successfully and uneventfully. However, because people have varied healing responses and some infections respond differently no guarantee can be given.

At Reva Dental Kilkenny we inform patients in advance if their tooth is considered less favourable and only treat teeth if there is a very good chance of it lasting a long time.

After Treatment

The final restoration of a root canal treated tooth is just as important as the root canal treatment itself to ensure long term success. The tooth needs to be restored to its original shape, and strength as soon as possible and this may involve the placement of a post and crown to achieve this.

New Technology

At Reva Dental we use special automated cleaning instruments made of Nickel-Titanium to clean and shape the root canals in a fast but thorough technique to make the root canal procedure easier and quicker for our patients. We also offer a range of types of crowns depending on your particular needs, aesthetics and budget.

Call Reva Dental on 056 7763786 to schedule your appointment. You may be eligible for a free check-up; see www.revadental.ie

Dental Checkup, Dental Health

Going to the Dentist during Pregnancy

January 19, 2015 REVA Dental

When is the best time to visit the dentist for a check up and clean during pregnancy?

Ideally you should visit the dentist for a check up if you are planning to become pregnant or as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Your dentist will be able to assess your oral health status and plan any dental visits you may need during your pregnancy.

What about other treatment?

In reality most dental treatment can be carried out with safety during pregnancy and certainly any emergency treatment required can be carried out at any time. However it is a general convention that as little operative treatment as possible should be carried out during pregnancy in order to avoid any possible distress to you or your developing baby. Therefore elective procedures requiring general anaesthesia or intravenous sedation should generally be deferred until after the baby is born and, preferably, until breastfeeding has been ceased.

If you require planned treatment, which is considered essential, the middle of the second trimester and the earlier part of the third trimester is the time when it will be most comfortable for you. This would also be an ideal time to have light treatment like a cleaning carried out.

X-Rays during pregnancy

If dental radiographs are necessary for assessment or diagnosis of infection or trauma, or for treatment of these conditions, there is no reason, on radiation protection grounds, to defer them as there are no contraindications to the taking of intraoral radiographs during pregnancy; however, provision of a leaded drape is recommended when the X-ray beam is directed downwards towards the patient’s trunk (e.g. when taking occlusal views of the maxilla).