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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Dental Trauma

Dental trauma may be inflicted by sports related accidents, car accidents, falls, fights, or eating hard foods.  The trauma that may occur can be a tooth that is knocked out, cracked or fractured, pushed out of position, or loosened by impact.  Because oral tissues are sensitive, injuries to the mouth are typically very painful.  These type of injuries should receive prompt treatment from a dentist.

A permanent tooth that has been knocked out is a dental emergency.  If possible, the tooth should be reinserted in the socket and held there until a dentist can be seen.  If it's not possible to replace the tooth in the socket, the tooth should be placed in milk, saliva, or cool water with a pinch of saline solution. 

For lesser dental trauma, soft tissue injuries may only require cold compresses or ice to reduce swelling.  Bleeding can be controlled with direct pressure with a clean gauze pad.  Pain may be managed with aspirin or acetaminophen. 
Treatment of a broken tooth will vary depending on severity of the fracture.

Since many of the dental emergencies we see are sports related, it is wise for children to wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports.

Please be aware that each individual is different and that the above does not apply to everyone. Only a qualified dentist in consultation with you can determine what may or may not be beneficial to your conditions. 

Friday, September 2, 2011

Flouride and Bottled Water

Communities have been fluoridating their water supply since 1945.  The American Dental Association continues to endorse this practice. Fluoridated water has been proven to reduce tooth decay by 20 to 40% and improve the oral health of millions of Americans.  Many of the brands of bottled water on the market do not contain the optimum levels of fluoride(0.7-1.2 ppm).  Some home water filtration systems also remove naturally occuring and enhanced levels of fluoride from the water.

The ADA recommends that patients investigate the level of flouride in their community water supply.  If you use a home filtration system, check to see how much fluoride is filtered out.  If bottled water is your primary source of drinking water, discuss fluoride supplementation with your child's pediatrician.  You can also contact the bottled water company for the levels of fluoride contained in their product.

The above information is for general education purposes only and does not constitute health or medical advice. Consult a qualified dentist to determine an individualized treatment plan.