Author: KFDLaNcaSter_AdMiN

Visiting a dentist can make you anxious, especially when it is for a tooth extraction. Many people wait until their toothache is unbearable to visit the dentist. However, extractions are not as painful as a lot of people think.

Here are five unknown truths you should know about tooth extractions. Read on to learn more, as it will also help you be at ease when taking your child to a tooth extraction dentist near you.

Tooth Extraction Tips

Some of the unknown truths about tooth extractions include:

1. Tooth Extraction Is Not As Painful

Many people think that tooth extraction is a painful process, but that is not always the case. With tooth extractions, just like wisdom tooth removal, the dentist will use anesthesia during the whole process. The anesthesia will leave you numb, but you will not feel any pain.

Your dentist will also prescribe painkillers and instructions to help you recover. Tooth extractions are outpatient dental procedures, after which you will head home the same day of the procedure. Although you may experience some pain after the procedure, it is not as exaggerated as many believe.

2. Tooth Extractions Are Sometimes Unavoidable

While your oral health might be the most significant factor that necessitates a tooth extraction, other factors may also cause you to need one. For example, sometimes, when children or teenagers are preparing to get braces, the dentist may remove a tooth.

In some cases, facial injuries, car accidents, and certain diseases may lead to tooth extraction, no matter how great your oral health is. So while it is recommended that you take good care of your teeth, sometimes the reason for tooth extraction is not always something you can control.

Children are always so playful and may involve themselves in activities that can harm or cause trauma to their oral cavity. Therefore, an emergency pediatric dentist in Lancaster can perform the tooth extraction as quickly as possible to avoid any complications.

3. Avoidable Becomes Necessary

The health of your gums, jaws, and teeth is very important. Maintaining good eating and brushing habits can help avoid any serious problems. Therefore, your dentist will recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss regularly, avoid acidic foods and soft drinks, and use mouthwash.

By making these small changes in your daily lifestyle, it can help prevent serious dental problems. However, if you ignore these good habits and adopt poor ones, it can lead to the necessity of tooth extraction.

4. Blood Clots are Normal

It is usual for blood clots to form after your tooth has been extracted. This is part of the healing process. Your dentist will advise you not to interfere with the blood clot as it can cause complications. You might also be given some self-dissolving stitches if your dentist feels that it is necessary. The blood clots will appear on their own as your gums start healing.

5. There Are Things to Avoid After Tooth Extraction

As your gums and the site where the extraction took place is healing, you should avoid some things. You are not allowed to drink alcohol or smoke. It is recommended that you drink using a straw and rinse or spit without force.

In addition, you are not supposed to drive yourself home after the tooth extraction, so you can have someone drive you back home.

Dr. Venesa Crumpley will also advise you to avoid sticky and hard foods. Instead, you are to take liquid and soft foods like mashed potatoes, soup, or applesauce. As time goes and your gum heals, you can progressively add harder foods back into your diet. You also should avoid chewing on the side of your extraction until the site is completely healed.

Where Can You Find a Tooth Extraction Dentist in Lancaster, SC?

If you require a pediatric dentist to take care of your kid’s oral health care, visit Kids First Dental in Lancaster. Our pediatric dentist near you offers all children dental services, and we provide family dentistry. Other services include general, cosmetic, preventive, and emergency dentistry.

Has your child started losing his baby teeth? Dr. Sylvester Adu Boahene suggests that this is the best time to start considering dental sealants for your child. As soon as permanent teeth begin to erupt, your child is ready for a consultation session with a kids’ dentist regarding getting tooth sealants. As a first-time parent, you will be surprised at how beneficial dental sealants can be to your child’s dental health.

What Are Dental Sealants?

They are types of tooth fillings commonly used in preventive pediatric dentistry to preserve the health of children’s teeth. Sealants feature plastic-like materials that are painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth in a thin layer. The sealant material then hardens, creating a barrier to plaque and food residues from breaching the different layers of teeth.

Although dental sealants for kids are types of dental fillings, they work differently. Usually, instead of being used to repair dental cavities and tooth decay, dental sealants are used before cavities start forming on teeth.

Types of Dental Sealants

Dental sealants differ based on the materials used to make them. Both alternatives are aesthetically pleasing, so you do not have to worry about the appearance of your smile after getting sealants. The two main types of tooth sealants are:

• Glass ionomers – are the types of sealants made of acrylic. They usually release fluoride on teeth over time. It means that they offer double protection against bacteria that cause tooth caries.
• Composite resin fillings – feature composite material but do not release fluoride on teeth. However, they last longer than glass ionomer sealants.

4 Reasons Why Dental Sealants Needed

Many parents still need to be convinced of the relevance of trying out dental treatments like dental sealants. If you need extra convincing to get your child started on dental sealant treatments, consider the following four major benefits of sealants for children:

• To preserve natural teeth – permanent teeth do not grow back when they are removed. Since these teeth are supposed to serve you for the rest of your life, you must protect them as much as possible. Sealants help children preserve their permanent teeth when they erupt early in their childhood.
• To fight dental cavities – the primary role of dental sealants for kids is that of fighting bacteria that cause tooth cavities. It is especially crucial for children in their cavity-prone ages of 6 to 14 years.
• To prevent urgent dental problems – although emergency pediatric dentists in Lancaster are readily available to attend to the urgent dental issues of your child, it is not necessary to visit a dental ER for children. Dental sealants prevent infections like dental decay, preventing urgent oral problems like severe tooth pain, necessitating emergency care.
• Kids are not the best at caring for their teeth – if you have no other reason to visit a kids’ dentist near you, consider the fact that kids do not do a good job at caring for their teeth. From poor oral habits like thumbsucking to poor food choices like crushing hard candy, there are many ways that kids can damage their teeth. Besides, children do not usually keep up with excellent oral hygiene, further increasing their chances of getting cavities.

Are Sealants Suitable for All Children?

Pediatric dentists recommend that all children get tooth sealants. In fact, it is not just for permanent teeth. As soon as your child has teeth, they can get tooth sealants. The idea is to preserve teeth for as long as possible. Baby teeth need to be preserved to prevent premature tooth loss that results in several orthodontic dental issues. Permanent teeth, on the other hand, must be preserved to increase their longevity. This way, they can hopefully last the rest of your child’s life without the need for dental extractions and replacements. Besides, aren’t tooth sealants a great way to stay on top of your child’s dental health by preventing as many dental infections as possible?

Summary

With all the benefits of dental sealants, you should be excited about getting your child started on the treatment. Besides, dental insurances often fully cover the cost of dental sealants for children under 18, which should be great news for you as a parent.