It’s finally the summer, and the last thing anyone wants while on vacation or on a beach at Tahoe is to deal with painful dental issues. With some preventative maintenance, you can keep your teeth in peak health for the season and beyond.
One possible reason for dental problems in the summer is dehydration. It’s easy to enjoy the warm weather and endless fun at the beach a little too much, and forgetting to listen to your body and its needs for water. If you’re chronically dehydrated, the reduced moistness in your mouth causes low saliva. This all contributes to drying out your teeth and gums, making them places for bacteria to grow rapidly.
In the summer, people enjoy foods that are high acidity like soda, fruits and sparkling water. High sugar is also present in ice cream too as a major contributor to dental decay and the need to extract teeth. So if you’re indulging in something delicious, yet sugary, make sure to brush, rinse and floss as soon as you have a chance afterward. Staying ahead of dental problems allows you to enjoy some of the best foods this season has to offer in moderation!
Keep Up Your Hygiene RoutineSometimes in the summer, we can slack off on our oral hygiene regimen. Keep on track and remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss often and use an ADA-approved mouthwash. It will not only remove plenty of plaque but also reduce the risk of gum disease.
A cold glass of ice water is refreshing on a hot day, but chewing on ice cubes can be enough to ruin that feeling. Ice cubes are tough enough to damage enamel or cause chips and cracks. So while they might be satisfying to chew on, it’s not worth a chipped tooth.
A lot of people don’t realize that hot weather can activate any untreated oral infections and toothaches. Even the smallest of temperature changes can affect dental restorations like bridges, crowns and fillings that are cracked, worn out, or loose. It is possible that extreme heat in the summertime can irritate any inflammation that already exists, so staying cool is a good idea overall and getting regular check ups with your dentist to prevent any issues in the first place.
Wearing a mouth guard when playing a sport is important because it’s a simple way to add an additional layer of protection when in contact with others. If professional athletes wear mouth pieces to avoid any missing or cracked teeth, then you can too!
Our additional tips for after tooth extraction care include:
-Don’t rinse your mouth out vigorously
- Avoid strenuous activity for at least the first 48 hours
-Avoid using straws when drinking for at least three days to prevent the essential blood clot from getting dislodged or disrupted
-Take all prescribed medications from your dentist, like antibiotics or pain relievers
As for pain and swelling, you can use an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies to deal with the swelling and can place it along the side of your face. It should dissipate after about 48 hours of your procedure, but if it doesn’t make sure to reach back out to our team for an urgent follow up. The best care after a tooth extraction is to rest and make sure to pay attention to any other aches and pains that may pop up. For most people, it takes up to two weeks to recover from the procedure. Make sure to keep gauze handy throughout the entire healing process as well, as it stops continuous bleeding after the appointment.
If you’ve been putting off getting your teeth extracted, now is the time to do so. Prevent dental irregularities and issues like summer-related seasonal toothaches and sensitivity. Make an appointment today.
Click Here to Schedule Your Tooth Extraction
Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars located in the back of your mouth. These teeth come in during your late teens to early twenties when you've finally gained some "wisdom." It's become common practice to have wisdom teeth removed, but why? Well, there are a number of problems that are caused by wisdom teeth from increased risk of infection to overcrowding and pain in the mouth.
We are always on the lookout for the development of wisdom teeth in young teens' mouths because we want to determine whether or not there is enough room for the teeth to reside without causing issues. To avoid potential dental problems, it may be recommended to have some or all of them removed through a wisdom teeth extraction procedure.
Contact Dr. Redlinger, a quality oral surgeon in Reno, NV, to see if you’d make a good candidate for wisdom tooth extraction.
Why would Wisdom Teeth need to be extracted?Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to come through the back of your gums. Each person typically has four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of the mouth. Often, there is not enough space for these teeth in the mouth so when they finally emerge, it’s common for the teeth to be impacted. This can cause significant pain, infection, and other serious dental problems.
Wisdom tooth removal is often needed because these teeth frequently come in at an incorrect angle and many people do not have enough room in their mouth for them, otherwise known as an impacted tooth. When we say that a tooth is going to be impacted, what we mean is that as the tooth erupts from the jaw, it will come into contact with another tooth or dental structure that it should not contact leading to overcrowding in the mouth.
Having an impacted wisdom tooth may not have any negative effects, but most wisdom teeth cause several problems in your mouth. Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to problems such as:
Wisdom Teeth Extraction RecoveryYour wisdom teeth extraction recovery is a top priority of ours. Removing impacted wisdom teeth will be a major surgical procedure and following the proper post-operative care will be vital to successful healing. Several instructions will be provided by your Reno oral surgeon post-procedure. This will include information regarding pain management, proper cleaning, swelling, bruising, and bleeding, along with what foods, beverages, and activities are appropriate during your wisdom teeth extraction recovery.
If you are experiencing severe pain, swelling, or heavy bleeding for 2-3 days after your procedure, or if you think you are reacting poorly to the medication you were prescribed, please call our office right away.
Please call us today at (775) 853-9696 or click on the button below to schedule an appointment.
We look forward to seeing you smile!
