Are you experiencing pain and swelling that comes along with the arrival of your wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, generally surface during the late teenage to early adult years and can cause some real discomfort. We’ve listed some at-home pain remedies that can help alleviate some of the trouble that comes along with cutting new teeth, such as tender gums, and aching or throbbing pain.
Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed
This one is probably pretty obvious and it’s not an at-home remedy, but it still should be mentioned. Most people will have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent future complications. By going to your regularly scheduled dentist visits, you should know early enough in advance if wisdom tooth extraction is necessary and have the procedure scheduled before any discomfort sets in.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to ease wisdom tooth pain is by rinsing your mouth with the following: take one cup of warm water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Swish this mixture in your mouth for about a minute before spitting it out. Repeat as necessary throughout the day.
If you are having swelling use an icepack to help alleviate the pain and reduce inflammation. No ice pack? No problem! Putting ice cubes in a ziplock bag and covering it with a light towel will work just as well.
Benzocaine Topical Oral Pain Relief Products
Benzocaine products can be found at most pharmacies and can be helpful in numbing and dulling the pain to allow you to get through prolonged periods. Dry the area with a cloth before applying the gel or liquid to get the best results. Note: Benzocaine is not recommended for babies and children under 2.
Ibuprofen / Painkillers
Other pain relieving medications may also be helpful, but ibuprofen, being an anti-inflammatory analgesic, is usually most effective because the pain is likely caused by swelling.
Natural Pain Relief From Your Kitchen
There are a handful of other remedies out there that can be found right in your own kitchen. They include; clove, garlic, guava leaves, onions, cucumbers, tea, peppermint, vanilla extract and baking soda. We will expand on these natural remedies and how they work in a follow-up post. For now, the most common of these is Clove.
Clove is suggested by most as a wives-tale, but Clove may actually be one of the best kept secrets when relieving tooth pain. Not only does it numb the pain, it also has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that can help prevent an infection. Either use clove oil by dabbing on the area with a cotton ball, or place a whole clove (do not smash or cut) directly on the spot causing irritation until you start to experience a numbing sensation.
We hope you’re able to find some relief with one or some of these at-home remedies. If you are experiencing tooth pain but not sure if it could be wisdom tooth related – visit your dentist for a consultation, or contact Bay Oral Surgery today to schedule your wisdom teeth extraction.
Not all dentist’s are created equal, but they all have a common goal, helping you have and keep a healthy mouth. Find out the different types of dental specialties and exactly what they do.
Pedodontics – Pediatric Dentist
While general dentists are allowed to treat patients of any age, pediatric dentists are specially trained to address specific needs and oral health of children and teens, like flouride treatments and dental sealants. Pediatric dentists will guide children and teens through their dental growth and development utilizing their training from infant oral health exams to space management after the premature loss of a primary tooth. They also offer other oral health related care like special counseling on nutrition, advice on teeth grinding, and discouragement of thumb and finger sucking.
Endodontist – The Tooth Root Doctor
Need a root canal? Endodontists are highly trained in the normal functions, causes and effects of dental disease and the relationship between the two, concerning the human dental pulp – that is, the center of the tooth, made up of living connective tissue and cells. And the tissues surrounding the root. They focus on prevention and treatment of injuries or diseases of the dental pulp; including pulpitis, “pulp stones”, or pulp exposure – all of which can be extremely painful or can lead to dental abscesses. Common treatment for dental pulp disease is the root canal therapy.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons are orthopedic facial surgeons treating a wide variety of dental issues, from removal of impacted teeth, to dental implants, and reconstructive facial surgery. This specialty diagnoses and treats diseases, injuries and defects of both hard and soft tissue in the oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (jaw and face) region.
Our team, at Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center, which includes Board Certified surgeons, practices a full scope of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and have specialties ranging from corrective jaw surgery to wisdom tooth removal and dental extractions. We also diagnose and treat facial pain, facial injuries, and TMJ disorders; and perform a full range of dental implant and bone grafting procedures.
Orthodontist – The Alignment Dentist
Orthodontics deals with the diagnosis and treatment of misaligned or malpositioned teeth or jaws. Orthodontic dentists will correct misalignment of teeth, gaps, overbite or underbite, or other abnormalities of the jaw, bite or teeth, using non-surgical procedures. Correcting the bite and alignment of teeth will improve your smile but also affects the function and longevity of the teeth. There are a variety of orthodontic treatments including wires, braces, retainers, Invisalign® or other corrective appliances.
Periodontist – The Gum Specialist
Of all dental specialties, periodontists are dentists specializing in the care and prevention of gum-related diseases and the treatment of oral inflammation. Periodontists often treat more problematic cases or severe gum disease with a wide range of treatment including scaling and root planing – which is commonly thought of as a “Deep Cleaning” and involves thoroughly scaling all plaque, toxins and tartar deposits and then smoothing all of the rough areas on the root surface. Another common treatment would be root surface debridement, where damaged gum tissue is removed.
Periodontists are also specially trained in placement, maintenance and repair of dental implants.
Prosthodontist – The Restoration Dentist
A prosthodontist is certified in restoration and replacement of broken or missing teeth. Using crowns, bridges, or dentures, prosthodontists understand the dynamics of a smile and are trained to create replacements to address the oral function, comfort, appearance and oral health of patients with missing or deficient teeth. They also are one of the dental specialties that work in post oral cancer reconstruction, jaw joint problems, traumatic mouth injuries, and snoring and sleep disorders.
Limit sugary snacks and drinks because tooth decay is caused by bacteria that feeds on sugar in your food and your drinks. That doesn’t mean you can’t have sugar, although lowering your sugar intake will have bounteous other health benefits, just try to limit your intake to meal times. Also, when drinking sugary or acidic drinks, like soda, opt to drink from a straw to reduce their contact with your teeth.
Practice good after meal care . Avoid brushing your teeth for one hour after you’ve ingested anything acidic. Foods containing citric acid (Oranges and grapefruit, of course, but also berries, jams, sourdough bread and cheese!) weaken tooth enamel. Brushing too soon after eating can damage your teeth in their weakened state. Chewing sugar-free gum after a meal can help neutralize acids in your mouth and keep your breath fresh.
Protect your teeth. If you play contact sports, protect your teeth by wearing a mouth guard. Mouth guards help to cushion a blow to the face minimizing the risk of injuries to your teeth, face and jaw; as well as protect the soft tissue of your tongue, lips and cheek lining. Although, not the same as a mouth guard, night guards can help protect your teeth from the damaging effects of teeth grinding. Learn more about the difference between sports mouth guards and night guards, here.
Drink more water. You’ve heard it before, for good reason! Water helps wash away food debris and keeps your saliva levels high. Saliva is your mouth’s best defense against tooth decay because it contains proteins and minerals that counteract enamel-eating acids. Saliva is made up of 95% water so do your mouth a favor and stay hydrated. Tap water, for the win! Drinking water with fluoride both reverses and helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth Water fluoridation became an official US Health Policy in 1951. The introduction of fluoride in water resulted in children having 35% fewer decayed, missing and filled baby teeth and 36% fewer decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth.
Brush 2min2x. The currently health recommendation for brushing is twice per day for 2 minutes. Take a look back at our recent article, Have you got two minutes?to learn more about the best practices for brushing and keeping your mouth clean and happy!
Be #FLOSSY. Remember to floss, and not just 5 minutes before your next dental appointment. It’s important to clean between your teeth with dental floss or an interdental brush each day. Gum disease often develops from plaque building up on teeth along the gum line, especially where your toothbrush can’t reach. Floss in an up and down motion and gently curve the floss around each tooth, making sure to clean beneath the gum line. Check out this short video on proper flossing technique.
The 3 month rule. Change your toothbrush when you change your oil. Toothbrush bristles wear down and become frayed. Get in the habit of getting rid of old brushes, that can harbor bacteria, every three months or when they become visibly worn.
Good. Then let’s talk about brushing up on brushing your teeth. Why two? Our dentists tell us two minutes, our electric toothbrushes tell us two minutes so why is this the magic number?
The American Dental Association ran a slogan of “2min2x” to get kids into the habit of brushing for at least two minutes-twice a day. Simply and scientifically put, brushing twice a day, (and flossing once) will reduce plaque, cavities, and bad breath. The Academy of General Dentistry, even suggests brushing teeth for about three to four minutes or as long as a song. However, singing along and brushing could make for a messy bathroom mirror.
In scientific studies from The Journal of Dental Hygiene, people who brushed for 45 seconds removed only 74% percent of plaque and brushing for 30 seconds only removed 45% of plaque-
compared to people who brush for two minutes. So by taking a very short, short-cut you are missing a substantial amount of plaque and jeopardizing your dental and overall health.
Brushing and flossing for two minutes or more, seems like eternity at first. But think of all the food debris, plaque and bacteria resting in your mouth, especially at night. You can also use a toothbrush as a scrubbing brush to remove bacteria from your mouth’s interior, we’re talking your cheeks, your gums and even your tongue. A good once over will leave you feeling clean, fresh and confident!
Don’t skip flossing. At least once a day, grab your flossing tool of choice and go for it. Some bleeding may occur between teeth but that will decrease as you practice more. Flossing is essential and is often overlooked or an occasional task. Once a day, please!
Get in the habit every day and not just before your dental appointment. Once you have a twice-daily routine, it’s hard to break and this one will keep you smiling for years.
Salute to Smiles program is wrapping up a second year of helping area veterans get much needed dental work and their smiles back. With a network of six participating dental offices and sponsors teaming up with Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center our program provided more than $60,000 in dental services and supplies to six deserving veterans.
This year we had an exciting first for the program. We helped our first female veteran! Barbra served in the United States Army for seven years. During that time she reached the rank of Sergeant E5, and was proud to serve one year in Afghanistan as a paralegal. Barbra shared that she saw many female medics in combat situations and that her husband also served in the United States Army.
Barb Hass shared that during her service she got a partial denture created, but years later it didn’t fit well and it hurt to wear. Unfortunately, she did not meet the requirements for veteran benefits for dental care and avoided seeing a professional because of the high costs.
Barb had her remaining teeth extracted and received two dental implants in her upper jaw and two implants on her bottom jaw. Dr. David LeMoine with Bay Oral and Dr. Bob Villwock with Bellevue Family Dentistry made two dentures which can snap into place for a nice and tight fit.
“I used to feel so embarrassed about my smile that my husband and I wouldn’t go places, but now with my new smile I can feel confident again,” Barbra shares.
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What really makes the program heartfelt is that it has veterans helping other fellow veterans through this service. Dr. David LeMoine, of Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center spent three years in the U.S. Army shared it was an honor to help Barbra with improving her smile.
Dr. David LeMoine, Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center
Dr. Vijay Parmar
Dr. Bradley Koch
Dr. Jason LeMoine
Dr. Charles Ellis
Dr. Michael Miskella
Dr. David LeMoine
We are grateful to our veterans and this is a small way we can give back. Thank you to the sponsors who helped make this program a reality along with the doctors for donating their time and services.
Sponsors
If you are interested in participating in Salute to Smiles this year either as a dentist, patient, or sponsor please contact Ellen Greene (egreene@bayoral.com) or Katie VandeVoort (kvandevoort@bayoral.com) at 920-499-0471.
If you are interested in participating in Salute to Smiles this year either as a dentist, patient, or sponsor please contact Ellen Greene (