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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

Like many people who need to lose a few pounds, I try diet after diet in an attempt to find one that finally works for me. I learned the hard way that I need to make sure any diet will not harm my teeth, even if it does help me lose a few pounds. I learned this lesson when following a grapefruit diet. There are many versions of this, but the version I tried had me eat a grapefruit alone several times each day. It was supposed to suppress my appetite. I helped keep me from munching on unhealthy snacks, but the acid in the fruit took a toll on my tooth enamel and I quickly started getting lots of cavities. I created this blog to remind people that change up their diets often to make sure the foods they are eating are not harming their teeth.

3 Ways To Alleviate Pain If A Crown Falls Off Of A Damaged Tooth

16 December 2015
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

If one of the crowns that was covering a damaged tooth in your mouth falls off, you may experience pain if the tooth's nerve is exposed. Use the following tips to temporarily alleviate discomfort until you are able to be seen by a dentist to have a new crown installed.

Dental Putty Kit

Wash your hands and put on a pair of disposable gloves to prevent germs from spreading to your mouth as you are applying the putty. Remove the putty from the kit and roll a small amount of it between your fingers until it is pliable. Flatten the putty out into a thin disk that is long and wide enough to cover your tooth. Place the putty over the tooth that is damaged and use the applicator to gently press it against the tooth.

Avoid eating, drinking, or clenching your teeth together while you wait for the putty to harden. This could take a couple of hours. After the putty is hard, you can use your tooth as you normally would. The putty can stay in your mouth for several days and shouldn't disrupt you while you are sleeping.

Saltwater Rinse

Salt is a mineral that will temporarily reduce pain and help prevent the damaged tooth from becoming infected. Add one or two spoonfuls of salt to a glass of room temperature water. Stir the salt until the water turns cloudy. Add a small amount of the saltwater to your mouth and vigorously swish it around for a minute or two before spitting it out. If you still feel discomfort, add more saltwater to your mouth and swish it around until you are comfortable. 

Black Teabag Compress

Heat a teabag in a pot on top of your stove for a couple minutes. Remove the teabag from the heat and wait for it to cool down to a comfortable temperature. Wrap a piece of gauze all the way around the teabag. Place the wrapped teabag over the portion of your tooth that is causing you pain. The tannic acid that is in the tea will help alleviate any discomfort that you are feeling. 

Make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can to have a new crown installed over your damaged tooth. In the meantime, the pain relieving methods will help you remain comfortable so that you can focus on other things besides the tooth that is missing a crown. Click here for more information.