Must-Haves for Your At-Home Dental Emergency Kit

/1,396 Comments/in , /by

Just as you can experience emergency situations with the rest of your body, you can also experience emergency situations with your oral health. When this occurs, it is so important that you visit an emergency dentist in Katy, TX for help as soon as possible. However, it can also be helpful if you have an emergency first-aid collection on hand specifically to handle these unique situations.

Here are some must-haves to keep on hand for just-in-case dental emergencies.

Sealable Plastic Bags

Sealable plastic bags can be used in a pinch when you need to secure a tooth after it has been knocked out in a safe, clean place until you get to the dentist. In addition, you will need a sealable bag to contain gauze and other materials that are soil with blood in the event you are bleeding.

Sterile Swabs, Gauze, and Cotton Balls

All of these items serve their purpose. Gauze can be used to bite down on and control pressure and bleeding. Sterile swabs may be necessary to clean a wound in your mouth. Cotton balls work well when you need to clean an area with an oral rinse.

Dental Mirror

Dental trauma or damage to a tooth may not always be visible from the front of your smile. A dental mirror allows you to get a look at the backsides of your teeth by looking in the mirror.

Temporary Tooth Filling

Temporary tooth filling products can serve several purposes, including:

  • Covering an opening when a filling falls out
  • Securing a crown in place temporarily
  • Covering a crack in a tooth to deter sensitivity to air exposure

You can find temporary dental filling material at pretty much any pharmacy, so grab a tube of it to add to your kit.

Find an Emergency Dentist in Kay, TX for Help

Even when you have all the right supplies on hand, you still need to see a dentist in Katy, TX for help. Reach out to us at Chloe Dental if you need immediate help with a dental emergency.

Tips to Remember When You Experience Tooth Trauma

/7 Comments/in , /by

Got a broken, chipped, or knocked-out tooth? Sounds like you need to visit a Houston, TX emergency dentist right away! Thankfully, we are here to help you out here at Chloe Dental, but there are a few good tips that you should keep in mind.

Contact an emergency dentist for help immediately

As soon as you possibly can, it will be important that you talk to an emergency dentist to get some advice about how to best handle the situation. The dentist can give you pointers about:

  • How to protect the tooth itself
  • How to control bleeding
  • How to ease pain you are experiencing

Do what you can to preserve the tooth

Most often, if a tooth has been dislodged, there is a chance that it can be re-situated into the socket and saved. However, the tooth has to be carefully preserved on your way to the dentist and you have to get treatment as quickly as possible. If possible, rinse the tooth in clean water and place it back in the socket. If not, gently rinse the tooth and wrap it in a moist paper towel until you get to the dentist.

Watch out for uncontrolled bleeding

If the trauma you have experienced is causing your mouth to bleed, this is something to watch out for. Even though the bleeding will likely stop, you can lose a lot of blood if you have a laceration in your gums or have a tooth that has been knocked out. Use clean gauze or paper towels to control the bleeding by rolling up the clean material and applying pressure to the trauma point.

Find an Emergency Dentist in Houston, TX

Whether you have a severe toothache, a broken tooth, or something even more concerning with your smile, working with an emergency dentist in Houston, TX for help as soon as possible is a must. Reach out to us at Chloe Dental to schedule a rapid visit if you have experienced some level of dental trauma.

Dental 9-1-1: What’s a Dental Emergency?

/1,393 Comments/in , /by

Think you have a dental emergency in Katy, TX? Don’t worry! We are always here for you at Chloe Dental. However, sometimes patients that truly have a dental emergency situation prolong treatment because they don’t realize that the issue they have is such a risk. Check out a few signs that you may need an emergency dentist below.

Severe Pain

Tooth pain is so hard to manage at home, and it can completely interrupt your day. Unfortunately, a severe toothache can also be a sign that something threatening is taking place. Not only can an emergency dentist help you get some relief, but they can also get to the root cause of the issue.

Tooth or Mouth Trauma

Trauma to a tooth, such as a fracture, break, or chip, or trauma to your gums, such as a laceration, are all issues that should spur you to see a dentist as quickly as possible. Remember, prolonging treatment after tooth or gum trauma can put you at risk of permanent damage.

Excessive Bleeding

Bleeding gums are common, but you should never experience excessive bleeding in your mouth. Pay attention any time you find large amounts of blood in your mouth or you have bleeding that simply does not stop.

Signs of Dental Infection

A dental abscess can be dangerous when not promptly treated. This issue occurs when bacteria has made its way beneath your oral tissues and should be managed immediately to avoid risks to your oral health and your smile.

Get Fast Treatment with a Katy Emergency Dentist

Any kind of emergency can be a scary situation, but making sure to see a dentist in Katy, TX as soon as possible can make a huge difference in the outcome of the event. Contact us immediately if you believe you have an emergency situation with your teeth or oral health.

What to Expect from Your Oral Surgery

/1,353 Comments/in , , , /by

Oral surgery sounds foreboding, and you may envision a painful procedure that takes hours to complete. In reality, however, oral surgery is simple and mostly painless. You’ll receive anesthesia before most oral surgeries, so you’ll have no pain. And while you may experience some discomfort afterward, your dentist in Katy, TX,will provide prescription or over-the-counter medication to make you comfortable.

What Happens Before Oral Surgery?

Before your dentist refers you to an oral surgeon, they’ll meet with you for a consultation. They’ll usually take X-rays and perform diagnostic tests to determine why you’re experiencing tooth or jaw pain. In some instances, you may not have pain at all, but oral surgery is still necessary to prevent problems in the future. This is usually true for wisdom tooth extraction.

You will also consult with your oral surgeon in Katy, TX, before your surgery, and they’ll take a brief medical history. They may ask you which type of sedation you prefer and whether you’re allergic to any medication. They’ll then give you a list of pre-operative instructions and schedule your oral surgery for a future date.

What to Expect on the Day of Your Oral Surgery

On the day of your surgery, you’ll want to forego breakfast. Your pre-operative instructions will likely mention the need to fast from midnight on. You’ll also want to have another licensed driver with you to take you home afterward.

If you elected sedation, you’ll be unconscious during your surgery. Afterward, your oral surgeon will provide you with a list of care instructions for your incisions, to prevent problems such as infection or dry socket.

If you think you may need oral surgery in Katy, TX, contact Chloe Dental today. We’ll book an appointment that fits your schedule and consult with you to determine whether oral surgery is a sound solution.

What are the Risks With Oral Surgery?

/1,313 Comments/in , , , /by

Oral surgery is a tremendous and powerful tool that helps dental patients have good oral health. But it is a form of surgery and in that regard, patients should be aware that there are certain risks involved, albeit small ones. When you elect to have oral surgery in Houston and Katy, TX, your dentist will tell you everything you need to know to be healthy and strong thoughout the treatment.

Anesthesia

The first risk from oral surgery is the anesthesia itself. Since oral surgery is an invasive treatment, you may need to be put under general anesthesia. This carries small inherent risks that your anesthesiologist will explain to you in depth.

Dry Socket

Depending upon the type of oral surgery you get, you may run the risk of developing what’s known as dry socket. This is a condition where the empty tooth socket “dries up” because it has not formed a protective blood clot. The blood clot forms as part of the healing process that enables soft tissue to form over the bone and nerve endings. When that fails to happen, dry socket happens. Dry socket can usually be prevented by following post-operative instructions carefully.

Sinus Issues

If your oral surgery is happening on your upper jaw area, there is a slight risk that you could develop some minor sinus trouble afterward. This is because the sinuses are located very close to the upper wisdom teeth. This is not a common complication, but it does happen in some cases.

Oral surgery is a well-tested and very common treatment that’s performed hundreds of thousands of times all over the world. Most patients and dentists in Houston and Katy, TX agree that the benefits of oral surgery far outweigh the risks.

What is Dental Implant Restoration?

/1,122 Comments/in , , , /by

Dental implant restoration in Houston and Katy, TX is available for patients who need to replace a missing tooth. Dental implants consist of three essential components, but the visible result is an artificial tooth takes the place of the missing tooth. The implant itself is surgically placed inside the jawbone, where it holds in place a faux “root,” which replaces what used to be the tooth’s natural root. Then, a dental screw is installed in that dental implant, and the crown is installed atop that screw. The crown is the part that looks like the natural tooth.

What is Dental Implant Restoration?

Dental implant restoration is simply the process of restoring healthy teeth and gums with the use of dental implants. The restoration that is referred to has to do with the restoration of the smile, and the restoration of a correct bite in the patient’s mouth. Dental implants in Houston and Katy, TX are done on a frequent basis to help patients regain their smile and their confidence.

How Long is the Dental Implant Restoration Process?

When you get dental implants in Houston or Katy, Texas, your dentist will tell you all about the process so that you can be fully knowledgeable about what to expect. But in general, the dental implant restoration process is about the same with everyone. The most important thing to know is that it does not happen in one day like some other dental treatments. Multiple visits are needed over the course of several months. This is because the gums need to heal in between treatments. There may also be a need for some bone restoration, in which case the “resting period” may be even longer while you and your dentist wait for your bone growth to occur.

The final results with dental implant restoration are typically very amazing and transformative. Your dentist can restore and improve your smile and confidence with dental implants. Contact us today to learn more.