Swollen Lips and Post-Extraction Instructions in Parker, CO

 

We place high priority on patient comfort at Ardas Family Dental in Parker. When a patient needs a wisdom tooth extraction or any other kind of series procedure, we provide safe numbing and sedation and clear post-operation instructions. We’re proud to say that most of our patients never experience any serious problems. However, one issue that might come up if a patient isn’t careful is a swollen lip.

Sensation to much of the lower jaw is provided by the alveolar nerve. We use an injection to numb it when we’re doing work on the teeth in the lower jaw, and the patient will be able to feel it again a few hours later. But while the nerve is numb, the patient’s lower lip will feel heavy and rubbery. Many, especially children, bite down on it out of curiosity. But the lip isn’t actually any tougher than usual; the patient just can’t feel how hard they’re biting. As a result, their lip may swell up significantly and feel sore once the anesthetic wears off.

The swelling usually looks more dangerous than it really is. If it’s infected, it will turn red and cause a fever, in which case it will need to be treated with antibiotics. But most of the time, it goes down after about a week. Following an extraction, patients are advised to hold cold packs against their faces for fifteen minutes at a time, alternating with fifteen minute breaks. After forty-eight hours, they can switch to hot packs. The same advice applies when a patient has a swollen lip, but knowing the danger of one is often enough to avoid it.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Getting Crowns at Ardas Family Dental

 

Artificial crowns are one of the most common types of dental prosthetics. They replace the part of the tooth that is visible, also known as the cap, and stand independently of other teeth. But we know some patients at Ardas Family Dental in Parker may still be confused about what makes artificial crowns different from prosthetics such as inlays and implants, so we wanted to provide a brief run-down on what crowns are for and how they are placed.

Crowns are used in circumstances in which a tooth is too badly damaged or decayed to be held together with a filling or partial crown. That could be due to the tooth getting chipped, or it could be because we intentionally filed a tooth down so that it could receive a new crown after drilling into it for root canal therapy. The tooth’s remaining natural enamel has to be filed into a cylindrical shape called an abutment for an artificial crown to be placed over. If the entire tooth is gone and being replaced with an implant, the implant will include a metal abutment that sticks up from the gum.

The patient is numbed while their tooth is filed into an abutment, and a mold is subsequently taken of their mouth. They will leave the office wearing a temporary crown while the mold is sent to a dental laboratory, where their permanent crown is made out of porcelain or something similarly hard and colored like a natural tooth. We will help a patient ensure their new tooth matches their natural ones. At a second visit to our office, the permanent crown is cemented onto the abutment. Dental crowns have to be cared for like normal teeth, or they will decay or crack. But when properly cared for, they can last for over ten years and function just like natural teeth.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Caring for a Toothbrush in Parker, CO

 

You may think of your toothbrush as nothing special, but it’s among the most important tools you use to maintain your health everyday. Preventing gum disease and tooth decay is linked to reducing the severity of everything from Alzheimer’s to high blood pressure. But a worn-out toothbrush is more of a hazard than a help, and you need to know how to make a toothbrush last. If you aren’t sure whether your toothbrush is still in good working order, this post is for you.

A toothbrush that is being used twice a day for two minutes at a time will usually last three to four months. You’ll be able to tell when it’s not working by whether the bristles are crushed into a flare. At that point, it’s no longer reaching between your teeth or scrubbing plaque from around your gum line. However, a toothbrush may need to be replaced sooner if you have reason to think it’s been contaminated.

To avoid the growth of mold on a toothbrush, let it dry upright in the open air. Do not keep it in a travel case all the time, and don’t let different people’s toothbrushes touch each other. You should also replace your toothbrush if you’ve been sick. It may be possible to clean a standard toothbrush with hot water, and electric toothbrush manufacturers commonly provide devices for cleaning detachable toothbrush heads. But a toothbrush should never be put in the dishwasher or boiling water, or it will become deformed and bacteria will be able to colonize fissures in its handle.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

National Children's Dental Health Month at Ardas Family Dental

 

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. What that means is that dentists across the country make a concerted effort to inform the public about issues that are especially important to the oral health of children. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado, we’re proud that so many families entrust us with everything from routine cleanings to their teenagers’ wisdom teeth extractions. This year’s theme is the role of water in oral health, so we wanted to spotlight why water is especially important for children and adolescents.

Baby teeth are not as hard as adult teeth, and they decay more easily. This is especially concerning because young children not only struggle to clean their teeth, but also have less choice in how much sugar they’re exposed to. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is a phrase dentists use to describe the pattern of decay that occurs on toddlers’ teeth when the fronts of their incisors are coated in sugar residue from taking swigs from a bottle throughout the day. Limiting juice and milk to set meal times, and providing young children with water in between, will keep them hydrated while washing away sugar.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is not the only reason it’s important to stay hydrated. Saliva helps to neutralize the acid that causes tooth decay and contains enzymes that aid in breaking down food debris. Children may suffer from dry mouth as a side effect of medications, so it’s important for them to stay hydrated by drinking water, as opposed to things like sports drinks that are high in sugar and acid. Drinking water is also the most reliable way to clean odor-causing bacteria off the tongue, reducing halitosis, whereas sugary drinks will fuel more bacteria growth. Lastly, we want to remind our patients of the importance of staying hydrated to reduce the mouth’s risk of incurring abrasions from braces or other oral appliances teenagers depend on for their long-term oral health.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

 

Wisdom teeth can be a pain in the neck or more specifically the mouth. These teeth appear later in life, emerging in the upper and lower back areas of the mouth in the 17-25 age years. After wisdom teeth grow in completely, your dentist may recommend a tooth extraction to prevent infection. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, Dr. Roopi Kattaura provides safe and effective wisdom tooth extractions. But first, the question remains, why do we have wisdom teeth anyway?

History of Wisdom Teeth

Since they are the last to appear in the human mouth, wisdom teeth garnered the title “wisdom” presumably because they make you wiser. Wisdom teeth were once very useful in human history, aiding our ancestors to chew and tear tough roots, meats, nuts, and plants. But because most of the human diet today is soft and cooked foods, the need for wisdom teeth is virtually none, with anthropologists suggesting their DNA may soon completely disappear from genetics.

Wisdom Teeth Today: Extractions and Removal

Since wisdom teeth aren’t needed anymore today, they are more likely to do harm than good to your mouth. When a wisdom tooth can’t break through the gums or is stuck under the gums, this means it’s impacted. A wisdom tooth that grows at the wrong angle due to lack of room in the mouth also is impacted. Partially impacted wisdom teeth, which only slightly emerge from the gums are also a cause for concern. 

Your Parker, CO dentist recommends an extraction when your wisdom tooth is impacted and if you experience the following symptoms:

-Pain

-Infection

-Ulcers near the tooth

-Tooth decay

-Damage to nearby teeth

-Gum disease

-Trouble opening jaw

-Bleeding gums

-Sudden bad breath

Sometimes wisdom teeth, even if not impacted, don’t need to be removed because they cause no oral health issues. Here are examples of when you don’t need an extraction:

-Your wisdom teeth are healthy and fully grown in

-Your wisdom teeth are positioned correctly

-Your wisdom teeth are easily reached for proper dental hygiene

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Thumbsucking and Oral Health

 

Does your child suck their thumb? Thumbsucking is a normal reflex that many young children practice for comfort and relaxation. But prolonged thumbsucking can affect your child’s oral health, resulting in issues like misaligned teeth.  At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, Dr. Roopi Kattaura is passionate about your child’s oral health, from thumbsucking to cavities. Call our office today if you have any questions.

Thumbsucking and Your Child’s Teeth

Passive thumbsucking which is simply holding the thumb in the mouth doesn’t damage the teeth. But thumbsucking with a lot of motion or active thumbsucking causes misaligned teeth, damage to the roof of the mouth, and changes to the shape of the jawbone such as overbite issues. 

Thumbsucking becomes an issue when your child’s first tooth appears. Your Parker, CO dentist sees patients of all ages, so contact Ardas Family Dental to address thumbsucking right away.

How to Stop Your Child’s Thumbsucking

Typically, children stop sucking their thumbs between the ages of two to four. If thumbsucking continues past these ages, there are several ways to help wean your child off this habit:

-Include praise or positive reinforcement when your child doesn’t suck their thumb

-Focus on alleviating anxiety. Since thumbsucking is a source of comfort when children are anxious, try to eliminate that anxiety.

-Involve your child in the process. If you have an older child who is still thumbsucking include them in the process to stop this habit, by setting gentle reminders and goals to accomplish.

If your child’s thumbsucking habit is still a concern, contact our office in Parker, CO today. Your dentist can prescribe medication or devices to hinder your child from sucking their thumb. 

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Fruit Juice and Tooth Decay

 

Fruit juice seems like the perfect healthy drink for your kids, right? This all-natural beverage may seem like the best choice for your kids to enjoy as opposed to soda or caffeinated drinks. But, fruit drinks are also a major culprit for tooth decay and cavities. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, Dr. Roopi Kattaura offers expert advice on the causes and prevention of tooth decay, including advice on fruit juice.

The Dangers of Sugar

You’ve probably heard the dangers of sugar a thousand times. Sugar negatively impacts your body and your teeth are no different. After you eat junk food or sip on unhealthy drinks, harmful bacteria in your mouth like Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus feed on the sugars leftover in your saliva. These bacteria create a plaque on the surface of your teeth. They also trigger destructive acids which cause enamel erosion and tooth decay.

But, Why Fruit Juice?

Okay you know sugar is bad, but why is fruit juice dangerous for oral health. When it comes to fruit juice or any similar food, keep in mind that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s completely healthy. Whether it’s sugar from candy or natural sugars derived from fruit, sugar is still sugar and harms your child’s teeth. Fruit juice isn’t all that healthy as well, with too much extra sugar and calories even if it’s naturally derived from just fruit. Bacteria also feed off natural sugars in your child’s mouth, leading the way for weak enamel and decay.

Treatment

Prevention is the best medicine. So the next time you pair your child’s afternoon snack with some beverage, choose water instead of juice. Of course, you don’t have to completely halt the juice intake but limit the amount of fruit juice your child consumes daily.

If your child is already experiencing dental problems from sugar, contact our Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO today. Dr. Kattaura offers a variety of treatment options and technologies including sealants, crowns, and electric handpieces to protect and repair your child’s teeth. 

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.