Is Sleep Apnea Considered a Dental Emergency?

Aug 26th, 2023
Easton Dentists Oct 5th, 2023

We’ve all heard about the dangers of sleep apnea: excessive daytime sleepiness, increased risk of accidents while driving, as well as cognitive effects. If left untreated, sleep apnea can even be fatal, which is why it is crucial to be properly fitted for oral appliances to correct the situation. But there is no need to worry, your emergency dentist in Columbus and New Albany can help!

One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea is a procedure called Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).  In this procedure, a device is attached to a mask worn by the sufferer as they sleep.  While it is shown to be effective for many people, it is uncomfortable and awkward.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends dental devices for patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea who are not appropriate candidates for CPAP or who have not been helped by it. Several different dental devices are available:

· Mandibular Advancement Devices are the most widely used dental devices for sleep apnea. They look very much like a sports mouth guard, forcing the lower jaw forward and down slightly, and keeping the airway open.

· Tongue Retraining Devices are splints that hold the tongue in place to keep the airway as open as possible. Patients fitted with one should have a check-up early on to see if it is working, as it may need to be adjusted or replaced periodically.

Dental devices seem to offer several benefits over CPAP:

· Significant reduction in apneas for those with mild-to-moderate apnea, particularly if patients sleep either on their backs or stomachs.
· Improvement in sleep in many patients.
· Improvement and reduction in the frequency of snoring and loudness of snoring in most patients.
· Better long-term control of sleep apnea when compared to uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, which is the standard surgical treatment. There are also few complications with a dental device.

Of course, dental devices also come with some disadvantages:

· Dental devices are not as effective as CPAP therapy.

· The cost of these devices tends to be high.

Side effects associated with dental devices include:

· Nighttime pain, dry lips, tooth discomfort, and excessive salivation. Over the long-term, these side effects tend cause nearly half of patients to stop using dental devices.

· Permanent changes in the position of the teeth or jaw have occurred in some cases of long-term use. Patients should have regular visits with a health professional to check the devices and make adjustments.
In a small percentage of patients, the treatment may worsen apnea.

An orthodontic treatment called rapid maxillary expansion, in which a screw device is temporarily applied to the upper teeth and tightened regularly, may also help patients with sleep apnea and a narrow upper jaw. This nonsurgical procedure helps to reduce nasal pressure and improve breathing.  Your emergency dentist at The Dental Center can assist you in selecting the right solution for you.

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When Should You Call an Emergency Dentist?

Feb 5th, 2023
Easton Dentists Oct 5th, 2023

Emergency dental services are needed for a wide variety of reasons. Here’s a list of common dental emergencies that should send you seeking an emergency dentist.

Knocked Out Tooth – Any sort of blow to the face or jaw that completely knocks out a tooth or multiple teeth is cause for an emergency dentist. If possible, save the tooth and hold it in place in the socket. If that’s not possible, gently rinse off the knocked out tooth without removing any attached tissue and then put the tooth in a glass of milk. Treatment for a knocked out tooth should not wait until morning. The sooner you get to an emergency dentist, the greater the likelihood that the tooth might be able to be re-attached.

Broken Tooth – If you are involved in an accident where a tooth is broken, try to save any pieces of the broken tooth that you can and rinse your mouth out with warm water. Again, put the broken pieces in some milk if possible. To decrease the swelling and pain, apply a cold compress to the area. Get to your emergency dentist as soon as possible.

Dental Abscess — If you notice a painful, pimple-like swelling on your gums, rinse with warm salt water and immediately contact an emergency dentist. Dental abscesses can lead to serious infections if not treated promptly.

Broken Jaw — Apply a cold compress to limit swelling and go immediately to a hospital emergency room or to an emergency dental clinic. If you suspect your jaw is broken, do not wait to seek help.

Object Stuck in Teeth — Carefully try to dislodge the object with dental floss. Do not try to use a sharp instrument. If you’re unable to dislodge the object with dental floss, contact your dentist.

Severe Toothache — Rinse your mouth out with warm water. Then use dental floss to make sure there isn’t any food or other debris causing the pain. If the pain is severe and persists more than a few hours, seek emergency dental care.

Lost Dental Filling or Dental Crown — For dental fillings, cover the area with a piece of sugarless gum or over-the-counter dental cement. If a dental crown has come loose, try to put it back in place with dental cement. If that doesn’t work, bring it with you to the dentist.

Here at The Dental Center, we are the emergency dentist in Columbus Ohio for the northeastern side of Franklin County. We are open extended hours to be available for most emergencies. If you find yourself in one of these situations, please call or come to our offices. We are here to help you.

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8 Ways To Relieve TMD Pain

Apr 18th, 2021
Easton Dentists May 6th, 2021

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) is a disorder that affects the temporomandibular joint, jaw muscles, and even nerves on one or both sides of the head.  Pain in the jaw, face, head, and neck are indicators that you suffer from TMD.  If you suffer from TMD, here are a few tips and tricks to help ease your pain.

  1. Jaw Exercises

Gentle and slow exercises may help improve your jaw mobility and promote healing.  Your dentist or physical therapist can help evaluate your condition and based on that evaluation a series of exercises can be suggested.

  1. Relax Facial Muscles

Make a concentrated effort to relax your jaw muscles and keep your teeth apart.  This will relieve the stress on your facial muscles.

  1. Relaxation Techniques

Meditation, massage, and yoga can be instrumental in relaxing muscles tightened by stress.

  1. Over-the-Counter Analgesics

The short-term use of over-the-counter pain medication and anti-inflammatory’s, like ibuprofen, can provide temporary relief.  In some cases, your dentist can prescribe stronger medications.

  1. 8 Soft Diet

Blended or soft foods allow the jaw to relax temporarily.  Avoid hard, chewy or crunchy foods.  You should also avoid stretching your jaw to bite into food like apples.

  1. Moist Heat

Wrap a hot water bottle or heat pack in a warm, moist towel for temporary relief and to improve function.  As with anything that is heated, be careful that you don’t burn yourself.

  1. Ice

As with the above, ice can bring temporary relief by numbing your jaw.  When using ice, you should never place it directly on your skin; instead, wrap it in a clean cloth and you should not use it for more than 10-15 minutes at a time.

  1. Side Sleeping

Using a pillow for support between your shoulder and neck, side sleeping is another way you can relax your jaw.

Here at The Dental Center at Easton, our goal is to keep you healthy.  If you or someone you know is suffering from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, call us for an appointment and we’ll help get you on the fast track to healing.

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What is a Root Canal?

Jun 4th, 2020
Easton Dentists Jul 1st, 2020

A root canal (aka endodontic therapy) is a common procedure used by dentists to clean out infected teeth. Teeth can become infected for a variety of reasons. Many times, the nerve inside a tooth becomes infected as a result of trauma – either a broken tooth or a hard bump that may not even leave any external blemishes. Sometimes, it can take years for a tooth to become infected and noticeably decay before you feel anything. A dentist may recommend endodontic therapy even if you don’t yet feel any pain.

Many patients get nervous when they hear the words “root canal.” Anyone who’s had a root canal procedure done can tell you that there’s almost no pain involved. A hundred years ago, before the popular use of anesthetic, this was true. Yet for some reason, this stereotype still lasts. The pain most people associate with root canals is actually from the infection before they seek help. Your dentist is invested in making endodontic therapy as relaxing as possible. He or she will apply anesthetic and protect the procedure area with a rubber dam to keep out any saliva. This dam allows you to swallow normally during the operation.

Next, the dentist drills a small hole into the inner part of your tooth to remove any infected pulp and dead nerve cells. This fluid is what’s causing the pain you’ve felt. Using varying sizes of tools, your dentist will then clean out the roots and remove any dangerous abscesses or liquid that lie in your jaw. At this point, your first procedure may be over. Not every root canal takes more than one appointment, but some will pause once the cleaning is done. You’ll leave with a temporary crown until your next appointment.

Once a tooth has been cleaned, it’s important to protect it against future infections. The spaces inside a tooth are commonly filled by gutta-percha, a semi-organic material made from the sap of gutta-percha trees. This natural latex is lightweight and durable. Finally, the tooth is capped with a crown and the tooth is just as strong as it was before!

Feeling recurring pain in your teeth? Call The Dental Center at Easton (serving the Columbus Metro Area) to talk to a qualified professional about if you’re a good candidate for a root canal and what you can expect from the procedure.

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Dental Urgent Care Procedures

May 13th, 2020
Easton Dentists Jun 2nd, 2020

Dental emergencies can cause panic and disruption of your daily routine. Nobody likes to have a toothache or other disorder that causes oral pain or discomfort. The Dental Center in Columbus, Ohio is here to offer you urgent care procedures that will have you feeling better as soon as possible. We offer extended business hours to accommodate your emergency needs and are centrally located for quick and convenient access. We understand how dental emergencies can disrupt your communication and eating abilities and we want to make sure that your treatment is as quick and painless as possible. The Dental Center offers dental urgent care procedures that will have you feeling better in no time. Our most common emergency dental procedures are root canals and tooth extractions.

A root canal, also known as endodontic treatment, occurs when the “root” of the tooth, or the pulp, is removed. Each of your teeth is usually filled with dental pulp, a collection of blood vessels and nerves inside the tooth. When this pulp becomes infected, it can cause intense pain (commonly known as a toothache) that requires immediate treatment. The infected pulp is known as pulpitis, which is usually caused by tooth decay. A root canal is a common procedure that relieves tooth pain by removing the damaged pulp, filling the tooth, and sealing it off so you can return to normal daily functions.

Another common procedure is known as tooth extraction and occurs when a tooth is removed from the socket of your mouth because of decay or damage. Sometimes a tooth is removed to accommodate orthodontic procedures. Tooth extraction is considered an urgent procedure because a damaged tooth causes pain and can affect the alignment of the remaining teeth.

If you are in need of a dental urgent care procedure such as a root canal or tooth extraction, then contact The Dental Center at Easton Town Center. Don’t live in pain any longer!

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When Should You Seek Urgent Care?

May 9th, 2020
Easton Dentists Jun 2nd, 2020

Urgent care from a dentist at The Dental Center at Easton Town Center(Columbus, Ohio) covers any situation involving your oral health that requires immediate emergency attention. If you experience any pain or discomfort associated with your teeth, gums, or any other area in or around the mouth, then you should seek urgent care right away! Your oral health affects every aspect of your daily life including communication and eating. Any situation that causes you pain or affects the regular functioning of your mouth should be treated immediately so as not to cause permanent damage.

A situation that requires emergency or urgent care is one that involves acute pain. Most often, tooth pain, or a “toothache”, is an inflammation of the dental pulp tissue caused by an infection. The infection is frequently from dental caries (tooth decay) or a cavity and can be treated with a filling, root canal, or tooth extraction.

Other pain-causing situations involve accidents. Maybe your child was just hit in the mouth with a ball during a sports event, or you got in a fender bender on the way home from work and injured part of your mouth. Accidents such as these can have an effect on your dental health and should be treated as soon as possible.

Many people have oral devices such as a crown or bridge in place. If these devices are damaged or lost, they can have a detrimental effect on your oral health. Sometimes issues with these devices do not cause pain, but it is still urgent that they get fixed so that your overall dental health is not affected.

Whether you’re having dental pain, had an accident, or are missing a dental device, you shouldn’t have to wait for treatment. Our Columbus based practice understands the importance of urgent dental care and is here to help you when you need it most with extended hours for emergency situations. We are centrally located at Easton Town Center close to New Albany, Gahanna, and Columbus so you’re never far from expert dental care! Contact us today to find out more about our urgent care services.

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What is Urgent Dental Care?

Apr 5th, 2020
Easton Dentists May 8th, 2020

Urgent dental care is when a dental emergency occurs and requires immediate repair and treatment. Urgent dental care often involves acute pain in the mouth, gums, or teeth. Other dental emergencies include the loss of a needed dental device such as a crown or bridge. Oral health is very important because it affects aspects of your daily life such as eating and speaking. If you have a dental situation that requires urgent care, you want to get in for treatment as quickly as possible. At The Dental Center, we are centrally located at Easton Town Center and are minutes away from many major areas such as New Albany, Gahanna, and Columbus. We also offer extended hours for dental emergencies, so you’ll never have to live with dental pain for long.

Dental situations that cause acute pain of the teeth, gums, or other areas in or around the mouth require immediate treatment for pain relief and overall oral health. The most common dental emergency is pulpitis, commonly known as a toothache. Pulpitis is usually caused by dental caries (tooth decay) and is an inflammation of infected dental pulp tissue. Pulpitis is treated usually by a root canal or a tooth extraction.

Other situations, such as a misplaced crown or bridge affect the integrity of your mouth and sometimes cause pain. If you have lost a crown, bridge, or other dental device, then it’s important to get urgent care to repair it.

Whether you’re suffering from oral pain or need a dental device repaired, The Dental Center at Easton is the convenient choice for all your urgent care needs. Don’t wait another day to get the care and treatment that you need right away! Contact The Dental Center today for urgent care.

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Do You Have a Dental First Aid Kit?

Feb 13th, 2020
Easton Dentists Mar 2nd, 2020

It is always a good idea to have a first aid kit in your home.  Inside, you more than likely have all the essentials: Band-Aids, gauze, tape, antibiotic ointment, wrap, and some sort of ice pack.  This simple but useful kit plays a crucial role for any family in the event of an emegergengy.  It is designed to quickly and efficiently treat injuries that are bad enough to need care but do not need the immediate attention of a medical professional.

However, there is another first aid kit that every home should have.  Dental first aid kits are a necessity for homes because they provide the specialized care that is meant exclusively for oral care.

While there may be some similarities between the two kits, both should be kept fully stocked in order to take care of any dental emergency that may arise.

  • Floss.  Whether you prefer the traditional roll of floss or the one-time-use sticks, having a handy supply of floss will help relieve much of the irritation that can be associated with eating certain foods.
  • Mild pain medication.  You may use this to stop pain entirely or to make it subside until you can get proper care.  Either way, having an emergency supply of pain medication is never a bad idea.
  • Oral Wax.  Especially for people with braces or any other piece of oral equipment, wax can be placed on and around any sharp protrusion to ease pain and reduce the chance of further injury.  If you’re not sure where to get oral wax, ask your dentist where you can get your hands on it.
  • Emergency ice packs.  When swelling needs to be controlled, ice packs are the quick and effective solution.  If something traumatic happens and you need to make an emergency trip to your hospital or dentist, you’ll want to use an ice pack during the trip.
  • Cotton balls.  Bleeding is never wanted but when it does occur, you’ll want to be ready.  A cotton ball is typically a safe and effective way to help stop the bleeding.
  • Camellia teabags.  This may sound out of place amongst medical supplies but tea has been used for centuries to help sooth oral traumas.  They can even help stop bleeding after oral surgery.
  • Your dentist’s contact information.  Your dentist knows your teeth better than anyone else so who better to help during an emergency?

In the case of an emergency, there is nothing more important than your health.  A dental first aid kit is the first step to take in ensuring your oral health.  For more information on keeping your oral health in order, call us today!

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Performance-Enhancing Athletic Mouthguards: Hype? Or the Real Deal?

Sep 28th, 2019
Easton Dentists Oct 1st, 2019

Sports related dental injuries are for real and they do account for some of our emergency care cases.  But now there is a trend towards high performance mouthguards.  It’s a baffling field full of contradictory claims that have left many experts scratching their heads.  Should you buy into the hype?

No longer are athletic mouthguards just something athletes wear to prevent them from visiting the emergency dentist (but, of course, that is why we advocate them!). New athletic mouthguards now actually claim to help athletes perform at their optimal levels.

Performance-enhancing athletic mouthguards seem to be a miracle of modern medicine – the right mouthguard can help the entire body can function at peak capacity. Athletes who invest in these custom mouthguards says they give them improved focus, balance, endurance, and strength. Pro athletes, in sports ranging from golf to boxing to football, have turned to these appliances for an edge over competitors.

Your basic athletic mouthguards are protective and distribute impact to reduce the severity or occurrence of injuries, such as mouth cuts, concussions, and tooth damage. Over-the-counter boil-and-bite varieties offer this protection at a minimal cost to the user. The new-and-improved varieties do this and more.

One type, with the Under Armor name on it makes states:

“ArmourBite® technology with patented Power Wedges™ to increase strength, improve endurance, and reduce athletic stress”

UA Performance Mouthwear mouthguards are intended to stop clenching, which is what triggers the body to overproduce stress hormones such as cortisol, which decreases strength and muscle growth. Cortisol is known to regulate the immune response, but chronic overproduction can have significant negative effects on the body.

Another marketer, NewAge Performance makes a claim:

“90 percent of the population has a bad or poor bite, which causes a mis-alignment in your body. When you have a perfect bite, the body reciprocates with better body alignment, allowing you to perform at a higher level. The New Age mouthpiece fools the body in thinking you have the perfect bite, hence the results being instant.”

It is is not yet known if they truly live up to the claims of physical benefits manufacturers want us to believe. Right now, we have to rely on the users – athletes – for our best information. For many of them, they believe it works.

Regardless if you are a believer or not, one of the most important things to come out of studies on the subject is that none of the mouthguards interfered with the athlete’s performance.  The key is, if the athlete believes in them, that will encourage them to always keep them in their mouth, and that is always a plus.

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Is Dental Anxiety For Real?

Jun 16th, 2019
Easton Dentists Jul 5th, 2019

Believe it or not, there is an actual syndrome that is called Dental Anxiety.  Numerous studies have been performed on the topic.  One such study resulted in the following questionnaire, developed by J.H. Clarke and S. Rustvold, Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, 1993, and revised in 1998.  This scale helps dentists, especially emergency dentists, determine how to treat certain patients.

If you are anxious about visiting the dentist, please print out this form and rank your concerns or anxiety over the dental procedures listed below. Please fill in any additional concerns and bring to your appointment or your visit to your emergency dentist in Gahanna, Ohio.

Level of Concern or Anxiety

1. Sound or vibration of the drill:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

2. Not being numb enough:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

3. Dislike the numb feeling:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

4. Injection (“Novocain”):  Low Moderate High Don’t know

5. Probing to assess gum disease:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

6. The sound or feel of scraping  during teeth cleaning: Low Moderate High Don’t know

7. Gagging, for example during impressions  of the mouth: Low Moderate High Don’t know

8. X-rays:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

9. Rubber dam:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

10. Jaw gets tired: Low Moderate High Don’t know

11. Cold air hurts teeth: Low Moderate High Don’t know

12. Not enough information about procedures: Low Moderate High Don’t know

13. Root canal treatment:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

14. Extraction:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

15. Fear of being injured:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

16. Panic attacks:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

17. Not being able to stop the dentist: Low Moderate High Don’t know

18. Not feeling free to ask questions: Low Moderate High Don’t know

19. Not being listened to or taken seriously: Low Moderate High Don’t know

20. Being criticized, put down, or lectured to: Low Moderate High Don’t know

21. Smells in the dental office: Low Moderate High Don’t know

22. I am worried that I may need a lot of  dental treatment: Low Moderate High Don’t know

23. I am worried about the cost of the  dental treatment I may need: Low Moderate High Don’t know

24. I am worried about the number of appointments and the time that will be required for necessary appointments and treatment; time away from work, or the   need for childcare or transportation:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

25. I am embarrassed about the condition  of my mouth:  Low Moderate High Don’t know

26. I don’t like feeling confined or not in control: Low Moderate High Don’t know

Keep in mind that your emergency dentist in Columbus Ohio may or may not have time to use this tool. It is suggested that when you call for an appointment, that you notify staff at Easton Dental that you are concerned or experience dental anxiety. If you decide to take this assessment, be prepared to discuss with Dr. Gilmer to ensure the best possible care.

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