When To See The Emergency Dentist

When To See The Emergency Dentist

When To See The Emergency Dentist

How can you know whether your aches and pains are normal or if you have a serious toothache to worry about? Your St. Petersburg dentist states, if left unaddressed, those apparently little issues may soon escalate into a toothache you’ll never forget. Here are some signs to know when to see the emergency dentist 33704.

Signs You Need Emergency Dental Care

Toothaches occur in a variety of forms, sizes, and pain levels. Knowing what constitutes an emergency and what does not might help you save money over time. Putting off your aches and pains might sometimes lead to a worse dental issue down the road. Because your body is so interconnected, pinpointing the exact reason for your dental pain might be challenging. A proper diagnosis from Dr. Brian Leeson is the most reliable approach to get quick toothache relief and maybe avoid a more serious problem.

Loose Tooth

You should never suffer loss of teeth as an adult. If you’ve noticed that your teeth are becoming loose, there are a few factors that might be causing this. Patients may have severe pain as a result of this, and you should seek emergency dentist St. Pete right away. Whether it was a sports-related injury or a traffic accident, you’ll want to make sure your teeth are healthy and robust. Even if your teeth seem to be in good shape, you should see an emergency dentist rule out any nerve or jaw injury. While nerve or jaw injury may not show symptoms right away, it is critical to get treatment before your situation worsens. It’s better to be safe than sorry in this circumstance, as it is in most.

Toothache

The intensity of your toothache may indicate that you should see your dentist for fast toothache treatment. If your toothache is minimal, there are a few home remedies that you might try. If not, you should make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible, since toothaches may be caused by a variety of factors. Treatment will be determined by the underlying cause, thus accurate diagnosis is essential for long-term toothache treatment.

For patients, preventing a toothache in the first place is desirable, but we understand that this isn’t always possible. Habits and lifestyle choices may get in the way, and before you realize it, you’re dealing with a toothache. See your dentist if your toothache has become more severe and the pain persists following sensitivity to warmth or touch.

Swollen or Aching Gums

While seeing your gums bleed after flossing isn’t ‘normal,’ it might be an indication of gingivitis or early gum disease. However, if your gums are bleeding excessively, often, and even leave your gums sore, there are several red flags to be aware of. These are some of the most frequent gum disease symptoms.

If your gums are hurting or swollen, though, your dentist will need to check them to see what’s wrong. Early detection of gum disease is critical for maintaining the health and integrity of your gums and teeth. Untreated symptoms of gum disease, in particular, may progress to the point of no return. Because gum disease progresses in phases, some patients will be unable to return their teeth to their previous level of health. Treatment for periodontal disease is totally dependent on where you are in the disease’s progression.

Swollen Jaw

Swelling of the jaw might be an indication of a severe infection. Salivary gland infection is one of them. If you have a swollen jaw, a terrible taste in your mouth, a fever, difficulty breathing, or swallowing, you should get emergency dental help right away. A bacterial infection caused by a blockage in your salivary glands is known as a salivary gland infection. Saliva may get clogged, preventing it from fulfilling its task of breaking down food and washing away microbes. While this form of infection is unusual, you should see a dentist about your symptoms before disregarding them.

Abscess

If you see signs of a tooth abscess, you should contact your dentist right away. An abscessed tooth is a painful infection that develops at the base of the tooth. This is usually caused by an untreated cavity or severe gum disease. It might also be caused by any damage to your teeth, such as a chipped tooth. Fever, a bad taste in your mouth, pus, and swollen glands are all symptoms of an abscessed tooth. The symptoms are similar to those of the majority of other illnesses, and treatment should be sought as soon as possible. An abscessed tooth usually needs surgery to ensure that the infection is adequately drained and treated.

Canker Sore Isn’t Improving

This usually applies to any lesions that have developed in your mouth and are refusing to go away. Canker sores are common, and they may strike anybody at any moment. Only if the sores persist or get infected should this be a matter of worry. If you have an open sore in your mouth that hasn’t healed after two weeks, see your doctor or dentist to determine what’s wrong.

Regular Migraines

Our friend Dr. Eastham, best dentist in Grand Junction CO, states that headaches may be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, illness, or eating something cold too fast. If your headaches have become persistent and recurrent, though, it might be an indication of something more. Because your teeth and skull are linked, any discomfort in your mouth or jaw might cause or contribute to a headache. If you grind your teeth on a regular basis, you may have bruxism. Patients who grind their teeth on a regular basis sometimes suffer from headaches. If you believe this is the case, see your dentist about any additional bruxism warning symptoms, such as worn down tooth enamel or increased tooth sensitivity. Wearing a mouth guard at night might occasionally suffice as treatment.

Numb Tooth

If you had a terrible toothache and then suddenly lost all sensation in your tooth, it might be an indication that the infection has progressed to the root. A tooth that is completely devoid of sensation is never a good indication. It’s possible that an abscess has reached your root, where your nerves reside, necessitating a root canal. Keep a watchful eye on your toothaches, since they might signify a significant dental problem that requires immediate treatment.

It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on in your mouth as a patient. Any major changes might indicate the presence of a larger problem. An emergency dental appointment is usually a smart option if you have a toothache and require toothache treatment. 

Make an appointment with our office today if you have any of these symptoms.

Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving

Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving St Pete Dentist

Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving

There’s something comforting about Thanksgiving – the gift of family and friends, as well as a nice heartwarming meal together with classic Thanksgiving staple dishes. However, it is essential to take care of your dental health during this holiday. Today on the blog, our Dentist in St. Petersburg shares dental tips for a happy Thanksgiving.

Dental Tips for Thanksgiving From 4th Street Family Dentistry

Of course, we must also be kind with our teeth and gums, which can take a hammering over the holiday season. Below, Dr. Brain Leeson, the best dentist in St. Petersburg, shares straightforward techniques for Thanksgiving.

Reduce Sugar Consumption

Thanksgiving dinners are well-known for their high sugar content. It doesn’t matter if it’s pecan pie or cranberry sauce. However, avoiding or reducing the excess sugar in these recipes would have the reverse impact, benefiting your teeth.

According to the California Dental Association, avoiding, limiting, or substituting sugar with sugar substitutes such as xylitol and erythritol, which do not induce tooth decay, is an effective approach. When eating sweet meals and desserts, use portion management. After that, our dentist 33704 rinse your mouth with water to remove any sugar or food particles that may have stuck to your teeth or gums.

Watch Your Starchy Meal Intake

Our dentist in St. Pete explains starchy meals are quiet tooth destroyers. They don’t appear to be hazardous at first glance, but starch transforms into sugar, which feeds the bacteria in your mouth. Breaded stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato chips, cornbread, and dinner rolls are popular offenders, and this issue may be rectified by complementing them with fiber and protein items.

Enjoy A Well-Balanced Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving dinners aren’t all horrible. There is a wide variety of healthy food options to choose from. This includes leafy greens high in calcium, fruits, and vegetables high in various vitamins and minerals that are good for your teeth and gums. Another example, St. Petersburg FL dentist explains that raw carrots that make natural teeth cleansers, and turkey aids in tooth development.

Choose Your Snacks Wisely

It’s not just the Thanksgiving feast that might harm your teeth; it’s also the snacks you eat throughout the day. Instead of sweet cookies and candies, eat nuts, dry fruits, and cheese to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Our friends over at College Hill Dental, Easton PA Dentist, explain that assorted nuts are another fantastic snack since they help to strengthen your teeth. Chewing the nuts stimulates saliva production, which washes away dangerous germs and helps to prevent tooth decay.

Maintain Good Dental Hygiene

Brush and floss your teeth as usual on Thanksgiving Day, and increase your regimen if necessary. There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to your oral health.

When eating acidic foods, however, wait at least half an hour before brushing your teeth. After a meal, you can sip water, chew gum, and floss.

On D-day, you can use toothpicks instead of brushing, flossing, or chewing gum. It is effective for removing sticky food particles and loosening plaque buildup, but you must be careful not to injure your gums in the process.

Schedule a Dental Cleaning With 4th Street Family Dentistry

Finally, schedule a post-Thanksgiving day appointment with your dentist for a checkup and teeth cleaning. It also allows your dentist to identify and address any dental concerns that arise early on.

Contact 4th St Family Dentistry today to book your cleaning!

An Oral-Health Friendly Halloween

An Oral-Health Friendly Halloween

An Oral-Health Friendly Halloween

October is here, and Halloween is already upon us. In fact, over 600 lbs of candy will be purchased in the United States between now and October 31st. As your Dentist in St. Petersburg, we are here to provide tips for an oral-health friendly Halloween. 

How to Have an Oral-Health Friendly Halloween

Whether you have children or not, Halloween is a time for excessive sugar consumption. Our dentist in St. Pete knows there will be plenty of candy available during the next month for everyone.

People will begin bringing candy to work. You’ll buy Halloween candy…only to start eating it before the trick-or-treaters come. When Halloween finally arrives, the average child will consume over 675 grams of sugar on that single day – equivalent to eating 170 sugar cubes.

The sugar will arrive one way or another, but will you be ready? Most likely, you will not be able or willing to stop the sugar train from arriving. And, while most of us (kids and adults) can’t resist the snacks, we can at least be conscious of eating them and safeguarding our teeth health.

Not All Candies Are Created Equal 

Some are more damaging to the teeth than others – When it comes to your dental health, some sweets are really better for your teeth (or do less damage) than others. The stickier the candy, the more likely tooth decay. Our St. Petersburg FL dentist explains that sticky candies such as gummy bears, Tootsie rolls, Snickers, and Skittles require additional chewing time and can also adhere to and between your teeth. The longer candy remains in your mouth before being wiped away by saliva, the easier it is for bacteria-causing sugars to promote tooth decay and cavities. Sticky candy might also cause problems with your fillings and crowns.  As follows, when it comes to snacks, chocolate is still better for your teeth because it is less sticky and dissolves more quickly. 

Increase the Fluoride Treatment 

Children who haven’t formed their permanent teeth can undoubtedly benefit from a little more fluoride. Our dentist 33704 explains that including a fluoride treatment in your dental appointments is a great option. These treatments can assist to provide an extra layer of protection against tooth decay and cavities. A little more fluoride can also help certain individuals, especially if they are predisposed to cavities. If you know you won’t be able to control your sweet craving over the Halloween season and have a history of cavities, fluoride treatment or mouth rinse may help you keep your teeth cavity-free during the sugar season.

Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush 

If you know you’ll be working in a Halloween treat-filled atmosphere, bring a toothbrush. The sooner you can brush your teeth after you’ve consumed candy, the better. If you have children, use a Halloween-themed toothbrush to urge them to brush their teeth after eating candy.

Fixed a Time to Eat Sweets 

The treats aren’t going away, so instead of munching on them throughout the day, designate a set “snack” time when some of the Halloween candy can be savored. Our friends over at Shreveport Dental Solutions, dentist in Shreveport LA, explain that a tip they have is to allow your children to select one or two pieces of candy from their Halloween haul. Having a set treat time can help limit the quantity of bacteria-building sugars that remain in your mouth throughout the day, giving your super-hero saliva a greater chance of neutralizing the bacteria.

Halloween is the holiday that brings out the child in all of us. And it’s that time of year when most of us will find it nearly impossible to resist the temptations. Rather than abstaining from sweets, try using some of these tips over the next few weeks to safeguard your teeth. And have a wonderful Halloween!

Contact 4th St Family Dentistry Today 

P.S. If you need a tooth fixed, your teeth cleaned, or a fluoride treatment during or after Halloween, please let us know! Your friendly St. Pete dentist is always available! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

The Benefits of Dental Crowns

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are an efficient technique to repair a damaged tooth. Additionally, they provide a number of important benefits for your oral health. A crown can be the difference between preserving a natural tooth and extracting it. Today on the blog, our Dentist in St. Petersburg, Dr. Brian Leeson, discusses everything you need to know about the benefits of dental crowns. 

The Many Benefits of Dental Crowns St. Pete

Our St. Pete dentist is proud to provide dental crowns for so many patients. Crowns provide people with a healthy, functioning, beautiful smile. Our team loves working with dental crowns because they help our patients with a number of concerns.

1. Crowns Relieve Discomfort

First, it’s important to note that dental crowns are often used to finish a restorative procedure. This can be used to correct enamel or structural damage. As follows, these issues frequently lead the tooth to become sensitive to warmth or pressure. Of course, the remaining section of the tooth must be safeguarded once the underlying issue has been treated, such as with a filling, root canal, or other therapy. Our dentist 33704 explains that a dental crown can protect your tooth from future damage while also reducing sensitivity.

2. They Are a Quick & Easy Procedure 

You might believe that restorative dental treatments are difficult or time-consuming, but that’s not the case with crowns! Dental crowns are a relatively quick and easy procedure. 

A crown is cast and then transported to a laboratory to be manufactured. Meanwhile, Dr. Brain Leeson will put a temporary crown to allow you to eat and function normally. When your crown is finished, you will return to our office to have it installed. Then, it will become a permanent part of your smile.

3. Crowns Are Fully Customized For You

Our dental lab staff will create a crown that is the same form, size, and color as your existing tooth. We provide a variety of materials based on your requirements and budget. Once the little pain surrounding the region fades, you’ll probably forget you’re wearing a crown, and no one will be able to tell.

4. They Can Improve the Appearance of Your Smile

Dental crowns are generally used to repair broken or injured teeth, but they also have aesthetic advantages. College Hill Dental, Easton PA Dentist, says that dental crowns are one of their most popular cosmetic dentistry options. This is because they quickly repair discoloration, malformed teeth, chips, cracks, and fractures. Because of these advantages, dental crowns are sometimes utilized to fulfill aesthetic dental goals.

5. Dental Crowns Are Long Lasting

Dental crown materials are meant to endure a long time and withstand the damage of chewing, biting, and grinding food. Crowns can last up to 30 years if you maintain good dental hygiene and get frequent examinations.

Dental Crowns in St. Pete

Ready to get your smile healthy and beautiful? Contact 4th Street Family Dentistry today! We’d love to discuss how dental crowns St. Pete can help you.

Celebrating National Brush Day

National Brush Day - 4th street family dentistry

Celebrating National Brush Day

Is it really a coincidence that National Brush Day is on November 1, right after Halloween? Definitely not! Halloween comes with candy, lots and lots of candy. Many parents tend to get a little obsessed with ensuring that their children’s teeth get back in shape. This is where brushing comes in. While it is the most effective way to clean our teeth and keep them free from plaque and bacteria, brushing too much can also be a problem. 

The following are a few good practices the best dentist in St. Petersburg, FL, recommends for children and grownups to keep in mind when brushing their teeth. We’ve also added some bad practices to avoid while brushing your teeth.

Good Dental Hygiene Practices

Brushing Teeth the Proper Way

Dr. Chris Green, the best dentist in Parker, CO, emphasizes that brushing your teeth involves a lot more than a few up-down and right-left motions using your toothbrush. First, you need to hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gums. Follow this up with back and forth strokes on your teeth, making sure you clean the chewing surfaces as well as the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth with the same series of gentle motions. 

Focusing on the Invisible Sufaces

After you’re done brushing the tooth surfaces that are visible, you can now attend to the inside surfaces on the back of your front teeth. It should be noted that some dental complications, such as dental caries, originate from the back surface of your front teeth. Dentists in St. Petersburg state that it’s important to ensure that you remember to clean that area. Effectively but gently brushing your teeth using the proper technique two times a day, every day is good for your gums and teeth and tough on plaque and bacteria, which ensures optimal oral health. 

Choosing the Right Brush Size

When choosing a toothbrush for your child, you should remember that the one size fits all rule does not apply here. Your child’s toothbrush must not be too big or too small for their mouths. Making sure you choose the right size ensures your child does not experience discomfort while brushing. Moreover, using the right size toothbrush makes it easy to clean your child’s teeth properly as it reaches all the parts of the mouth. 

Family dentists in St. Pete also recommend investing in a toothpaste that has fluoride in it, as it’s good for your teeth. This is because fluoride prevents cavities from developing and also prevents tooth decay. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush.

Flossing Your Teeth

Emergency dentists St. Pete adds that flossing rids your mouth of the plaque that is on your teeth. This prevents plaque buildup. In addition to this, flossing also helps prevent gum disease and takes care of both your gums and teeth.

Visiting Your Dentist, Dr. Brian Leeson, After or Before National Brush Day

Making a trip to your dentist 33704 for your annual checkup at least twice a year ensures that any issues or problems you might have with your teeth are well taken care of. They may also provide you with extra tips to help keep your teeth healthy.

Bad Dental Practices to Avoid

Brushing Immediately After Eating

Brushing your teeth after eating candy or consuming a meal may end up causing more harm to your teeth. This is because when we eat, the enamel of your teeth tends to soften and stay like that for about half an hour after you’re done eating. During this time, your enamel is weak, which means that if you brush your teeth, it may be scraped away together with plaque and bacteria. 

This National Brush Day, refrain from rushing your children to brush their teeth immediately when they are done eating. Waiting half an hour will give their enamel time to sufficiently harden before they brush, thus protecting their teeth.

Using Toothbrushes with Hard Bristles

Hard-bristled toothbrushes not only cause bleeding of your gums and pain, but they also damage your teeth enamel. Damaged gums may loosen their teeth grip, which may result in loss of teeth. It is, therefore, important to avoid getting hard bristled toothbrushes for your kids or using them yourself.

Not Brushing for the Proper Amount of Time

Effectively brushing your teeth requires at least two minutes. The two minutes ensure that your teeth are properly exposed to the toothbrush’s cleaning action. 

Using an Old Toothbrush

Frayed toothbrush bristles can damage your gums and teeth. If your toothbrush is more than three months old, then you need to get a new one to help you remove all that plaque buildup from your Halloween candy that’s on your teeth. This National Brush Day, contact 4th Street Family Dentistry to keep your smile bright and your teeth right!