Use of Mouthguards

Prevention is an important aspect of dental care, particularly when it comes to injuries. A broken tooth could be expensive and difficult to repair as well as painful, and is often accompanied by damage to the mouth’s soft tissues. This year, from July 19-23, the federal government is recognizing National Youth Sports Week, so we thought this would be a good time to remind athletes of any age of the importance of wearing a mouthguard and how to determine which ones suit their needs.

 

Dental trauma is most likely to occur during contact sports, but it is a risk even during activities such as gymnastics and skating. Governing boards generally require that participants wear a mouthguard at least over their maxillary teeth, but injuries can also occur during amateur or casual play. Mouthguards come in three varieties: ready made, boil-and-bite, and customized, each offering an increasing level of protection. Ready made ones come in different sizes and customized ones are designed for one specific user, while boil-and-bite mouthguards are adjustable. The wearer boils them to soften them, and then puts them over their teeth and molds them with their fingers while they are cooling.

 

Boil-and-bite mouthguards are particularly popular among young athletes, whose teeth are still shifting. However, some additional oversight from a dentist may be necessary when fitting them over braces. Evidence shows that use of mouthguards reduces dental injuries by forty percent. Mouthguards and their containing cases need to be kept clean in accordance with their manufacturer’s instructions, and users should be careful to avoid leaving them in the sun or anywhere else extremely hot, or else their shape might be distorted the next time they are used. But overall, mouthguards are a simple way to protect your dental investment.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies can happen to anyone, no matter how careful you are! Like most emergencies, you don’t plan for them. Maybe you’re playing sports with your friends, you trip on a rug and fall, or experience a hit to the face. Dr. Suzanne Haeri will get you an appointment as soon as possible, to the best of her ability. In the meantime, it’s important to understand what you should and shouldn’t do while you wait.

 

The first step is to contact our Los Angeles office immediately. If you can’t reach us, consider going to your local emergency room. Otherwise, here is a simplified list of dental emergencies and how to treat them:

 

-Lost filling: try to locate the filling. While you wait for your replacement, use sugarless gum to protect the area from harm.

-Loose crown: if you have the crown, attempt to place it back on the tooth. If you have to wait for an appointment, over-the-counter denture cement can keep the crown in place.

-Severe toothache: the first thing you must do is check that nothing is lodged between the teeth. Caught food or debris are possible culprits. Clean the areas thoroughly. If the toothache continues, call our office right away.

-Chipped or broken tooth: rinse out your mouth, saving as much of the tooth as possible. You’ll need to keep an icepack applied to your face. This prevents further swelling. Switch these out every 15 minutes while waiting for your emergency appointment.

-Dislodged tooth: these are teeth that haven't been knocked out all the way. You mustn’t touch the tooth at all. Keep the area clean and take anti-inflammatory medication. These help with the swelling before the appointment.

-Knocked out tooth: find the tooth and clean it well. In certain cases, your dentist may re-attach it. Try to place the tooth back in the area it came from. If it doesn’t stay, place it in some cold milk or salt-water. You will need to see us right away.

 

There are other less urgent problems Dr. Haeri helps with. These include abscessed or swollen teeth, cheeks, and lips. She may also treat cut tongues or lips.

 

Contact Dr. Suzanne Haeri right away when experiencing a dental emergency. Our office in Los Angeles, CA, will get you an appointment as soon as possible. To reach us, call 310-657-2200. You can also visit our website for more information.

Dental Avulsion - When a Tooth Gets Knocked Out

The traumatic loss of a tooth isn’t something anybody expects to happen, but it can be prepared for. We provide implants and crowns for tooth replacement at the South Carthay dental office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, but in some cases, it may be possible for a lost tooth to be saved. To do so requires carefully following certain protocols.

When a tooth is completely displaced from its gum pocket, we call that “dental avulsion.” There may be a tooth-saving container in a nearby first aid kit, but otherwise, the tooth should be lifted by its crown and rinsed with saline. After that, a patient may try putting it back in its socket and heading for the dental office. If this cannot be done, other options are to hold in in the cheek or to transport it in a cup of milk.

The loss of a tooth is an emergency, but gashes on the face should take higher priority. A tooth that is cracked at the root cannot be reintegrated and will have to be replaced with a prosthetic. A baby tooth should also not be put back in, or else it may fuse with the jaw bone and fail to fall out when it’s supposed to. A pediatric patient may be referred to an orthodontist to keep the gap between their teeth open until the permanent tooth comes in. If an adult tooth cannot be reinserted, the patient may be given a temporary crown until a lasting solution can be provided.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.

 

National Facial Protection Month

The beginning of April marks National Facial Protection Month. As a general and cosmetic dental office, we at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay practice have fixed a lot of chipped and broken teeth. Although we provide naturally-colored, long-lasting restorations, we prefer that our patients maintain good oral health. Wearing mouth guards during sports is one of the most important aspects of that.

Sports leagues generally require youth participants to wear a mouthguard. (That includes wrestlers if they have braces.) Any type of mouthguard is better than none, but the best are custom-fitted. Other options include boil-and-bite models that are softened at home before being fitted to a wearer’s teeth. Keep in mind, however, that children’s teeth are changing rapidly, and a mouthguard from the beginning of the academic year may need to be refitted. This is particularly true of patients undergoing orthodontic therapy, whose teeth change positions significantly each month.

Mouthguard manufacturers will provide information on how to clean their products, but in general, they should be kept dry and out of the sun. Wearing a mouthguard is not only important during contact sports, but also during activities when a person is likely to fall, such as skating, cycling, or gymnastics. When properly fitted, a mouthguard should be comfortable and easy to breathe with. Feel free to ask us for guidance if you’ve been having trouble with yours.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.

 

Details on Handling Dental Emergencies

At the dental practice of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS our staff understands that accidents happen. Knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth. If you or your child experience some sort of trauma to your mouth for whatever reason, please give us a call immediately. Meanwhile, in the midst of a dental emergency, utilize these tips to ensure a smooth recovery. 

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it between your cheek and gums, or use a tooth preservation product that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance.


• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area.


• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress.


• For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between teeth.

If you suspect that you may need a tooth extracted or if you have a tooth that is causing you pain, schedule a consultation with us. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.