Tag Archives: International District Seattle Dentist

Following a tooth extraction, you will have to give yourself a little time to recover. In general, you can expect this recovery to take a few days. During this time, you will want to take measures to expedite your healing process and avoid unnecessary pain:

• Bite down on a gauze pad every so often to check for bleeding. If you’re still bleeding after twenty-four hours following your extraction, contact your dentist.
• Apply an ice pack to the outside of your cheek for fifteen to twenty minutes in the first twenty-four hours. After that, switch to a warm washcloth for two or three days.
• After the first twenty-four hours, rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day to reduce any pain or swelling.
• Avoid any actions that requires you to suck through your mouth, like drinking through a straw or smoking. This can loosen a blood clot and invite bleeding.
• Eat soft foods, then gradually introduce solid foods as you recover.
• Prop your head up when you recline to avoid bleeding.
• 31Avoid stress and strenuous activity that might encourage bleeding.

For more on what to expect following the extraction of a wisdom tooth or other tooth, consult our dentist in the International District.

Do you have a small, round bump in your mouth? This might be something called a mucocele. These will typically come in the form of a painless, pearly white or light blue blemish of between two and ten millimeters in diameter. They develop anywhere on your gums, the roof or floor of your mouth, or the inside of your bottom lip.

If you have a mucocele, it’s generally nothing to worry about. They are indicative of a salivary duct becoming blocked or damaged, possibly as the result of trauma to the face. You might simply be biting or sucking on your lip or cheek too much. You can expect them to go away by themselves without any treatment. If they start to become irritated or bothersome, though, you can call upon our International District dentist for help.

Your body doesn’t like stress. Too much anxiety has very real consequences on your health, and your oral health is no exception. This is why our International District dentistry clinic advises that, for the sake of your teeth and gums, you make room in your life for a little rest and relaxation. The possible impacts of stress on your oral health include the following:

• Bruxism (Tooth-grinding)
• Canker sores, cold sores, and other oral sores
• Aggravation of gum disease
• Nervous habits like chewing your nails, ice, or other objects which can damage your teeth or gums
• Overeating sugary comfort foods that encourage tooth decay
• Depression, which frequently causes you to neglect your dental care

Do you know what to get when it’s time to replenish your floss supply? For something as simple as a length of string, there is a surprising number of options available to accommodate your dental needs. You can ask our International District Seattle dentistry about what floss might be right for you, or you can follow these simple tips to find the perfect floss for yourself.

One important factor to consider in your floss is thickness. Some people have particularly narrow gaps between their teeth, and the average floss frequently gets stuck during the flossing process. If this sounds familiar, you should look for a finer floss. If you’re comfortable with a thicker thread, however, you’re probably better served with such string.

It’s also a good idea to look out for a floss that offers fluoride. Fluoride is a substance that is found in most toothpastes, and serves to reinforce the enamel of your teeth. The spaces between your teeth may not be reached by much of the fluoride in your toothpaste, so a little extra help may be warranted.

There are also some people who don’t have the manual dexterity needed to properly use their floss. Maybe you have bad finger joints, poor coordination, or fingers that are just too large to fit into the back of your mouth. If you are such a person, you might benefit from one of several varieties of flossing aids. Look for these at your local drugstore, or consult your dentist for further information.

Some people ask our International District Seattle dentist about why their children need to visit the dentist before their permanent teeth come in. They reason that it doesn’t matter whether or not a baby tooth suffers decay, since it’s going to fall out anyway. This is a dangerous misconception. The truth is that baby teeth have a very important role to play that can affect your child’s mouth well into adulthood.

The first thing to understand is that primary teeth are your mouth’s “training wheels”, and you can’t get too far on training wheels if you let them break. These are the teeth that your child is using to develop proper chewing habits, speech patterns, and brushing technique. If these teeth are uneven or cause the child pain, they may develop problems that will only get worse as they age. If primary teeth are not properly cared for, the permanent teeth may even come in crooked. The consequences on your child’s health and self-esteem can be disastrous.

We recommend that you bring your children in for their first dental visits within six months of their first teeth erupting, or around their first birthdays. Do the right thing for your little ones, and get them to Sixth Avenue Dentistry as soon as they’re ready.