Have you ever dealt with a tooth pain that keeps you up at night? Calling our Sunset Dental office is the best thing you can do to schedule an emergency dental appointment. However, if you find yourself in the middle of nowhere out camping, or you are not able to come into the dental office as quickly as you’d like, what can you do? Pain is always an indication of a problem. Here are some things you can do in order to reduce the pain until you can see a dentist!

Painkillers

While we don’t advocate to always turn to painkillers for everything, over-the-counter ibuprofen can be a lifesaver when you have a serious toothache. Depending upon the severity of pain, you may need advanced painkillers that do require a prescription. Normally painkillers are called in after a patient undergoes a serious procedure like a tooth extraction, dental implant, or root canal.

Salt & Water Gargle

Dissolve some salt into a glass of warm water. Use the salty water to rinse your mouth. Gargle the water throughout the mouth, focusing on the area where you are experiencing the most pain.

Cold Compress

Use an ice pack, or create your own ice pack with some ice cubes in a plastic baggie and hold this against the cheek next to the area where you experience pain. Cold compressing the area can help to reduce pain and inflammation.

Cloves or Clove Oil

For those patients that want a more natural approach to pain, consider using cloves or clove oil to help with the pain. Place a clove on the area where you are having pain and keep it there until you start feeling relief. Others recommend using two drops of clove oil on the area and gargling with clove oil in water.

Tee Tree Oil

Clove works well for some while others find tea tree oil to be helpful for pain. If you have some at home, put one or two drops directly on the tooth or area where you have pain. Dropping some tea tree oil on some cotton balls and holding those balls near the tooth can bring some relief.

A toothache is no laughing matter! We recommend calling our emergency dental line immediately if you are experiencing pain. Our Sunset Dental office is here to help you with all your dental health needs!

One of the first things people notice about another person is their smile. As so many people notice smiles, it’s no wonder why we all strive for beautiful, healthy, white teeth. However, many habits seem to ruin the whiteness of teeth including; coffee, wine, smoking, teas, fruit juices, and other dark colored liquids and foods. Here are some natural tips you can do that will help you keep your teeth clean and white.

Eat the Right Foods for Healthy Teeth

While many substances we consume tend to leave darker marks on our teeth and make them lose their white glow, believe it or not, many foods we consume actually whiten teeth. Apples, spinach, broccoli, carrots, celery and lettuce actually remove stains from our teeth making them shinier, whiter and brighter.

Use a Straw For Dark Colored Drinks

If you have adopted some habits that work against white teeth (we are not making any judgments) like drinking red wine, cranberry juice or coffee it is a good idea to use a straw. Rinse your mouth with water after drinking any juice to limit the amount of sugar and substances that could increase bacterial growth.

Floss Daily

Flossing is a great way to keep bacteria growth from destroying your teeth and gums. Certain floss does include whitening agents to help the gums remain pink and healthy. If you start to notice blood when you floss, call our office. Catching gingivitis in an early stage is the best way to limit the risk of having additional problems with gum disease and receding gums. Gum recession can make your teeth look yellow on the bottom near the gums, and it makes your teeth look longer.

Brush for Two Minutes

The amount of time required to brush your teeth effectively is two minutes. How long did it take you to brush your teeth this morning? Was it less than 30 seconds? Best practices include humming your favorite song while you brush your teeth. And don’t stop until each quadrant of your mouth has been brushed for at least 30 seconds, or two minutes total for the entire mouth.

Avoid Alcohol in Mouthwash

Most mouthwashes contain alcohol. Some of them, even too much alcohol can dry the tissue of your mouth making it more vulnerable to bacteria. So, next time you are deciding which mouthwash to choose pick the one that is alcohol free.

Contact Sunset Dental Care to discuss your oral health needs. We do provide a number of teeth whitening options designed to enhance and improve your smile.