Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Can’t Afford to Treat My Infected Wisdom Tooth

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I have a massively infected wisdom tooth. I’m furloughed during the quarantine and my unemployment hasn’t kicked in yet. I don’t have the money to get this treated yet. Is it possible to just take antibiotics until the money kicks in or should I just go to the ER to have this treated?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

A man holding the side of his jaw like he needs an emergency dentist

Antibiotics won’t solve a tooth infection

Tooth infections aren’t something to mess with. In fact, they are considered dental emergencies. Unlike other infections which can be solved by antibiotics, a tooth infection has to be physically removed by a dentist, either by a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction. Without that, it will continue to spread. The most an antibiotic will do is hold it at bay for a short time. Then, when the antibiotics run out, it will begin to spread again. If you think about how close your jaw is to your lungs, heart, and brain, you realize how people still die from tooth infections.

I’ve found most dentists to be compassionate. That will be especially true during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would simply call around to dentists in your area and explain your situation. I’m positive you will be able to find one who will work with you financially until your unemployment payments kick in.

Start by looking for a dentist who advertises as an “affordable dentist“. They pretty much offer payment plans even when there isn’t a world wide health emergency. I’m positive they will in your situation now. You can just get the wisdom tooth extracted and you’ll be back to normal in no time.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Can a Toothache Cause Chest Pain?

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I want to know if chest pain can be caused by a toothache. My mother is 75 and is a tad stubborn. She periodically has toothaches I have to try to convince her to get checked, but this morning she mentioned chest pain too. I started to panic but she says it has happened before and it ended up being nothing. I wanted to take her to the hospital but she said no. Now, I’ve been fretting about it all day. Could that just be referred pain from her tooth or should I have taken her to the hospital?

Karen

Dear Karen,

blonde woman holding the side of her jaw in need of an emergency dentist

ANY time someone has chest pain it is important to get them to the hospital!

Heart attacks can have multiple symptoms and often vary by person. Orofacial pain happens in about 10% of heart attacks. However, it isn’t generally localized to a single tooth, but radiates across the jaw. That doesn’t mean your mother shouldn’t get checked out because as mentioned earlier, everyone manifests a heart attack slightly differently. This is especially true of women.

Toothaches Should be Taken Seriously

Even if her heart is fine, a toothache needs to be taken seriously. Often, they are a sign of a tooth infection. These should be considered a dental emergency. When the infection is not physically removed by a dentist in a procedure known as a root canal treatment, the infection will spread. Antibiotics alone won’t help. Even in the 21st century, people still die from tooth infections.

The Link Between Bodily Health and Oral Health

There are increasing studies that show dental health has a direct link to someone’s general health. This is especially true with gum disease. Patients with gum disease have an increased chance of heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. Helping your mother get in front of her dental issues will have an overall positive impact on her health.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Sinus Infection after Extraction

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I had a dental emergency a couple of weeks ago and the tooth is beyond repair. The dentist did an extraction. In the process my sinus was perforated. I’ve done some research and this seems to be something that can happen without it being the dentist’s fault. He told me about it after the extraction, cleaned the area, closed it up and then gave me a prescription for antibiotics. I was feeling better and had finished my antibiotics. Today there is drainage and pressure in my sinuses. Could I have developed an infection at the extraction site?

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

blonde woman holding the side of her jaw in need of an emergency dentist

I’m glad you know that a sinus perforation doesn’t necessarily mean your dentist made a mistake. Some roots of teeth are so close to your sinus cavities the only thing separating them is a thin membrane, which will be perforated during an extraction when they’re that close.

It sounds like your dentist followed correct protocol when that happened as well. You’ve got a responsible caregiver and that is something to be grateful for. I can think of three possibilities going on here.

The first is that you just needed to be on your prescribed antibiotic a little longer than you were. Some infections need a little extra oomph to help your body fight it. This may be the case with yours.

A second possibility is you need to be on a different antibiotic. You didn’t mention which antibiotic your dentist prescribed. A good one for this type of situation is clindamycin.

A third possibility is there is some bone in the sinus cavity. This will blow up into an infection and can cause another dental emergency, plus a host of other problems.

I want you to call your dentist and schedule an appointment to be seen again. He’ll likely put you on more of the antibiotic or a different one. He may do an x-ray to see if there is some bone trapped there. If he doesn’t don’t panic. Try the antibiotics. If they don’t work, then it will be time to see an ENT and have this investigated further.

You are doing a good job staying on top of this. I don’t know if you and your dentist have started talking about what you will replace the extracted tooth with, but once you have this infection settled, I’d like you to discuss getting a dental implant with him.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Emergency Dentist for Gum Injury

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We don’t yet have a dentist in this area. We’ve been busy relocating and haven’t had the time. My husband recently complained about an injury to his gums that is swollen. He can’t remember when he did it or what happened, but it looks to me like it resembles a giant swollen pimple. Of course, I know we don’t get pimples on our gums so it must be inflamed from an injury. Will this go away on its own or does he need an emergency dental appointment?

Karen

Dear Karen,

Tulsa emergency dentist

Relocation is stressful, so I completely understand you not getting to finding a new dentist. However, what you described on your husban’s gums doesn’t sound like a gum injury. Instead, I think he has an abscessed tooth. This manifests in what looks like a pimple on the gums.

This is considered a dental emergency, so he will need to see a dentist right away. It means his tooth is infected. These infections can blow up quickly and become life-threatening.

I know you don’t have a dentist right now, but there are dentists who will treat non-established patients in cases of emergencies like yours. You can do an internet search using the term “emergency dentist“.

It’s Important He Doesn’t Put This Off

The tendency for men is to “tough it out” and hope it goes away. This won’t go away. Eventually, the tooth may stop hurting, but that is because the pulp of the tooth will die, That won’t stop the infection from spreading though.

It’s always better to take care of these things sooner rather than later. Better a root canal treatment and dental crown than to need a tooth extraction and replacement.

If the Tooth Can’t be Saved

There’s always a chance, depending on how long this has gone that the tooth can’t be saved. In that case, you’ll need to look at tooth replacement options.

Two of the best are to get a dental implant or a dental bridge. A dental implant is the better treatment, but it is more costly than the bridge.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.



Dentist Won’t Fix Crown

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I don’t know what to do. I’ve had massive trouble with a dental crown I had placed less than xix months ago. My dentist adjusted them three times. Nothing he did helped. The crown still hurt like mad every single time I bit down. Now he’s saying there’s nothing wrong. Well, last night I was eating at a restaurant and it broke. I called him and he feels he’s done enough and says I must have done something. He said he’s willing to make a new one, but I’ll have to pay for it. Even if I felt that was fair, I don’t trust him to get it right any better than he did last time. What do you recommend?

Marla

Dear Marla,

Tulsa Emergency Dentist

You have been through the ringer with this, not to mention your dentist is being unfair. It will be fairly easy for you to get a refund for this crown regardless of how your dentist feels. He hasn’t met even the minimum standard for the lifetime of a dental crown.

However, you’ve got to get this problem taken care of. Because you can’t trust your dentist and you’ve been handed a time sensitive situation, I’m going to recommend you look up dentists who treat emergencies in your area. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one. Many of them will use the search term “emergency dentist”.

The Possible Problem with Your Dental Crown

When your crown gives you pain upon biting down there is usually one of two reasons.

The first possibility is a lingering infection. While most of the time an infection is dealt with by a root canal treatment, there are some tricky canals in there and it’s possible one was missed. An x-ray should reveal that. If your dentist didn’t do an x-ray, the emergency dentist will as a standard procedure.

Another possibility is the crown is seated too high. You said he tried adjusting it three times. While that’s good, when it wasn’t making a difference he should have kept investigating the problem.

I think this is the most likely issue with your crown. The reason I say that is it broke when you bit down.

While our biting forces are quite hard, they’re usually spread over all out back teeth. If you have a crown seated too high, your bite will hit that and only that with its full force. That type of force on a single crown will make it vulnerable to breaking.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Can I Charge George Lucas for My Dental Appointment?

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I was having fun with my son playing Jedi versus Sith. Not only did my son, the Sith, win but he seemed to use the force. the circle that is at the top of the hilt flew off and hit me in the mouth. I was bleeding, which isn’t unexpected from a mouth injury, but this morning I noticed the tooth feels loose. I keep wiggling it to be certain and I’m pretty certain. Because this injury is due to a defect in the lightsaber, can I charge the company? Or possibly George Lucas? I don’t have insurance or a dentist, but I’m assuming I have to see one.

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Woman covering her mouth with her hand

A loose adult tooth requires an emergency dentist

First, let me say you sound like a fun mom! I know lots of little boys who would enjoy a good Jedi battle with a parent. As far as charging the company or George Lucas, you could write to them and let them know what happened and ask them to cover your dental expenses which resulted from the accident. However, unless you do a Jedi mind trick, the dentist won’t bill them for the services without written consent.

Next, I’m going to say please stop wiggling the tooth immediately. There are ligaments which aide in holding your tooth in place. If you keep stretching them, they may snap. Your tooth will need to be stabilized. This would be considered a dental emergency.

As you don’t have a dentist, my suggestion is to do an internet search using the term “emergency dentist“. These are general dentists who are willing to see non-established patients in the case of emergencies such as yours. They’ll stabilize your tooth, but also do x-rays to make sure there’s no damage to the pulp of the tooth. If there is, a root canal treatment will be necessary.

Who Pays for Emergency Dental Appointments?

Unless they’re a minor, with rare exceptions, the only person a dentist can charge is the person receiving the service. One exception would be if someone signed a statement saying they’ll cover the bill.

If someone is truly responsible for your accident but refusing to take care of it, your only real option is to take them to small claims court.

I don’t think you’ll get very far with George Lucas, Ltd. Though, you’re obviously welcome to write to him and try.

There are affordable dentists out there. They’re very likely willing to allow you to make payments in order to get the treatment you need then pay it out slowly.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

A Tale of Two Emergency Dentists

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I’m a bit confused. My husband and I both developed toothaches at about the same time. We were in the process of moving and didn’t have time to deal with it. Once we got to our new place, the first thing I did was try to schedule emergency dental appointments because we were both ready to get out of pain. The first practice I called said they could see me but didn’t realize I wanted my husband seen too. It was a Friday morning, which is their half day. they said they could see one of us today and the other Monday. I scheduled my appointment and then called another practice who agreed to see my husband that day. I figured the upside was we’d get to check out two different dental offices to see what we thought before picking our new practice. When I went, they gave me a root canal treatment, but my husband only had to have a filling. Why the two different treatments for two toothaches? Was mine just overly aggressive or did my husband not get the care he needed?

Karen

Dear Karen,

All toothaches are different. They can be caused by a decay, infection, cracked teeth, etc. Plus, while all toothaches are different so is each person’s ability to deal with pain. Maybe you have a higher pain tolerance than your husband so your toothache had been there longer and turned into an infection, while his was just decaying and needed filling.

I can’t answer your question about overtreatment or negligence without examining you and seeing the x-rays. I’d just be taking a stab in the dark. However, the one thing that concerns me is neither of you seems to have been told why your dentists did the treatment they did.

Dental emergency or not, a dentist is supposed to explain the diagnosis along with your options and their recommendation. It’s up to the patient to say yes or no. So, you shouldn’t have been given a root canal treatment without knowing why.

Finding Your Permanent Dentist

When you start looking for your permanent dentist, be sure to check their reviews so you get some idea of what patient’s who’ve been there have experienced. Also, because the emergency dentist did x-rays (or at least should have), you can have your recent x-rays transferred so you don’t have to have those done again right away.

Though you had to have the root canal, I’m glad you got to the dentist before you ended up losing the tooth. The last thing you’d want to pay for right after a move is a tooth replacement.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Can I Charge My Assailant for My Dental Appointment?

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I was at a frat party and was assaulted by a guy from another frat. He knocked out one of my teeth. I’m ended up going to an emergency dentist but he couldn’t save my tooth and now I have to have an implant too. Can I charge the guy who caused the problem for these?

Adam

Dear Adam,

Woman with boxing glove hitting man in face

Who Pays for Emergency Dental Appointments When You’ve Been Hit?

First, I’m sorry you were in a fight. That must have put a real damper on the party. A dentist, even an emergency dentist, can only charge the person who received the services unless they’re a minor. I’m assuming because you were at a frat party you’ve reached the age of majority.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get your cost recouped. You have a couple of options there. First, you can see if he’s a young man of integrity. If he is, he’ll be willing to help cover your costs. I’d just talk to him about it. Maybe in the sober light of day, he’ll see things more reasonably.

If he doesn’t take responsibility, you can always take him to court. Normally, in a situation like that, it would be small claims court. However, if you need a dental implant that will go over the limit for small claims court and you would take it to the next level.

When to See an Emergency Dentist

You were smart to go to an emergency dentist when your tooth was knocked out. To have the best chance of saving a tooth, you need to be receiving treatment within 30 minutes of losing the tooth. Also, be careful not to touch the roots of the tooth. Only handle it by the crown. It sounds like you tried to do that. Maybe the damage was just too extensive to do anything.

So you know for future reference, there are other reasons to go in for an emergency dental appointment as well.

  • A Toothache

Usually, a toothache is a sign something is wrong. It can often mean an infection. If you see a pimple on your gums it means the infection has progressed enough where it will require a root canal treatment. Other times it can just mean you’ve got a cavity that is close to the pulp and causing pain. You’ll want to get in as soon as possible to ensure the least invasive treatment possible.

  • A Graying Tooth

If you have a tooth that is turning gray, it means the tooth is either dead or dying. It will become a harbor for bacteria. The sooner you go in and get a root canal treatment and dental crown, the better.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Can Emergency Dentist Save Tooth Hit by Baseball?

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I was playing a game of baseball with some neighborhood kids when one of the balls went flying and hit me in the mouth. I originally thought I was fine because it didn’t bleed or bruise. But this morning the tooth is wiggly and loose. Is there a way to save it or is it toast?

Payson

Dear Payson,

Woman Smiling Text: A smile is the best makeup any girl can wear

It’s very possible your dentist or an emergency dentist if you don’t have one can save your tooth. But two things need to happen for you to have the best shot.

Stop wiggling it.

Your tooth has ligaments that are a bit stretchy, like rubber bands. But, just like rubber bands, if you stretch them too far or too often and they’ll snap or lose their elasticity. This puts your tooth at greater risk.

Get to the Emergency Dentist

You’ll want to get in as quickly as possible. The longer this is left that way the less chance you have to save it. The dentist can stabilize the tooth by using a splint or bonding the tooth to a stable adjacent tooth. That may be all that’s needed. It gives the ligaments time to heal. However, if the pulp of the tooth was damaged, you’ll need a root canal treatment and dental crown.

What if the tooth can’t be saved?

If it’s not possible to save the tooth you have several replacement options. The top of the line replacement is a dental implant. However, if either of the adjacent teeth is in need of a dental crown, then a dental bridge may make more sense.

If both of those options are out of your current budget, you can either find an affordable dentist who’s willing to work with you on payments or get a removable partial denture until you can afford a more stable replacement.

Either way, you need to be seen right away. This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Did the Emergency Dentist Damage My Tooth?

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I’m a little worried. I went to an emergency dentist because of a tooth which was in pain. He told me he didn’t see anything visible on the x-ray, but based on my description of symptoms he thought I cracked the tooth. He wanted to crown it first to see if the tooth could be saved. We did that, but the pain is still there. Now the tooth next to it is gray. Did he damage it or misdiagnose it?

Lauren A.

Dear Lauren,

Tulsa Emergency Dentist

A graying tooth means that the tooth is dead or dying. Without seeing an x-ray it would be impossible for me to tell exactly what the problem is, but I can give you three possibilities.

1. Your emergency dentist misdiagnosed the issue and crowned the wrong tooth. It’s always possible for dentists to get things wrong. Everyone is human after all. The only way to tell if this is what happened is to get a second opinion. Have another dentist look at the original x-rays and see if the real problem was visible.

If he did misdiagnose you, it is reasonable for you to expect a refund on all work done, including the appointment and crown. Then, you can have him treat the actual problem or, if you’ve lost faith in him, have the second dentist work on your tooth.

2. This is the least likely scenario, but worth mentioning. There is always the possibility that you happened to have trauma to the tooth adjacent to your crown that is now graying, at a later date. Unlikely, but possible.

3. More likely is the fact that both teeth experienced trauma at the same time, but the second tooth is just now showing evidence. That often happens with graying teeth. One tooth was cracked, which you instantly feel the pain. A second tooth is damaged and the blood flow cut-off, but you don’t realize it until the tooth starts to change colors. This tooth will likely need a root canal treatment and porcelain crown itself.

Why Some People End Up With Dental Emergencies.

This is not the case with everyone, especially patients in your situation where trauma is what sent you to the dentist. But, it’s worth mentioning for other patients out there who may struggle with going to the dentist.

You may find this surprising, but many Americans don’t look forward to going to the dentist. Some, out of intense dental anxiety, avoid it altogether. That often causes more pain and problems than if they came in for check-ups when problems could be caught early.

Fear isn’t the only reason people shrink from coming. Sometimes financial strains make it challenging and it just doesn’t seem important enough for them to go. When that happens, it’s better to find an affordable dentist who’ll work with you financially than to ignore the issue completely and end up with a severely abscessed tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.