Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Why can I taste metal?

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I used a paper clip to pick some food out of my braces. When I did that I got a horrible metallic taste in my mouth?

Ben H. – Ohio

Ben,

Your saliva works as an electrolyte to the two different metals you placed in your mouth. One being the braces and the other the paper clip. When you did that, it caused a reaction. That’s how a battery is formed.  Depending on what metals you use, the voltage can get pretty high and can shock or burn you.

Hopefully, your orthodontist told you not to put metal in your mouth, but if not, you know now.

The same thing can happen with silver fillings.

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

Bleaching trays for a retainer

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My retainer has completely worn out. My dentist wants $530 to make a new one. I just don’t have that kind of money. I was wondering if my bleaching trays would work instead?

Anne K. – Missouri

Anne,

After braces, it’s important to wear a retainer to help your teeth stay in their correct position. However, I can very cautiously say that you can wear your trays as a retainer, if it is designed to fit your teeth properly. However, I want to give you a warning to be aware of.  If at any time your trays start to fit differently, that means your teeth are shifting out of position and you’ll actually need to get a new orthodontic.

Regarding the price you were quoted, I think you could get a very good retainer for significantly lower, without sacrificing quality. Call around to other orthodontists. They’re not hard or expensive to make.

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

Teeth coming loose

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I’ve had braces, but after they came off, my teeth started moving and the gap between my front teeth opened back up.  I’ve been wearing tooth effects bands to help keep the gap closed, but today my teeth feel a little loose. Do you know what is going on or recommend anything?

Julie S. – Portland, OR

Julie,

I want you to stop using the teeth effects band right away. Hopefully, we can catch this in time to save your teeth. These bands are very dangerous. You could permanently lose your teeth.

You have a couple of options: You can get a removable retainer or a permanent retainer. Either one could easily be made by a dentist who does orthodontic work. That should help you with your gap.

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

All-in-one Glenpool Dentist

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Many families find it convenient to go to the same dentist instead of having one dentist for the adults and another for the children. Our Glenpool dental office takes it a step further. You can even have your teen orthodontic needs met at our office.

We can handle everything from traditional braces, with multicolored bands or teens, to Invislalign, for those who are looking for a more discreet way of straightening their smile.

It’s a joy to us to get to knwo entire families and be able to serve them from infancy throughout their life to adulthood. Getting to know our patients–really know them– is one of our favorite things about our office.

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

braces for headaches

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I have always been uncomfortable with my smile. My front teeth are kind of bucked and there are big gaps in my teeth. However, recently my teeth seemed to have shifted to the right a little. Since then I’ve been getting headaches.  Do I need braces to fix this?

Yvette- New Jersey

Yvette,

Your teeth being out of alignment can cause you to have headaches. I don’t know if that is why you are having headaches.  I would recommend you also see a doctor.  If you’ve been uncomfortable with your teeth anyway it wouldn’t hurt to have them fixed. You may find that you’ve gotten a smile you love and have gotten rid of your headaches.

I would go see either an orthodontist, or a dentist who does orthodontics. However, I would have your gums looked at first. I’m a little concerned about your teeth shifting. Sometimes that can be from gum disease. If that isn’t treated, you could loose your teeth.

If your dentist determines that your gums are fine, then I would go ahead with the orthodontic treatment. I would also ask your dentist about Invisalign. This can straighten your teeth in half the time as traditional braces.

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