Dental Town DC Blog

Whether you are in an emergency dental situation because of a broken tooth or a toothache that does not stop, a dental emergency most often comes with tremendous pain. In all cases you must visit a dentist as soon as possible.

Broken Or Cracked Tooth

If there is no bleeding and no pain, it is less of an emergency, but you still need a dentist’s appointment as soon as possible. If there is pain, you could take over-the-counter pain medications until you see the dentist.

Knocked Out Tooth

Rinse and save the tooth in milk or water along with the root to retain moisture so that a dentist or oral surgeon can reattach the teeth...

Teeth whitening treatments are generally safe and well tolerated by most patients. Before deciding to whiten your smile, there are a few considerations to take into account.

What Causes Teeth Staining?

Common factors include daily consumption of coffee, tea, or sodas; cigarette smoking or use of other tobacco products; a poor oral hygiene routine; and trauma or injury to the teeth. Stained teeth can also be the result of tetracycline antibiotics and dental fluorosis.

Which Teeth Whitening Procedure Should I Use?

A trained professional can administer the strongest concentration of the peroxide bleaching agent permitted, so if you’re looking for the whitest and brightest smile possible, an in-office procedure is your best bet. At-home whitening...

A few days or weeks after the implant procedure, we sometimes get frantic calls from patients saying that their dental implant fell off. Many times, patients are unaware of what exactly fell out.

What Most Patients Are Really Experiencing

Most of the time, it is the upper attachment — the healing abutment screw — that’s fallen off, not the actual implant. It is rare for the actual dental implant to fall out. When the patient comes in with a fallen abutment screw, we discard the one that’s fallen off and simply attach a new one with more tightening. We advise patients to not eat anything hard or use that side of the mouth to chew...

Your dentist will first check if your tooth can be saved and if not will recommend you for an extraction. Whether a root canal is better than extraction depends on the condition of your tooth.

Root Canal vs. Extraction

If the pulp (which includes living blood vessels, large nerves, and connective tissues) is damaged but the rest of the tooth structure is strong and stable, the dentist will recommend a root canal. However, if there is structural damage to the tooth along with severely damaged pulp, the dentist will recommend an extraction.

In a root canal procedure, the area near the tooth and the nerve will be numbed, the dentist will clean the pulp, and...

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and the last four of your 32 teeth to erupt. They typically erupt between the ages of 17-24. Nowadays wisdom teeth commonly cause issues and are commonly removed to prevent or stop the progression of wisdom teeth symptoms.

Wisdom Teeth Symptoms

Common wisdom teeth symptoms include gum pain, swollen gums, bleeding gums, swelling around the jaw, bad breath, headaches, jaw aches, unpleasant taste when eating, stiffness of the jaw, and swollen lymph node in the neck.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to come in correctly, they are considered impacted. Having impacted wisdom teeth is fairly common — 62-75% of people have at...

Fall season brings with it a lot of different things — schools and colleges starting, football, parties, cooler days, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. With all of this, it can get challenging to maintain good oral health for adults and kids. Our dentists at Dental Town DC share tips that help you take care of your oral health in this beautiful fall and harvest season.

Schedule Your Annual Dental Visit

If you haven’t already visited your dentist this year, fall is a great time to do so before the cold and short days begin. This helps you get all your fillings and other required procedures taken care of in time before the holidays.

Eat Healthy and Drink...

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Most people wouldn’t make the connection between oral health and diabetes, but there is actually a lot of research linking the two. Individuals with diabetes are 2x more likely to develop gum disease and other oral health issues.

How Diabetes Affects Oral Health

Diabetes causes healing to slow and makes the body have a harder time fighting infection. Diabetes decreases the amount of saliva your body makes and increases the amount of sugar in your saliva. Without enough saliva and with too much sugar in it, diabetes creates an environment where infections and decay can flourish.

Other oral health problems common with diabetics include Burning Mouth Syndrome, dry mouth (xerostomia), thrush (a fungal disease that...

Flossing is one of the best things you can do for your oral health, yet only 2-5% of people floss regularly. In order to promote flossing, we wanted to combat some popular flossing myths and excuses.

“Flossing Is Only For When Food Is Stuck Between My Teeth”: Flossing also removes dental plaque that accumulates between teeth and under the gum line — areas you typically can’t reach while brushing. Plaque that builds up over time leads to inflammation, gum disease, and tooth decay.

“I Can’t Floss Because I Have Braces”: Braces make flossing challenging, but you should absolutely still take the time to floss. Your orthodontist can teach you how and let you know if...

Being on your toes all day at work or home takes a toll on your overall physical, mental, and emotional health. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle including a good oral health can be challenging, but doing the following especially at work or when you’re busy during the day can help.

Increase The Intake Of Healthy Fluids

Drink plenty of water to not only keep yourself hydrated throughout the day but to prevent plaque, enamel erosion, gum disease, and decay. Cut down or completely avoid sugary beverages, sodas, and caffeinated drinks to protect your teeth and gums.

Quit Smoking Breaks and Coffee Breaks If You Can

Start with reducing the number of times you smoke and replace...

Doctors, dentists, and oral surgeons often recommend the best foods for dental health because of its close connection to heart health. Here’s a list of the top 5 foods for your teeth and gums:

Dairy: Cheese, milk, and yogurts can help build stronger teeth. Dairy products have calcium, Vitamin D, phosphorus, and whey protein that help restore enamel and protect teeth from decay and erosion. Yogurt being a great probiotic and cheeses containing good bacteria maintain the pH levels in the mouth.

Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetables provide key vitamins for healthy teeth and gums. Crunchy veggies and fruits act like a toothbrush and scrape food particles and plaque. Citrus fruits provide Vitamin C,...