Patients care & FAQ

What to do after a Surgical Extraction

1. Keep the extraction site packed with surgical gauze for 1 hour after the extraction procedure. Speak with your teeth together while the gauze is in place. Blood stained saliva is normal following the procedure
2. After the extraction the area will be numb from the local anesthetic. Be careful not to bite or chew your lip, tongue or cheek.
3. Avoid hot and cold food or drink immediately following the extraction.
4. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you DO NOT wash your mouth today. This allows clotting to proceed. Dislodging the blood clot can result in a condition, Dry Socket. This is a very painful condition and will require further post-operative treatment.
5. Avoid alcohol for 48 hours and avoid hot and cold foods for 24 hours as these can promote further bleeding.
6. Avoid heavy exercise for at least 48 hours as increased blood pressure can promote furfther bleeding.
7. Swelling of the extraction area is to be expected following a surgical extraction, however to minimise swelling apply ice packs to the cheek and jaw, 5 minutes on 5 minutes off. Apply ice packs as soon as possible following the procedure. Swelling can continue for up to 4 days and then gradually subside.
8. THE DAY FOLLOWING THE EXTRACTION - GENTLY RINSE THE AREA WITH SALTY WATER. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of boiled water and cool to room temperature. Use this solution as a mouth rinse, GENTLY rinsing twice a day for 5 days.
9. During the healing period, avoid sharp brittle foods such as peanuts, crusty bread, corn chips. These types of food can disturb the healing or lodge in the healing site.
10. Trismus (limited mouth opening) is also common for up to 2 weeks. Some bruising to the face can be experienced.
11. It is important to brush your teeth the day after the extraction. Brushing the tongue will help eliminate
12. The extraction socket will begin to remodel over the next few weeks and can take 3 to 4 months to completely remodel
13. Paracetamol or Nurofen 200mg as directed will be adequate pain relief in most cases, however Paracetamol or Nurofen containing Codeine may assist if further pain relief is required. Avoid Aspirin for 2 days after the extraction, as aspirin can encourage bleeding

IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN FOLLOWING  SURGICAL EXTRACTION do not hesitate to contact Northshore Dental Care

If you are suffering from a severely painful tooth, contact us immediately for an appointment. We will assist you as soon as possible. In the meantime the pain medications, Ibuprofen (Nurofen) or Paracetamol may give you some relief. Avoid hot or cold drinks and food. If the area is swollen, an ice pack to the cheek may also give some relief until your appointment time

When you contact us for the first available appointment we will ask you a number of questions

• Does the tooth ache constantly?
• Is the tooth sensitive to hot, cold or sweet?
• Is the tooth painful if you bite on it?
• Is the cheek area swollen and red?
• Have you had a cold or flu recently?

A dull toothache

If you have a dull intermittent toothache contact us for an appointment. A dull toothache may be indicate tooth microfractures, active decay, a bite problem

Regardless of how often I clean my teeth and rinse with mouthwash I have persistent stale or bad breath

Bad breath (Halitosis) is most commonly caused by

• gum disease  the leading cause of bad breath
• bacteria that feed on food and plaque and collect around teeth, gums and tongue,
• people suffering from dry mouth are more likely to have bad breath due to reduced saliva flow see Dry Mouth
• some bacterial infections of respiratory tract, throat, sinus and lung, medical conditions, gastric refax, diabetes and kidney diseases

Bad breath solutions

• management of gum disease with deep cleaning of pockets that you are unable to clean
• tongue cleaning with scrapper to remove bacteria
• regular brushing and flossing between teeth to remove decaying food and debris
• defective fillings, dentures, crowns and bridges collect plaque and food debris may require adjustment to enable proper cleaning and flossing
• bad breath as a result of systemic illness need to be address by your medical practitioner

To check if your breath is not as fresh as it might be - cup your hand over your mouth and breath out. Lift your cupped hand to your nose and breath in.

Northshore Dental Care's Dr Strachan can provide the solution to most causes of bad breath and with proper at home oral hygiene you can have that fresh breath ring of confidence.

Our Gold Coast dental team offers the safe removal and replacement of Mercury Amalgam fillings – those old ‘silver’ looking fillings that were once so commonplace. At Northshore Dental we find that clients have many reasons to seek the removal and replacement of existing mercury amalgam fillings, including:

• Amalgam is packed into the tooth not bonded to the tooth, and a complete seal is often not achieved, allowing decay to continue under the filling
• Amalgam Alloy is approximately 50% mercury, and some research indicates that chewing and grinding teeth with mercury amalgam restorations can release mercury vapour into the mouth. Mercury is a biological and environmental hazard. Find out more >>
• Mercury Amalgam fillings expand with age and temperature change, which can result in adjacent natural tooth structure shearing or cracking
• Mercury Amalgam fillings are not a tooth coloured aesthetic restoration, so tend to look less appealing

While removing old amalgams is often beneficial, it can pose problems if not performed safely and carefully by a dentist that thoroughly understands the protocols that minimise mercury exposure. It is known that the removal of mercury amalgam creates aerosols of amalgam alloy and a release of mercury. The removal procedure can also generate mercury amalgam sludge in the patients’ mouth around the tongue, the cheeks and other teeth.

Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Protocols

• Cooling with water during removal procedure. Flooding the area of removal with water decreases heat produced, and it is heat that significantly increases the release of mercury in vapour and amalgam particles
• Cutting existing amalgam into chunks involves less high speed, heat producing drilling. Amalgam metal can be removed by hand instrument and suction
• High volume evacuation captures mercury vapour and amalgam particles
• Removal of existing mercury amalgam and placement of Composite Resin restorations is always done on top of a Dental Dam

Why is a Dental Dam Necessary for Safe Amalgam Removal?

• A dental dam is a non latex membrane that isolates the tooth or teeth being treated from the rest of the mouth. This barrier to the mouth stops mercury particles and sludge being swallowed during the removal procedure
• A dental dam allows for more pooling of water and cooling of the tooth, reducing the release of mercury vapor
• A dental dam encourages patients to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth during the removal process

Placement of the Dental Dam is a comfortable quick process that allows for a safe and comfortable procedure.
Discover the benefits of safe mercury amalgam removal and replacement with our experienced and friendly dentists at Northshore Dental, Paradise Point Gold Coast. Contact us today!

Make sure you keep the crown so it can be replaced as soon as possible. It is important to have the crown re-cemented quickly. If you do not replace the crown quickly, over a relatively short period of time your bite will change which may result in needing to replace the crown. This is an unnecessary procedure and expense if you act quickly to have the lost crown re-inserted. Contact us immediately to arrange an appointment at our Paradise Point Practice.

Bleeding gums when brushing by hand or with an Electric Toothbrush is definitely not normal. Bleeding gums are the most obvious symptom of poor oral health and gum disease but can also indicate a number of other health problems. Inflamed and swollen gums is called gingivitis and if left unchecked can cause gums to separate from the teeth. This can cause injury to the soft tissues and bone that supports the teeth. The teeth may become loose and unstable. If the infection progresses, you may lose your teeth.
Gum Disease is the most common cause of tooth loss as well as bad breath read more

If your gums bleed with regular tooth brushing, please contact us for an examination with Dr Strachan and Oral Health Instruction on the best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy, and for life.

Sensitive teeth can cause ongoing discomfort. Teeth can be sensitive to hot and cold drinks and food, cold air and sometime just breathing in can cause real discomfort.

What causes sensitive teeth?

• sensitive teeth occur when the dentine (living part of tooth) becomes exposed
• gum recession exposing the root and dentine are a common cause of sensitivity
• gum recession is usually a direct result of gum disease or over brushing
• loss of tooth enamel from acid etching  is also a common cause of dentine exposure and sensitivity

Suggestions to help prevent sensitive teeth

• proper oral care to manage gum disease and reduce recession
• reduce acidic food and drinks see Dental Alert Article: Juice everyday can wash your teeth away
• application of enamel building medicament eg Tooth Mousse is very effective
• use sensitivity toothpaste with a soft bristled toothbrush
• sealing of the tooth dentine, is a dental procedure we can provide to manage sensitivity

If you would like further information on the products that help reduce sensitivity call us for further advice