Toothache

NOW, WE KNOW THAT we’re your orthodontic team, not your dentist. However, we want to help you have healthy teeth for life. And that job goes beyond orthodontics and into a lifetime of good dental care.

That’s why we’re joining with our fellow oral health professionals to dispel the myths about one major dental procedure: root canals. We know that it’s a topic people don’t typically visit about in a favorable light. Root canal therapy has always been a bit of a “whipping boy” in dentistry—and, its reputation is probably undeserved. This is especially true given today’s awesome treatment advancements.

The Most Common Misconception

The problems that lead up to needing a root canal can be painful because they affect your tooth’s pulp and nerves. Oftentimes people associate root canal treatment with the discomfort that made the treatment necessary in the first place. Don’t forget that root canal therapy is the solution, not the problem! And, root canals don’t need to be painful.

Today’s Ingredients For Comfortable Root Canal Treatments:

1. safe, effective anesthesia
2. extremely precise tools
3. incredible imaging technology that enhances how and what we see
4. shorter treatment times

Hopefully, with great home care habits and regular visits to your dentist, you won’t need root canal therapy at any point in the future. However, just in case it comes up, remember that there’s nothing to be worried about! Root canal treatment helps you keep your own teeth, and keep that beautiful, healthy, straight smile.

If you have a toothache or are in need of a dentist or an endodontist root canal specialist, call us Gorczyca Orthodontics at (925) 757-9000 and we will refer you to the nearest dental professional to find a solution for your dental needs. We are located in the Deer Valley Professional Building at 5201 Deer Valley Road in Antioch, California right behind Deer Valley High School. We work closely with over 100 dentists and dental specialists in the greater East Contra Costa County area.

Here's to your healthy and beautiful smile.

PICTURE THIS: YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE TRAVELED to a gorgeous beach location for a week of fun in the sun. You’re about to do some serious sunbathing, swimming, and snorkeling when a family member starts complaining about a bad toothache! Or, a pokey wire is making someone’s cheek bleed. Argh! Few things can kill your vacation spirit faster than a dental problem or dental emergency. So here are a few tips for taking your teeth on vacation!

Before You Go

If you’ve been keeping your regularly scheduled appointments, this is probably not an issue. But if not, call us to make an appointment. As you know, most problems with your teeth or mouth happen gradually. If we can catch a developing issue before you leave on your vacation, you probably won’t need any of the other tips below.

Second, consider making yourself a “dental emergency kit” to pack along on your vacation that includes the following:

• Mouthguard(s) - A mouthguard prevents chipped or knocked out teeth. If your plans include any type of high adventure activities (or things as simple as skateboarding or other sports), consider taking a mouthguard.
• Floss - You were planning to bring floss along anyway for your nightly dental routine, right? We knew it.
• Pain Relievers - Both topical and ingested (but don’t use aspirin as topical pain relief as it can damage your gums).
• Orthodontic Wax - If anyone in your group has braces, you probably already know how important this is.
• Clove Oil, Pencil w/ Eraser, and Sugarless Gum - See explanation below.
• Contact Information - Even if we aren’t close by, you may need to contact us via phone or email.

Some On-The-Spot Tips

• Toothache - Rinse your mouth with warm water and apply an icepack to your cheek if it’s swelling. It may be helpful to apply some topical pain reliever or dab clove oil on and around the tooth. If the pain persists, get a hold of us.
• Chipped, Broken, Or Knocked Out Teeth - Save the pieces/tooth in milk or salt water and get to emergency care quickly. After an hour, odds decrease that the tooth will go back in where it belongs. If there’s bleeding, put some gauze over the wound.
• Lost Filling - Here’s a cool tip—put sugarless (sugarless only!) gum in the spot the filling used to cover. This will keep the pain down and stop other things from getting stuck in the gap.
• Something Caught In Your Teeth or Braces - Rinse with warm water and gently floss. If it’s not coming out, DON’T try poking around with something sharp. Give us a call or seek out local care before it causes grief.
• Pokey Braces Wires - You can try to move a protruding wire with a pencil eraser. If that doesn’t work and it’s still poking you, cover it up with wax. Not enough wax? You can use sugarless gum or foam earplugs. We don’t want you trying to clip any wires yourself.

Many Of The Same Tips (and more) In A Short Video

When In Doubt, Contact Us

That’s why you’ll want to include our contact information in your emergency kit. We’ll give you advice, or refer you to someone in the area if you need immediate care. We’re here to help you and your family in any way we can. Keep in mind that if you are somewhere with internet access, you can always direct message us on our Facebook page!

Have a fantastic vacation, and thank you for being our valued patient!

Any other tips YOU know about? Share them below!

NOVEMBER 1ST IS ALL SAINTS DAY, celebrated in honor of all saints, beatified and known and not yet beatified and unknown. On this day, we may take a moment to remember the Patron Saint of Dentists, Saint Apollonia.

The Story of Saint Apollonia

In Alexandria, Egypt, Saint Apollonia was held in high esteem. During the reign of Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria (247-265), Apollonia was seized by the mob. She had her teeth knock-out and broken. Still, she refused to repeat impious words of blasphemy or lose her chastity during this violent attack. Instead, threw herself onto a burning fire in an act of martyrdom. This account was preserved in a letter of Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, in what is now Syria.

The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches celebrate the feast day of St. Apollonia on February 9th. St. Apollonia is popularly invoked against the toothache because of the torments she had endured to her own teeth. This is why St. Apollonia is the Patron Saint of Dentistry.

Saint Apollonia has Strong Ties to Dentistry

The term Apollonia is often found in dental literature and attached to dental societies. The image of St. Apollonia is the side support of the arms of the British Dental Association. A reliquary containing a tooth reputedly that of Saint Apollonia is still found today in the Cathedral of Porto, Portugal.

This blog was written by Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca of Gorczyca Orthodontics, Antioch, California. Find us at www.clubbraces.com.

Top image by Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.