That’s Hot! Next Time You Burn Your Mouth On Pizza…

Posted by & filed under Family Dentistry, General Dentistry, Nutrition, Oral Health, Patient Education.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN’T RESIST! It’s SO cheesy and saucy—right out of the oven! You dive in and take your first bite…

Uh oh! Too soon! You’ve got “pizza burn!”

Pizza Isn’t The Only Culprit

You’ve probably burned your mouth before on coffee, soup, and other scorching hot foods. Soon afterward, you may have noticed that the roof of your mouth, and perhaps your tongue, is very tender. In some cases, you may even have blisters! Unfortunately, your mouth will probably hurt for a few days. However, there are a few things you can do to relieve the pain and irritation.

How To Soothe Your Mouth And Help It Heal

  1. Applying or sucking on ice can relieve the stinging. Gargling cold water or eating ice cream are other options.
  2. Drinking milk can coat the scorched area.
  3. An over-the-counter pain reliever can help, if the pain is really distracting.
  4. Avoid acidic, crunchy, and other hot foods, or even very salty and spicy dressings. This will stop the burn from getting irritated further.
  5. Squeezing Vitamin E from a capsule over the wound can speed up healing. It will regenerate new tissue and heal the wound.
  6. Maintain good oral hygiene while your mouth is burnt, keeping it as clean as possible to promote healing and prevent further infection. Warm saline rinses can also be helpful.
  7. Resist touching the burned area. This may be difficult, but by touching the affected area, the lesion may become irritated further.

If It’s Not Feeling Better In A Few Days, Call Us: (512) 448-3131

Pizza-type burns tend to heal within three to seven days. If soreness and blistering continue beyond a week, please call us! In the meantime, have fun enjoying that delicious, cheesy pizza—that is, once it’s cool!

Thanks for being our valued patients and friends!

Night Guards For Teeth Grinding

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

HAVE YOU EVER woken up with a sore jaw, tooth pain, or a headache? These are common symptoms of sleep bruxism, or teeth-grinding. The American Dental Association estimates that 10-15 percent of adults struggle with sleep bruxism, and children can experience it too. Because it happens during sleep, it can be difficult to control or stop. One way to protect the teeth from the damaging effects of grinding is to wear a night guard.

What Night Guards Are
Night guards come in hard, medium, and soft varieties, with the soft ones resembling mouth guards for sports and hard ones resembling clear plastic retainers, though they’re much sturdier and you usually only need one for the upper teeth. Wearing a night guard provides a cushioning effect so that the upper and lower teeth can’t wear away at each other. It will protect your teeth from external damage caused by grinding, such as chipping and erosion, but as long as the grinding still happens, other symptoms like jaw pain may not change.

 

What Night Guards Are Not
While hard night guards might look like retainers, they are not necessarily interchangeable. You should never use a normal retainer as a night guard, because it doesn’t have the necessary thickness to withstand the pressure. You should also be careful about using night guards as retainers. If you have a hard night guard that is properly fitted to your teeth, it can serve as a retainer, but a soft night guard won’t prevent your teeth from shifting.

Where To Get Yours
You can either buy your night guard over-the-counter or get a custom, more comfortable night guard from Dr. Van Wicklen.   A typical over-the-counter night guard requires you to shape it to your teeth by boiling it, allowing it a moment to cool, and then gently biting into it. If you obtain your night guard through Dr. Van Wicklen, the added comfort and quality will be worth the greater price. These night guards are made in a laboratory from an impression of your teeth taken by our dental professionals.

Cleaning And Storing Your Night Guard
If you don’t want to end up with a night guard that is smelly and gross, it’s important to clean and store it correctly. Always rinse your night guard after you take it out, then brush it with your toothbrush (but no toothpaste). In order to prevent bacterial growth, a night guard should never be stored wet, so give it time to air dry before placing it in its case, and it might be better to leave it on the nightstand instead of in the bathroom.

Ask Us About Your Night Guard
If you think you might have bruxism, don’t wait; come talk to us about it. We can help you find your perfect night guard, especially if you have braces, and we can also discuss other methods of reducing the symptoms, such as lowering stress levels. Fortunately, one way to reduce grinding is by having properly aligned teeth, so you’re on your way!

Thank you for trusting us to take care of your dental needs!

Call us today to schedule for your night tray: 512-448-3131

 

 

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

 

Keeping Teeth Pearly White Over the Holidays

Posted by & filed under Dental News.

Nothing tastes better than the savory dishes and sweet treats of the holidays. However, those tasty meals and treats can wreak havoc on your teeth, yellowing them and even potentially causing cavities. Many dentist offices are closed over the holidays and are generally booked with last minute appointments. Fortunately there are several home remedies and tips that can keep your teeth pearly white and healthy over the holidays. (more…)

Exciting Findings in New Dental Study

Posted by & filed under Dental Technology, General Dentistry.

children studying moleculeA new study released in May of 2014, gives a glimpse into the possible future of dentistry. For the very first time, low powered lasers have been used to stimulate stem cells in the body of mice to make new tissue. According to the study released from a Harvard bio-engineer, Dr. David Mooney, and co-author, Dr. Praveen Arany, a dentist and pathologist, the results may have application not only in dentistry, but in medicine as well. Dr. Steven Van Wicklen of Austin keeps abreast of coming advances in dentistry, such as those found in this study. (more…)

What Do I Do About My Child’s Thumb Sucking?

Posted by & filed under Children's Dentistry, Patient Education.

young boy with thumb in mouthIf you are like many parents, you may be concerned that your child is still sucking his/her thumb. Remember, though, thumb sucking is a normal part of a child’s development. As children approach four years of age, however, you might have to help them break the habit. Dr. Steven Van Wicklen can help you figure out how to best approach this with your child. Below are some ideas which have proven over time to be effective. (more…)

Will Whitened Teeth Last?

Posted by & filed under Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening.

Many people wonder how long whitened teeth will last. Dr. Steven Van Wicklen does a fantastic job whitening teeth, but the length your teeth stay white is largely up to you.

The questions and answers below can provide much of the information you may be seeking.  teethwhitening

Q: Are there any foods that might help me keep my teeth white?

A: Yes, there are. Apples, pears, and “hard” fruits are a great way to keep your teeth white.

Fresh vegetables eaten raw are also good. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, and green bean are beneficial. (more…)

Question And Answers About Your Chances of Gum Disease

Posted by & filed under General Dentistry, Gum Disease, Oral Health.

Would you be surprised to learn that you have a disease which may lead to major health issues and yet, you are totally unaware? For many Americans this is their predicament.  Gum disease affects a huge portion of the population including over 70% of those 65 years of age or older. Dr. Steven Van Wicklen,  has been assisting patients fight gum disease for many years. (more…)

How Modern Dentistry Saves You Time

Posted by & filed under Dental Crowns, Dental Technology, One Visit Crowns.

CheckUpHave you ever wondered why, with all of our modern conveniences, you never seem to have enough time? We have access to a level of technology undreamed of by previous generations, yet we feel constantly harried, jetting from home to work to school and all points in between with hardly a moment to take a breath and reflect. While medical experts bemoan the impact all of this busyness has on our collective health and theorists speculate that we stay busy to give our lives meaning, your dentist has modern technology available to help make less of an impact on your schedule.
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