Archives for April 2024

Can Teething Cause Fevers?

Posted on April 27, 2024 by writeradmin.

I’m at my wit’s end. My 9 month old is so unhappy and keeps getting fevers. I am so worried that something serious is wrong but we’ve been to the doctor half a dozen times and they can’t find anything. Today, a lady from church came by and I burst into tears. She said that my son is probably just teething. Apparently, when she was a mother they used to slit the baby’s gums if they were struggling a lot with teething. She did say that she doesn’t think they do that anymore and that there is probably some new technique, so I thought I’d write and check. First, does teething cause fevers. Second, is there a newer technique or do you still slit the gums? That seems awful to me but he’s miserable so I’m not sure if it’s mean to leave him that way.

Penny

Dear Penny,

A baby crying and pulling at their ears

It is never easy being a parent. However, you are doing a better job than you think. Yes, it is true that teething can cause a fever, but only a low-grade fever. If it is a high fever, I would keep investigating. You will also find some other symptoms too:

They will be more fussy than normal.
Some babies pull at their ears.
There gums could be swollen.
They could drool more.
Loss of appetite.
Difficulty sleeping.

I have never heard of slitting a child’s gums. There is not a new technique for dealing with a teething baby. However, I would NOT recommend you go with the slitting method. There is a reason that our bodies are designed for those teeth to push through. That pressure is coming from the eruption of the tooth root as it is growing. If you slit the gums, the teeth will come out prematurely and the root will not have the strength to support the tooth properly.

You can give a fussy baby some children’s Tylenol, as long as your pediatrician approves. There are also teething rings and some over the counter numbing medication. I’ll be honest, the numbing medication is very temporary.

By the way, once your child’s tooth erupts, this is a good time to introduce them to a pediatric dentist. It is always best for them to first see a dentist when it is fun and there are no problems with their teeth. Too many parents wait until there is a dental emergency. Then the child associates the dentist with the pain of that urgent appointment.

It’s hard to believe this right now, but this will pass… then, he’ll be a teenager!

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Is She Allergic to Her Dentures?

Posted on April 15, 2024 by writeradmin.

Can you help me? I’m really worried that I am allergic to my dentures. I hope I am not because they fit really well and I’m told that is a rarity. Here’s what has been happening.

Day 1: At first everything was fine but after about six hours, I started having swollen glands and some swelling around the eyes.
Day 2: Same symptoms as before, but then my throat started to swell. I took some allergy meds and that seemed to help.
Day 3: Same symptoms, but more exaggerated. I grew a bit afraid that my throat was going to close up so I took allergy pills and removed the dentures. The symptoms eventually subsided. I left them out for a few days.
Day 7: I put the dentures back in and the symptoms started again.

I think I know that the answer is that I am allergic to the dentures, but I am hoping there is something that can be done because they really fit well.

Eileen

Dear Eileen,

Yes, it definitely sounds like you are allergic to these dentures. Having the allergy medication help pretty much cinches the conclusion. The first thing I am going to tell you is not to wear them until this is sorted out. Allergies can turn life-threatening and you were wise to discontinue the use when your throat was swelling. It could easily have closed up on you and made it impossible to breathe.

Next, you want to determine exactly what it is that you are allergic to. This will require that you see an allergist. One possibility is that you are allergic to the unreacted monomer. When acrylic is used to form a denture, it starts off in the liquid form. A chemical reaction is used to turn it into a polymer and cause it to harden. However, as with many chemical reactions, there are leftover reactants. In this case, it is the monomer. If it turns out that it is the unreacted monomer that you are allergic to, then you can have your dentist immerse it in very hot water for several hours. There is some research from the National Library of Medicine that says this is quite effective in reacting the remainder of the monomer.

A second alternative would be to have your dentist remake the denture using a different kind of material.

I do want to make certain that you are aware of the long-term dangers of wearing completely removable dentures. Your body will begin resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body because you no longer have any tooth roots that it needs to support. Unfortunately, this will begin to shrink your jawbone until there is no longer enough of your jawbone left to retain your denture. This is known in dental circles as facial collapse. The way to prevent this is to anchor your dentures to some dental implants.

Unless you are “up there” in years, I think it would be a good idea to look into dental implants while you are figuring out what you are allergic to.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Should I Get Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on April 10, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have wanted to improve my smile for years. I have one tooth that is a little crooked and my teeth are discolored. I was hoping to get porcelain veneers but my dentist said because of the crooked tooth, I would need to get braces first and then the porcelain veneers. I’m not too keen on the extra time and money that would require. If that is the case, is there a way to get my teeth white with Invisalign as well? I know that porcelain veneers can change the color but I’m guessing Invisalign just straightens them.

Tammy

Dear Tammy,

I am a bit concerned that your dentist is suggesting you would need braces before doing your porcelain veneers. Bear in mind as you read this that I have not examined you. However, if all you have is a slightly crooked tooth, then porcelain veneers can be placed and make the tooth look straight. It can also change the color, as you mentioned, but also the shape and size of the tooth. This is why they are used for complete smile makeovers.

If all that is wrong with your teeth is the crooked tooth and discoloration, then you could save yourself a lot of money by using Invisalign paired with teeth whitening. The Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. All your dentist would need to provide you with is the professional strength teeth whitening gel. In most cases, Invisalign works in a fraction of the time it takes traditional braces to straighten your teeth. Unless there were other things about your teeth that you want to change, or you are in a super hurry, this is the route I would go.

On the other hand, if there are other things about your teeth that you want to change, then porcelain veneers will be the correct choice. That being said, I would not recommend you pressure your current dentist into doing them. The fact that he was pushing your toward braces tells me he is not very comfortable with his skill level using porcelain veneers. This means you will not get the beautiful result you are likely hoping for. You will need to find a different dentist with significant post-doctoral training creating porcelain veneers. Also, make sure he or she is willing to use a temporary try in paste and allow you to get a good look at the veneers in several different types of lighting. Only if you are absolutely in love with them, should the dentist do the permanent bonding. If you’re not thrilled, they should go back to the lab in order to make the changes needed.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Bonding, Whitening, and Tetracycline Stains

Posted on April 4, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had tetracycline stains because of some medication when I was a child. I had dental bonding done quite a few years ago. Now the bonding is chipped and discolored. I can’t get porcelain veneers at this time because of finances. I was hoping that there have been advances in teeth whitening that will take care of my tetracycline stains and then I can just take off the dental bonding and whiten the teeth. Can you advise me?

Pearl

Dear Pearl,

Tooth bleaching trays

A lot of what you can do from here depends on how your dental bonding was placed. If your dentist placed the dental bonding on top of intact tooth enamel, than the aging bonding can be removed. However, if your dentist removed the enamel before placing the bonding, then your options are limited.

If your bonding is removable, then teeth whitening is a solution. My suggestion would be to have your dentist set you up with teeth bleaching trays and whiten your teeth with the strongest gel that you are able to tolerate. If your dentist has KöR Whitening available, that has some additional strength benefits. If you are persistent, the whitening can make a huge difference. I would bleach your teeth every night for at least a couple of months. You will find your teeth look much better.

Don’t do something like Zoom Whitening, even though it is stronger. It is also much more expensive and you will need quite a few treatments. Stick with the good old bleach take home trays. You’ll get the same results, though it will take a little longer, at a fraction of the cost.

Of course, they won’t have the same exact beauty you could get with porcelain veneers if you went to an expert cosmetic dentist, but you will be much happier with your smile.

If the enamel was removed, however, your only real option is to get porcelain veneers. I would not just go to any cosmetic dentist, and definitely not the cheapest. Porcelain veneers are an advanced cosmetic procedure and tetracycline stains are the most challenging type of those cases. Save up and go to the best you can find.

Hopefully, you can at least start with the teeth whitening option and then eventually get porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.