Recently Answered Questions
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How can I avoid developing a superbug in my mouth?
Query: Hello doctor, I am a 62-year-old female with a history of chronic periodontal disease, particularly involving a pocket between teeth #7 and #8, which is associated with some bone loss and becomes infected every few months. I take fastidious care of my teeth and gums, including flossing, using a prox... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. The antibiotic resistance is not a big issue as such, but I would suggest to not apply antibiotic gel more than two weeks with one or two months gap in between. Using warm salt water gargle twice a day is more than enough for good hygiene of gums. Root canal treatment ... Read Full »
Query: Hi doctor,I was having bleeding gums in one section of my teeth while flossing. So, I consulted a dentist who did a deep cleaning of that area. But after a week, I felt swelling and irritation over the area with bleeding on touching. Then, I went to a periodontist who suggested having flap surgery. ... Read Full »
Answer: Hi,Welcome to iCliniq.com.I understand your concern, as per the image provided (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity), it seems you have an infection that has not been eliminated after surgery. It is an edematous pocket that requires a gingivectomy or ENAMP (excisional new attachment... Read Full »
How can I get the stuck food out of a pocket between molars?
Query: Hi doctor,I have a spot that I think may be considered a pocket or may just be a spot between my molars where I get food stuck. I have had problems with inflammation from food getting stuck in there. I got a Waterpik and the tool worked like a charm. So I am in a pinch now. I am traveling and I lost... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Yes, such food lodgements are quite irritating. If the gap is narrow, you can use floss. But, I guess you have a wide gap. For that, you can use interdental brushes (available in different sizes in a single pack - looks like miniature bottle brushes). You just have t... Read Full »
Would braces close wide gap between front teeth?
Query: Hi doctor, I have a wide gap between front teeth due to short upper and lower frenulums, which were removed nine years back. I was also treated for periodontal disease as a result of these gaps. Now I have recessions (pockets), the exposed root of that front tooth that is deviated. Do I need surger... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. You need to get root canal treatment for the upper and lower central teeth and then place a fixed partial denture (FPD ceramic crowns) on them to close the space. This will give a permanent solution to your problem. It will provide you with a much better esthetic soluti... Read Full »
I am a 32-year-old male with chronic periodontitis. Does this affect my lifespan?
Query: Hi,I am a 32-year-old male, and I recently had a scaling and root planning done for mild to moderate periodontitis. It also included a laser treatment as I had bleeding gums. My gum pockets were mostly of 3 mm, and three to four teeth had pockets of 5 mm to 6 mm. I am experiencing bleeding even thou... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I read your query and understand your concern. Do not worry, and periodontitis will not affect your lifespan though it will have the potential to cause systemic diseases. It means it is a risk factor for developing generalized health conditions. The mouth is a mirror ... Read Full »
Why do I have pain in my gums while brushing?
Query: Hello doctor, Something is stuck between my teeth. Kindly help. Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. What is stuck between your teeth? Do you feel stains or calculus? If yes, go for scaling and root planing. If you think it is a cavity where food is stuck, then you need a dental filling. Kindly attach a photo and tell the chief complaint. Thanks. Read Full »
What could be the small painless bump on the left end of the mouth?
Query: Hello doctor, I am a 25-year-old female. There is a small bump on my gum. It is not that painful. I tried pressing it, and there is yellow pus that came out of it. It is just so bothering and becomes painful whenever I eat. The bump is close to my teeth located at the far left end of my mouth. I a... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Kindly help me by uploading an image of the swollen lump along with the tooth as soon as possible. I will assist immediately as I receive an image. It is diagnostically important. I suspect periapical abscess. Long term abscess might lead to bone loss and mobility. ... Read Full »
Can fixed retainers be worn during scaling and root planing treatment?
Query: Hi doctor, I have just been told that I have gum disease and 3 mm to 6 mm pockets. And, my wisdom teeth have 8 mm pocket. I have braces on now and I am due to have them off next month. I need to get scaling and root planing treatment to treat my gum problems. Can I still wear a fixed retainer? I r... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Yes, you can wear your fixed retainer without any problem. Also, you have to make sure that you use your removable retainer also for the next two to three years without any break. When you have periodontal problems, there is a high chance of spaces opening up between teet... Read Full »
What causes black cracks in teeth?
Query: Hello doctor, While looking at my teeth the other day, I noticed what looked like cracks in my molar teeth (2nd from the back) on either side. Recently, I went to the dentist for a cleaning and also was complaining about sensitive teeth to both hot and cold. On both these teeth, I have a bit of ... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. First of all thank God that you met a good endodontist who diagnosed the right problem. Secondly, through all your case history it is evident that you are having a chronic habit of clenching your jaws that is called 'bruxism' in medical terms. What happens in it is, due t... Read Full »
Is chewing toothpicks bad for you?
Query: Hello doctor, Are birchwood toothpicks hard enough to cause damage to tooth enamel? Do they cause damage to the teeth in any way? I have pored over the internet for the answer to this question, with many dentists recommending that toothpicks should not be used or chewed on, or saying that it can cau... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. We use toothpicks in the anatomical spaces present between the teeth. The spaces are called as embrasures. While you use the toothpick, you lacerate the gingival tissue that covers those spaces (the cone-shaped gingiva present between the teeth) that results in the cr... Read Full »