Problems Following Dental Care

Did you recently go to your dentist? Are you experiencing pain or bleeding? Or sensitivity? Or other problems following dental care treatments? 

Wondering what to do? 

At Princess Center Dentistry, we’ve treated thousands of patients with dental emergencies. Dr. Andrews will help resolve the pain and discomfort of a dental emergency and follow up with you afterward to assure the best results.

We’ve created this guide to help you understand what precautions to take to assure safe and expedient treatment when you arrive at our office.

Call us today for your dental emergency.

3 Problems Following Dental Care and What to Do for First Aid

There are three main problems that you may experience following dental care treatments: 

1. Teeth sensitivity
2. Swelling  
3. Bleeding 

Each one of these can leave you with questions, and at the moment when they are happening, it is important to know what actions to take, so let’s jump right in and get started . . . 

1. Teeth Sensitivity 

Sensitive teeth can get in the way of eating food and enjoying either really cold or hot food. Love ice cream? Or coffee? Sensitive teeth can negatively impact both those eating and drinking experiences. 

Sensitive teeth can become a challenge after going to the dentist if you got your teeth cleaned or got a cavity filled.  

Here are three things to do: 

1. Toothpaste: For the two or three weeks after getting a filling or a teeth cleaning switching to toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help. 
2. Toothbrush: Get a soft toothbrush, and use gentle brushing motions when brushing your teeth. 
3. Mouth rinse: Use a fluoride mouth rinse

Tooth sensitivity after dental care can feel like a problem after dental care that is an emergency. 

And it can be. If you try the three steps above and still have tooth sensitivity, contact your dentist for an emergency dental appointment to help assess and treat your tooth sensitivity because it may not be connected to the dental visit that you just went to. 

The symptom of tooth sensitivity may be tied to a different underlying dental condition that will need other dental treatments. 

2. Swelling

Can dental anesthesia cause swelling? This is a question that can come up when you’re about to get dental treatment at your office.

Although it does not happen often, and it is rare, swelling from dental anesthesia can be caused by either an allergy to dental anesthesia, or a hematoma. 

Blood-filled swelling is when an anesthesia needle hits a blood vessel. If this happens when you’re at your dentist appointment, your dentist will help you through the process. 

But what about swelling after being at the dentist? What should you do? 

Swelling After Dental Care: What you should do and first aid

Did you have surgery at the dentist? If the answer to that question, the first thing to know is — swelling after surgery is normal after surgery. 

If you are experiencing swelling after dental surgery, here are three things to do to reduce swelling after dentist: 

1. Rest: It’s a good choice to rest after oral surgery. 
2. Use pillows: elevating your head using pillows can help with swelling. 
3. Slow down: If you are a runner or enjoy other physical activities. Slowing down and not doing physical activity can promote healing after oral surgery and reduce swelling. 
4. Use ice: Every 15 minutes, use ice on your face to not only help with swelling and pain. 
5. Call: Call your dentist and let them know what is happening, and make a follow-up emergency dental to make sure you are healing well and that your swelling is not from anything more serious. 

Should I go to the Emergency Room If I have Swelling After Dental Care? 

If you are experiencing any of the following three symptoms, after going to the dentist, you need to have a friend or family member call your dentist and let them know what is happening and when to go to the emergency room: 

1. Fever 
2. Breathing difficulties
3. Bad taste in your mouth 

If you have bleeding after surgery, apply pressure with a small clean cloth or a clean piece of gauze.

3. Bleeding

Why do my gums bleed at the dentist? Have you or someone you know asked this question? Chances are if you have, the dentist is not the only place or time your gums have bled. 

Bleeding of the gums is a symptom and sign of gum disease or gingivitis.

Untreated gingivitis can lead to extensive dental challenges, and the need for more dental treatments. Prevention is a great way to circumvent gingivitis.  

This can be accomplished through routine teeth cleanings, daily brushing, and flossing. 

However, that is what can cause bleeding before receiving dental care and treatment. 

What about when you are at the dentist if you are bleeding after going to the dentist? 

If your gums are bleeding at the dentist, the reason is . . . you guessed it —gingivitis. 

If you have plaque calculus on your teeth, it is important to your overall oral health to get it removed. At a dentist office the process and treatment of plaque and calculus removal  is called scaling.  Scaling is also used to help treat and prevent the progression of gingivitis. 

Many people want to know, do gums bleed during scaling? The simple answer is no. During a scaling procedure, it’s not the treatment that will or can cause bleeding — its the severity level of the person’s gingivitis that can lead to  a few days of slight bleeding after going to the dentist.

What to do about bleeding gums from  teeth cleaning or scaling? 

The same is true if you experience bleeding after going to the dentist for a teeth cleaning. Two things that you can do while your gums are bleeding after going to the dentist for a teeth cleaning or scaling, is to rinse your mouth with either salt water or hydrogen peroxide, and time the bleeding. 

If it does not stop within 15 minutes of one of the rinses, call your dentist for a follow up emergency dental appointment. 

Now, gingivitis may seem like the only reason that you’re bleeding, however, surgery is the other reason bleeding may become a dental emergency.  Here is what to do : 

1. Know: That some bleeding after surgery can and is  normal. 
2. Assess: The first step is to assess the level of bleeding. 
3. Apply: Apply pressure to the area when you are bleeding. Use gentle pressure and clean cloth or gauze. 
4. 15 min rule: Check the time when the bleeding starts. If the bleeding goes past 15 minutes, do two things; call your dentist to make an emergency dental appointment, and if they advise, go to the emergency room. If you cannot reach your dentist’s office, go to the emergency room.