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Archives for March 2015

Oral health and mercury fillings

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I am very careful about everything I put in my body. I eat organic, I drink tons of water, and have a low fat diet.  I exercize and take care of myself.  I think my oral health should be just that….healthy.  Why does my dentist insist and putting fillings in my mouth that are loaded with a toxin?

Alicia M. – Houston, TX

Alicia,

I understand your feelings. Though the American Dental Association (ADA) has declared that amalgam (mercury) fillings are safe, a growing number of patients are concerned.  It is your body after all, so you should be able to make decisions that you feel are the healthiest.

You do have an alternative. There are mercury free dentists who place white, composite fillings. They are completely free of mercury and equally viable as a filling. In fact, in most cases they are the better choice because they strengthen your teeth. If your dentist is insisting on amalgam fillings, don’t force the issue. It’s likely he or she doesn’t know how to place them.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

New Crown Fell Off- dentist is on vacation

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My brand new crown fell off and my dentist is on vacation. It’s on the tooth next to my front one and looks pretty bad.  I don’t want to look like this for a week. Is there some kind of dental glue I can buy to put it back in myself?

Denae – Houston, TX

Denae,

There are bonding agents you could be, but I don’t recommend you do this.  It’s unlikely you’ll be able to bond it on in the proper position. This will not only cause you pain every time you bite, but it could throw your bite off, leading to cosmetic issues and TMJ.

I also don’t recommend that you wait until your dentist gets back. In that amount of time, your teeth will likely shift. Then your crown will no longer fit and you’ll have to start the process over.

Your dentist should have arranged with a colleague to handle any emergency dental appointments. If for some unfathomable reason he did not, you could easily find an emergency dentist with a simple google search.  Emergency dentists will generally see even non-established patients the same day.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.