Emergency Dentistry - The importance of early checkups

Have you ever had a sudden tooth pain that forced you to book an appointment with the dentist ASAP? A sudden tooth pain can be both alarming and indicative of underlying dental issues that require prompt attention. If you experience sudden, severe pain in your teeth or gums, it’s crucial to book an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible to address the root causes.

Dr. Chong performing her emergency procedure with an assisting nuse.

There are many reasons predisposes to sudden teeth pain. Patients can already have diseases such as:

• Abscess tooth: a severe tooth infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. This would often be accompanied with swelling, redness, and a throbbing pain that can radiate to the jaw or neck.

• Dental erosion: excessive wear of the tooth enamel, possibly due to acid reflux or dietary acids, can expose the dentin or inner layers, leading tooth sensitivity.

• Cracked or fractured teeth: a sudden fracture or crack in a tooth, possibly from biting down on something hard, can cause acute pain. It is an urgency to address this matter immediately, as cracks can expose the sensitive inner parts of the tooth to temperatures, pressure, and food particles, contributing to nerve damage and infections.

• Gum disease: advanced gum disease (periodontitis) can lead to pain, swelling, and bleeding of the gums. In severe cases, it can affect the bone that supports your teeth, leading to pain and potentially tooth loss.

• TMJ: temporomandibular disorders can affect the joint that connects your jaw to your skull, which can lead to pain in your teeth jaw, face or neck.

• Tooth decay or cavities (caries): when tooth decay progresses to reach the inner layers of the tooth, it can cause sharp, sudden pain. Cavities can grow unnoticed until they reach the sensitive parts of your teeth, leading to intense discomfort.

NOTE: With years of training, your dentist can find underlying causes affecting your teeth pain, and can predict your future teeth damage. A tooth decay if not spotted early can lead to infections of the teeth root, impacting the nerves and causing immense pain. One of the solution is to either undergo tooth extraction or root canal treatment (RCT) to salvage the tooth and ensure as much tooth is preserved as possible. If not, over-the-counter painkillers can be used to minimise the pain however, the pain will continue to exacerbate if left untreated.

How should I solve this problem?

If your teeth pain is sudden, severe, and doesn’t subside with basic home care, schedule a visit with your dentist immediately. After your visit, adhere strictly to your dentist’s advice, whether it involves medication, follow-up appointments, or procedures to address the cause of your toothache.

If you cannot visit your dentist on time, there are many steps to temporarily tackle sudden tooth pain:

• Use warm water to rinse your mouth gently. This can help clean the area and remove any food particles that might be irritating.

• Floss gently. Sometimes, pain can be caused by something stuck between your teeth. Carefully floss can allow food particles or plagues to be removed.

• If there is redness and swelling, apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to help reduce inflammation and numb the pain.

• Over-the-counter pain relievers can temporarily alleviate the pain. However, it’s important to follow recommended dosage and not apply medication directly to gums or sore throat, as this can burn the gum tissue.

• Until you see a dentist, avoid very hot, cold, sweet or hard foods, especially where the pain is located.

• Keeping your head elevated can prevent blood from rushing to your head and exacerbating the toothache.

Want to get more information? Call us on (02) 9558 8988

Nasolabial fold and deep smile lines

Deep smile lines are often a natural sign of the skin aging process. The deep smile lines, or called nasolabial folds, are commonly caused by:

• Due to aging or genetics: Many people are born with deep smile lines or experience rapid aging after childbirth.

• Lack of collagen: After the age of 25, the amount of collagen in the body gradually decreases, and at this time, the cells lacking collagen to maintain will become dry and wrinkles can start to appear.

• Repeated facial expressions: The condition of deep smile lines is also partly due to our daily expressions such as crying, laughing, etc.

Aside from natural causes, smile line wrinkles also form due to external reasons such as:

• Not using sunscreen

• Dehydration, causing the skin cells to dry out and wrinkles to form

• Unhealthy lifestyle such as eating spicy, oily foods, using stimulants, smoking, alcohol, or staying up late

How do I get rid of deep smile lines?

Using thread-lifting technology

Thread lifting is a method that uses biocompatible collagen threads implanted in the subdermal layer of the skin, in which the doctor can fill in the smile lines and rejuvenate the face.

One advantage of this method is it provides results that last over 5 years and is extremely gentle on the body.

HA injections or fillers

Another method that brings significant changes for those with deep smile lines is the injection of fillers and HA, which plumps up the skin by enhancing collagen production and drawing water into the wrinkled areas.

In addition to reducing the depth of folds, the overall texture and quality of the skin in the treated area can be improved, helping the patient to stay youthful longer. By injecting HA fillers into strategic areas around the nasolabial folds, a skilled practitioner can create a subtle lifting effect, further reducing the prominence of the folds.

Topical treatments

Some serums and creams containing ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid or glycolic acid can help brighten and minimise wrinkling surfaces. It is important to note that you should always wear sunscreen actively after applying these active ingredients as you would be more likely to become hyperpigmented as your skin is turning over.

HIKO Nose Lift (or PDO thread lift for nose)

A PDO (polydioxanone) nose procedure is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure designed to alter the shape of the nose without the need for traditional surgical rhinoplasty.

PDO threads are biodegradable sutures that are used in various medical applications. In cosmetic medicine, these threads are utilised by qualified health practitioners to lift, sculpt or add definition to facial features, enhacing shape and removing the sagging skin.

A patient getting PDO thread lift on her cheek areas to remove chin sag.

How does HIKO nose lift work?

Under local anaesthesia, the doctor will insert PDO threads into specific areas of the nose or nasal bridge. The threads can then be pulled to lift the tip of the nose, straighten the nose (such as correcting a deviated nose), or enhance its overall shape.

Before the procedure, a detailed consultation with a certified practitioner would be required to assess the individual’s suitability for the procedure and discuss the desired outcome. The patient can then discuss their desired nose height to allow the practitioner to measure and estimate thread use. Then, the nose and surrounding areas are cleaned, and topical anaesthetic is applied to minimise the discomfort.

The procedure usually takes 30-60 minutes, after which patients can usually return to their daily activities with minimal downtime.

For follow-up appointments, the doctor will guide the patient on how to take care of themselves and schedule the follow-up appointments. The patient will then return home.

How do I care for my nose after HIKO procedure?

1-2 hours after the procedure, you can expect minor bruising or swelling, which will subside in a few days. If the area is not carefully cleaned, you may get an infection, however, this is rare and these risks are significantly lower compared to surgical alternatives.

Advantages of HIKO nose thread lift

• Higher, more elegant, natural, and beautiful nose in an A shape.

• The time required is very short, 15 – 60 minutes to own a natural and beautiful nose.

• Require no surgical interference to minimize the amount of invasion, incision, and pain.

• Has a reasonable and affordable price.

• PDO threads for HIKO will dissolve and stimulate the generation of collagen to offer a better cosmetic result.

• Allow the customers to return to their daily lives immediately without needing any recovery or specific diet.

Disadvantages of HIKO nose thread lift

Although this technique has many great benefits, it also has certain drawbacks:

• Can only be done for people with relatively high nose-bridge as HIKO cannot lift the entire nose bridge above 3 mm.

• Offer a short result time. You will need to have a second surgery if you want the nose to maintain its shape.

• Cannot bring the perfect results like a surgical rhinoplasty.

• The longevity of the nose thread lift depends greatly on the type of thread involved. This period can last between 6 – 8 months but in the end, HIKO lift is not permanent.

How to choose a trustworthy practitioner for my procedure?

For the procedure to be safest and gives out the best result, you must remember to:

Choose a quality and reputable facility:

This is a must regardless of the types of rhinoplasty that you choose as the ability of the surgeons can affect the success of the procedure greatly.

Choose the correct type of threads:

While cartilage plays an important role in rhinoplasty, the threads are very crucial to the safety of the nose thread lift. For that reason, you must be very careful in choosing the material for your procedure. Ensure to consult your doctor regarding your desired duration and how to choose your desired material. 

How to take care of your nose after the procedure?

• Maintain thorough nose hygiene by cleaning it regularly with saline.

• Limit the contact with water for 2 days after the procedure.

• Stop putting on makeup or washing your face and nose with soap.

• Sleep lying flat, not sideways.

• Take prescribed medications as guidance (if any).

• Attend follow-up appointments as scheduled.

• Avoid touching, twisting, or scratching the nose.