When it comes to extractions, we often get asked “do I need a dentist or oral surgeon?” A tooth extraction is nothing to take lightly, so it’s important to choose the right provider for your situation, especially if it’s an emergency procedure.

Both dentists and oral surgeons can perform extractions, so how do you know which to choose? The answer depends on what type of procedure you need to have, and how involved the work will be.

Getting Started: Dentist or Oral Surgeon?

If you are having any type of complication with your teeth, your first step should be to contact your dentist.

Your dentist will evaluate the situation to determine whether an extraction is needed, and whether it’s something that can be done in the office. This consultation typically involves X-rays and an examination of the affected tooth or teeth.

From there, your dentist will make a recommendation about whether he or she can perform the extraction, or whether you need to be referred to an oral surgeon. If the tooth can be removed using novocaine or local anesthesia, most dentists can do this right in the office, perhaps even at the same time as your consultation.

If the dentist determines that an oral surgeon is necessary, most dental offices have oral surgeons they work with and can easily make a referral.

Reasons for Referral to an Oral Surgeon

There are a few good reasons why a seeing an oral surgeon may be necessary for a successful extraction:

Impacted Teeth: If your teeth are impacted, or fully below the gum line, removing them becomes much more difficult than simply pulling them out. The procedure will likely involve general anesthesia and cutting into the mouth to remove the teeth. Sounds like surgery, right? So it makes sense that a trained surgeon would be required to complete it successfully.

Facial Structure: The positioning of your teeth in your mouth may make it difficult for a dentist to perform the extraction without causing discomfort. Things like large sinuses, or limited jaw mobility necessitate an extraction by an oral surgeon.

Cracked or Fractured Teeth: Teeth that are already cracked or fractured are likely to break more during the extraction, which requires a more intensive surgery similar to what’s needed for an impacted tooth.

Dental Anxiety: Regardless of the physical situation with your tooth, some patients prefer to be asleep for an extraction if they suffer from dental anxiety or a fear of going to the dentist. In this case, an oral surgeon is needed to administer general anesthesia. Never receive anesthesia from someone who is not a trained professional in case you have an adverse reaction to it.

Extraction Complications: As much as any dentist strives perfection, things can go wrong during some extractions. If the tooth has complex roots or cracks during the procedure, an oral surgeon may be needed to complete the process. In this case, you would be referred to a surgeon as quickly as possible to minimize discomfort and the risk for further complications.

1st Family Dental Extraction Services

Chauvin Dental is lucky enough to have an oral surgeon on our team, so no matter what your needs, we can accommodate them. We offer emergency services and free consultations for new patients.

So, if you have a tooth that’s been bugging you for a while, let us help you determine if an extraction is needed and which professional — dentist or oral surgeon — is right for the job.

Gum gets a bad rap.

We tell our kids not to chew it in school and ban it from the mouths of braces-wearing teens. Blowing bubbles is seen as rude, and snapping, cracking, and popping your gum is generally frowned upon.

We make gum into the bad guy, but is that fair to the chewy substance?

Turns out our preconceived notions about gum might be a little wrong. In fact, this post is all about correcting the misunderstanding that all gum is a treat-like candy. We want to give gum the credit it deserves!

Because get this..it’s not all blow pops and Hubba Bubba. The right kind of gum is actually great for your teeth, and even ancient civilizations enjoyed a good chew sometimes (though theirs was made of various tree saps…yum).

We’re mind readers, so you’re probably now wondering “okay – what is the right kind of gum?”

Fantastic question! We’re getting there.

The short answer is sugarless gum is the right kind of gum. This gum is sweetened with sugarless sweetener like aspartame, xylitol, sorbitol, or mannitol that completely lack the large amounts of sugar that help plaque acid grow.

Not only does sugarless gum lack the bad, plaque growing properties of sugar-containing gum, the act of chewing the gum itself is beneficial to your teeth.

The motion of chewing gum increases the flow of saliva to the mouth, which in turn has some great effects:

• Increased saliva-flow displaces food debris stuck in small nooks and crannies in  between teeth
• Saliva neutralizes the harmful acids found in the mouth after eating foods like citrus fruit and juices – these acids break down tooth enamel and facilitate conditions for tooth decay
• Saliva contains calcium and phosphate that strengthen tooth enamel by replacing minerals depleted by the eating process (which is why dentists recommend chewing sugar free gum roughly 20 minutes after a meal)

What’s chewing gum made of?

A few different things, but in general they contain:

1. Gum base
2. Artificial sweetener (like the ones listed above)
3. Softeners (glycerin or vegetable oil products)
4. Flavor and color

Which gum should I buy?

The American Dental Association approved kind! This means that the ADA has evaluated the brand to make sure that it is safe and effective at cleaning your teeth. This means that it is an effective plaque-reducer, mineralization agent, cavity reducer, etc.

Here is a list of ADA approved gums for you to try out:

• 5 Sugarfree Gum
• Bazooka Sugar Free Bubble Gum (original & blue razz)
• Eclipse Sugarfree Gum
• Extra Sugarfree Gum
• Icebreakers Ice Cubes
• Orbit for Kids Sugarfree Gum
• Orbit Sugarfree Gum
• Stride Sugarless Gum
• Trident Sugarfree Gum

But don’t forget…

Chewing sugarfree gum can never replace the acts of brushing and flossing your teeth. It’s a fantastic habit to get into, but only as a supplement to a pre-existing healthy dental routine.

And NOTHING replaces coming in to see Dr. Chauvin or your own dentist for yearly cleanings. Give us a call at (337) 234-2186 today to schedule your next appointment!

We’re going to venture a guess here and say that dental hygiene is no one’s favorite pastime.

There’s something about brushing and flossing that pales in comparison to literally everything else, and we know that. Why do you think dentists are so necessary?

The good news is that most of us work past that distaste and get the teeth cleaning into our schedules, but how good of a job are we really doing?

News flash: 15 seconds is not long enough to get those puppies clean.

Get this – not only could you be doing a lackluster job, you might actually have some habits that are actively BAD for your teeth. That’s right. You could be putting in the time and effort to do some little thing the internet or your best friend told you was dental magic, and you’re actually making a huge mistake.

So what are the most common dental hygiene mistakes you might be making?

Check it out.

• You listen to the internet

We know – it’s a great place. It opens up doors to information and opportunities those before us couldn’t even fathom, but some things are better left un-fathomed. For example, DIY braces crafted from store-bought rubber bands, or the newest teeth whitening method that calls for swishing straight peroxide around your mouth until your teeth are glistening! Or just eroded down to nubs.

The problem is that while some advice online is great and harmless, there are too many Pinterest dentists whose methods might leave you in worse shape than you started. Our advice is to only use materials that are ADA approved, or just come ask us what we think.

• You brush right after you eat

Logic might tell you to brush right after you eat to remove the remnants of whatever food you just ate.

In that case, logic would be wrong.

Turns out that when you eat, the acids and sugars from the food you just chewed actually break down and weaken the enamel on your teeth. If you get right in there and brush your teeth with fervor, then you might be doing more damage than good. Those furious back and forths are removing the already weakened enamel, and this habit could cause premature deterioration.

In most cases, wait 30 minutes before brushing. If you’ve just eaten something high in sugar or acid, swish some water around your mouth to rinse away any significant residue.

• You’re brushing too hard

You might feel like your teeth will thank you, but they really won’t. Brushing too hard or using a brush with hard bristles leads to the erosion of your enamel. According to a 2011 study published by the Journal of Periodontology, hard-bristled toothbrushes are great at removing plaque, but they’re also more likely than soft brushes to cause gingivitis and damage tissue.

• You’re not brushing enough

Twice a day, 2 min each. You might be SHOCKED at how long that feels, but we promise it’s worth it.

• You’re a boring brusher

Don’t take this personally, it’s not judgement, but you might just be a boring brusher. If you start in the same place every day, then your natural “brushing path” might leave some areas well taken care of while others are neglected.

You also might only be brushing your teeth which is no good. The tongue collects a great deal of bacteria, so give it a good brush for better breath and a cleaner mouth.

If you’re feeling like striking a good balance might be hard, you’re right – but it’s not impossible! Establishing fantastic dental hygiene is all about getting in good habits, and we think you’re on your way there.

Coming to see Dr. Chauvin in Lafayette can’t hurt, either! Make an appointment today.

Bad breath might very possibly be the most loathed and feared non life-threatening condition people deal with today. Nobody likes bad breath, least of all those who have to smell it on the uncomfortable close talker or the colleague whose egg salad stuck around hours after lunch ended. Almost everyone fears that they have it, and almost no one knows when they do.

If you are at least lucky enough to know that halitosis (the fancy name for bad breath) is a problem that you need to deal with, then there are two main courses of action to remedying the problem:

1. Improve your dental habits (brushing, flossing, etc)
2. Improve your diet

Most people know that better dental habits are a key to improving breath, but people are less aware of the potential impact diet has on the scent you give off. Though there is no conclusive evidence that specific foods results in horrendous breath, we can at least talk about some of the most widely believed causes of “dragonbreath.”

Foods Linked to Bad Breath:

• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
• Coffee
• Garlic
• Onions
• Citrus juices (i.e. orange juice)
• Alcohol
• Foods high in sugar

There are a few problems that the above foods tend to cause. One issue is that some of them slow saliva production which is your body’s natural mechanism for flushing out bacteria and food residue. Other foods, like onions and garlic, are pungent and linger in the mouth long past the time they are eaten. Another issue is that foods high in sugar or with high acidity create an environment favorable to bacteria growth, also contributing to bad breath.

Foods Linked to Good Breath:

• Water
• Sugarless gum
• Apples and other food with crunch!

Increasing your water intake or chewing gum increases the amount of saliva the body produces, and this saliva is what helps to clean out your mouth and naturally remove bacteria. If you aren’t taking in enough water or producing enough saliva, then it is possible for that production to slow and for bacteria to build up and result in foul breath. That is why your breath in the morning is not pleasant – the body slows saliva production during the night, allowing for the build up of many unpleasant smelling bacteria. Another good habit is to eat foods with a crunch. For example, eating an apple can help remove the leftover food particles stuck in between the teeth whose decomposition never smell nice.

Overall, if you pay attention to the foods you eat and the care you take in the morning, throughout the day, and at night, then you should be on the path to fighting bad breath and ensuring general dental health. Bad breath shouldn’t be a barrier to your success or to your relationships, so do your best to figure out the best way to deal with the problem and live confidently!