Ask My Dentist

My gum line has always seemed to be lower on my teeth than most people, making my teeth look small. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help raise the gum line?

Yes this can be normal.  It means your bone and gums grew more than most people, a term called a high lip line.  There is a procedure to raise the level of the gums called a gingivectomy that will expose more of the tooth and make it look longer while also improving the level of where the gums show during smiling.

Anonymous asked: Hi! Due to a severe bout of depression several years ago, several of my bottom teeth ended up with tartar build up that seems to have calcified. One of the teeth became all but encased, and today, that 'casing' completely cracked open and lifted off the tooth. The gum has been pushed away from the tooth somewhat. There is no bleeding, but I am at a loss. Will the gum 'heal' at all? Is there anything I should do to take care of it until I can afford a dentist?

I would try a waterpik until you can afford the dentist.  Sounds like a severe type of gum disease.

Anonymous asked: how prevent pain from hot and cold food ?

I would try sensodyne toothpaste if it is normal pain to hot and cold that feels the same on all your teeth.  If there is one tooth only that feels the pain than you may have a deep cavity.

Anonymous asked: hi dentist i would like to ask you that my end tooth is in really bad pain , i have a toothache for a week nearly how could i get it better could u reply back ASAP

Is there a hole or is it a wisdom tooth?  does it have a filling or crown on it?

Anonymous asked: quick tooth remedy

My video for a toothache is on youtube and may help at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3rTF4c26Po

Dr. Sam

Anonymous asked: i just watched your youtube presentation on how to do some home remedies when suffering from toothache. First of all I am Lory , living in Rome Italy , originally from Philippines. I have been suffering from this pain of my premolar tooth. My Dentist told me that my tooth is already rotten and to save it I have to undergo Root Canal. I am living independently. Since I don't have enough money yet, what will I do to atleast help myself to lessen the pain ?

A root canal or an extraction are the two ways to remove the nerve and fix the pain.  The youtube presentation may work for a day or two to get you to the dentist to have treatment but is not a long term option.  Good luck.

Anonymous asked: I just moved states, and I currently have no job and no dental insurance, but my wisdom teeth are causing me great pain, i have 2 cavities in the upper right one and the bottom right one, constant migraines and my cheek is swollen, how can i see a dentist to have these removed? Can i be put on a monthly payment system?

Many dental offices offer monthly payment plans.  Citihealth, chase, carecredit are a few of the companies that are used at the offices.  Some county hospitals will also have an oral surgery department that extracts teeth at very reduced costs.

inceptionradionetwork asked: Doctor I am disabled from a 2000 40 foot fall so I can't afford going to a real Dentist quick so I have to go to health department and wait 5 hrs to be seen, Feb 3th 2010 I had two back right bottom molars removed it seemed to heal alright but once in a while id get the same pain as when the tooth was there, Well I woke up two days ago and that area since then has been hurting sooo bad like a 9/10 never thought jaw or tooth pain could be so bad, worst pain ever, what could it be????

If the infected teeth were taken out, that usually fixes the problem.  There sounds to be an underlying infection, I would encourage you to go back to the health department and have them take another look. 

Anonymous asked: I had my wisdom teeth removed about a week ago and one of my gums is still swollen what could it be im in so much pain i went to the dentist and thry had forgotten to give me a syringe to clean my gums out but it still hurts,???

I would go back there and have them make sure it didn’t get infected.

Anonymous asked: I have a tooth that broke a few years ago. There is gum that has grown in there now, and it doesn't really bother me other than when I occasionally get something hard stuck in there. I consistently wash it out to make sure that there is no food stuck in there. Should I do something about the tooth sooner rather than later, even though all appears fine right now?

If the gums have grown into the area, you may want to get it checked out because it sounds like a gum infection may be forming.  If there is a big hole you may have a cavity growing, and as the nerve of the tooth dies you won’t feel pain until it abscesses.