When it comes to your teeth, no news is usually good news. When you go to your dental appointment, you just want a good cleaning before going on your way. The average dentist has seen most dental emergencies many times prior. However, dentistry has seen its share of oddities. Read on to learn about why you should appreciate your typical dental visits being so uneventful.
Please Leave Dentistry to the Dentists
Superglue is great for building models and fixing household knick-knacks, and anyone who has ever used it will say that it’s even better for getting your fingers stuck together. One woman decided to use superglue to fix a lost crown. While she failed to put the crown on straight, she did manage to glue her jaw shut while coating her mouth and throat with the powerful adhesive.
Unlike superglue, dental drills are specifically designed for teeth. If you ever get the idea that the power drill in your garage can do the same job, think again before reporting to your dentist’s office instead. One guy decided to attempt the job himself. He wound up calling the dentist anyway because the drill bit got stuck in his teeth.
Stay Ahead of Disaster: Stick with Good Dental Hygiene
While incredibly comfortable, dentures are supposed to be taken out, cleaned, and soaked at night. In one case, an elderly patient sought a denture repair. This patient had left hers in for months. In addition to the needed repair, the dentist found a vile stench and a nasty gum infection.
One patient reported to the dentist about an unusually loose bridge in his lower arch. When the dentist removed it, the canine teeth came with it. They were no longer attached to the jaw. Only the bridge had kept these poor little fangs in place.
If dental hygiene is neglected for long enough, a calculus bridge can connect the teeth and gums with a buildup of plaque and tartar. One patient with such buildup found that his teeth fell out after he started aggressively brushing. After all these years, the calculus bridge was the only thing keeping the teeth in the mouth.
No One Likes Freeloaders
In one case, a dentist decided to treat a patient’s toothache with a root canal. Imagine the good doctor’s surprise upon finding, rather than plaque and tartar, that a tomato seed had started growing after getting lodged in the gums.
Don’t let knowing that your kid will lose that first set of teeth make you think you don’t need to start dental hygiene early. One little boy reported to the dentist’s office for the first time after complaining of severe oral pain. Upon inspecting the severely swollen gums, the dentist found a whole crop of maggots.
Halloween isn’t that far away, so if you want to scare anybody into having proper dental care, pass this article along. Just remember that you can keep your dental appointments uneventful and repetitive by taking good care of your teeth.
About the Author
Dr. Michael Melton earned his DDS from the Baylor College of Dentistry before undergoing advanced training mostly dealing with alignment of the bite and the preservation of natural teeth through Spear Education. His practice offers services including general, pediatric, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. If you are interested in avoiding a bizarre dental emergency like any of those listed here, contact him online or dial (972) 727-4415.
