HELP! I burned the roof of my mouth eating pizza! What should I do?

If you burned the roof of your mouth eating something hot, like pizza, first try cooling your mouth down with a cold drink or a popsicle. Ice cream or yogurt can also do the trick. It’s best to stop eating the pizza until it cools, to prevent damaging your mouth further. 

Once the pain has subsided, you can gargle salt water to clean and disinfect the area. Medical professionals recommend using a mixture of ½ teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of water. 

If you’re in a lot of pain, you can take an ibuprofen or try a topical numbing spray. However, if you think the burn is serious, contact your doctor right away. Most burns are first-degree burns, but second- and third-degree burns can cause long-lasting nerve damage to your palate. Symptoms of these types of burns include severe pain, blistering, swelling, redness, or white patches. 

It can take up to a week for the skin in your mouth to heal. While your mouth is healing, avoid food with sharp edges like chips, which can aggravate the roof of your mouth. Spicy foods, citrus, mint, and alcohol can also irritate the burn. Additionally, if your mouth doesn’t heal within a few days to a week, follow up with your doctor.

Top 5 Reasons Why You Can’t Skip Your Dental Appointment

It’s important to visit your dentist every six months not only to keep your mouth healthy but for your overall health. Here are the top five reasons to visit your dentist:

1) Clean Teeth – We all want a beautiful white smile, but brushing and flossing at home isn’t enough. Visit your dentist every six months to get your teeth professionally cleaned. Your dentist will be able to see if you’re missing places when brushing and flossing, and they’ll give your teeth the deep clean they need.

2) Detecting Tooth Decay – Cavities?! Even if you brush and floss at home, you can still get cavities. Cavities and tooth decay are caused by plaque, which eats away at your tooth enamel. If you have a cavity, your dentist can treat it to prevent more serious issues like pain and infection, so you can avoid a root canal in the future.

3) Gum Disease Prevention – Avoid the “-itis” – A twice yearly visit to the dentist gives your doctor the opportunity to check your gums for inflammation and infection. Plaque affects your gums the same way it affects your teeth – it attacks and damages them. Visit your dentist every six months to prevent gingivitis (gum inflammation) and periodontitis (gum infection) with a professional cleaning.

4) Detecting Oral Cancer – Did you know that oral cancer doesn’t just affect smokers? When you visit your dentist, they’ll screen you for oral cancer which includes examining your gums, mouth, tongue, and lymph nodes for abnormalities. If your dentist detects anything unusual, they’ll refer you to a specialist. While the thought of oral cancer can be scary, it’s much better to visit your dentist and detect abnormalities early.

5) Recommendations for a Healthier Mouth – After your dental exam and cleaning, your dentist will have a better idea of how to make your smile as healthy as possible. This may include things as simple as flossing more often, applying sealant to protect your teeth, or recommending a cavity fill.

Visiting the dentist every six months is the key to maintaining a healthy smile. If it’s been more than six months than your last dental appointment, contact us today!

No Toothpaste? No Problem!

Have you ever gone to brush your teeth and suddenly realized you were out of toothpaste? It's certainly an annoyance, but before you rush out to the store, here are five alternatives you can use.

Baking Soda - Baking soda is an ingredient in many toothpastes, so it makes sense to use it by itself.

Hydrogen Peroxide - A lot of people use hydrogen peroxide to brush their teeth, and it can be used by itself or with baking soda.

Natural Soap - While it may not taste great, natural soap can work as an effective toothpaste.

Dry Brushing - You can actually clean your teeth well without anything, just a dry toothbrush.

Water - A wet toothbrush can also do a good job of getting your teeth clean.

How to Make Flossing Fun for Your Kids

The best way to become a consistent flosser is to start early. Here are three ways you can make flossing fun for your kids:

Make it a game - Turn flossing into a story or a song and your kids will be excited to do it.

Give them cool tools - Let your kids pick out their own tools, like brightly colored floss sticks, and they'll be more eager to use them.

Show their progress - You can put up a chart in the bathroom that tracks their success and give out prizes or rewards.

Any other ideas to get kids flossing? Let us know!