Would you go to the dentist in this case?

[LuckyCharms]

Last night (Friday), I snapped off a good portion of a wisdom tooth while eating a piece of steak. I bit down on a piece of something hard in the steak, figured it was just some foreign matter, discarded it, and finished the steak.

This morning, I happened to feel the tooth with my tongue, and there is a big chunk missing from the outer edge.

I went to my dentist's web site. They are open for all procedures, have curbside check-in, etc.

I have all of the risk factors (and then some) for almost certain death if I get Covid.

I'll probably call the dentist on Monday morning, and he'll probably get me in the same day.

Would you go to the dentist if you were in my situation?

I'm in New York State. Cases are just starting to rise again. Cases in my county are on the rise, but I am not in a hotspot.

I'm always breaking my teeth. Broke a lower wisdom tooth last year, and he was able to fill it successfully, rather than pull it.

I'm pretty sure I'll end up going. I'm just looking for opinions.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: In my county...increased positives with decreased testing. Positivity rate is increasing substantially.

[murielm99]

1. I have an appointment to get a tooth pulled.

Then they are going to put in a bridge. I go in for an evaluation on the 25th. Like your situation, my tooth broke.

I lost a filling on the other side. I am having a crown put in there, when the dentist catches up on his schedule. I am afraid that if I wait, more of those teeth will break off, and I will be in real trouble.

I don't want to do this, because, like you, I am high risk. But I need my teeth.

Go ahead and take care of your teeth. Take all the precautions you need. I will worry about you and me. It can't be helped.

[LuckyCharms]

4. Best of luck to you...

and to us.

[renate]

2. There are OTC temporary tooth repair kits if you're super worried about COVID

I’d call and just ask my dentist for advice about whether it’s safe to wait to fix it. He could help you weigh the pros vs. the cons. It sounds like it doesn’t hurt right now?

[LuckyCharms]

3. That's right, no pain yet.

Thanks for the advice.

[soothsayer]

5. Does it hurt?

If it doesn’t hurt, ask whether there’s some kind of temporary DIY thing you can do until... yeah, until when? That’s the big question. But NY state I feel pretty good about.

I guess ask for extra caution from the staff, and get the first appointment so the air’s not hanging around all day.

[LuckyCharms]

6. No pain.

Great idea about the first appointment. The air in the building is one of my concerns. Thanks.

[soothsayer]

8. Ha it took me so long to compose my thoughts four others has posted

But I like the first appt idea.

Maybe first of the whole week!

[Skittles]

7. dude

I'm in an on-going dental treatment situation - if the dental office is following strict covid procedures, GO.

[LuckyCharms]

9. Thanks, Skittles. I hope your treatments

go well.

[Skittles]

19. thanks

they have me answer pre-appt questions regarding covid, everyone there is masked, they limit patient flow, hours are shortened, they take your temperature, I have to swish some kind of liquid in my mouth for a minute before the exam starts, etc......as long as they are doing everything they can, I go

[LisaL]

10. Call your dentist, ask what precautions they are taking.

My dentist send his patients videos on precautions he is taking. I am still not going for regular cleaning. Thankfully I didn't break anything so I figure I can wait for cleaning until they get a vaccine going.

[LuckyCharms]

14. Thanks, Lisa.

I need a cleaning so bad. I have great dental hygiene, but nothing is removing these dark brown stains from my lower teeth. The rest of my teeth look perfect, but the lowers look terrible. I'm not going to risk a cleaning at this point. Not too many people see my lower teeth anyway lol.

[GoCubsGo]

24. Have you tried brushing with baking soda?

I had dental hygienist recommend that to me for stains. She said only do it once a week, as you could irritate your gums if you use it more often. I find that it works better than whitening toothpastes, which irritate my gums on top of not being that effective. The exception being toothpaste with charcoal. Which works okay, but not as well as a weekly baking soda brush.

[LuckyCharms]

25. I'm going to try that next. I've been watching youtube

videos, and baking soda is one of the things they mention in just about all of them. Do you make a paste, or just use it dry on a brush? Thanks.

[GoCubsGo]

28. I wet the brush and dip it the baking soda so that it covers the ends of the bristles.

It doesn't really take much. I just keep a small plastic container of it with my tooth brush and paste.

[LuckyCharms]

33. EDIT: Sorry, I see your answer on frequency.

Thanks

[GoCubsGo]

34. Once a week.

[LuckyCharms]

35. Yes, I'm sorry I asked when you already answered.

Please see my edit above...I'm not quite with it right now lol

[GoCubsGo]

46. No biggie.

Hope it helps.

[CTyankee]

29. y dentist recommended hydrogen peroxide for stains. It won't whiten but is good with stains.

I've had some so-so results. I'll be doing an expensive whitening routine with him over several months.

[dflprincess]

11. You may be risking infection if you don't get it taken care of

I've been to the dentist twice since they reopened. Once for a cleaning and once to replace a filling that fell out a couple weeks later. They are taking every precaution possible and I was comfortable going. The staff outs probably st greater risk than the patients.

[Iggo]

12. "Last night (Friday), I snapped off a good portion of a wisdom tooth..."

Yes.

[customerserviceguy]

13. Yes.

I'd do it. Thank goodness all of my wisdom teeth got pulled decades ago.

There's a local dentist in my town who has a sign outside the office about "tele-dentistry". I have no idea how such a concept could work. One hand on the smartphone and the other on a pair of pliers??

[Thomas Hurt]

15. I have been to two a couple of doc appts and a dentist...

they are all checking temps, having me answer questions on CV. Masks are required and stall are all masked up. My eye doctor appt even included a wipe down of the chair I sat in for one of the testing machines.

Personally opinions aside, the docs are taking precautions at least where I am at.

[Freddie]

18. Mine too

I’ve had a dentist appointment, physical at the family doc, blood work at Labcorp and a mammogram recently. Every place is being very thorough and taking as many precautions as they can.

[malaise]

16. Here's the truth

You don't really need your wisdom teeth. If you're not in pain, wait it out until this Covid-killer slows down

[Freddie]

17. Yes

I was in a similar situation, broke a tooth in April. My dentist was taking emergencies only and this was causing no pain (just the jagged edge against my tongue) so I waited til the dentist was doing regular appointments again. They are being extremely thorough. Everybody masked and gowned, no one in the waiting room (wait in your car for a call), separate in and out doors.

[Steelrolled]

20. I have been told by a dentist

that it isn't critical to get in ASAP for a small broken tooth - the reason to do it quickly is to relieve pain. It probably depends on the circumstances, so it would be good to call.

[GoCubsGo]

21. I did something similar back in April.

Only it was one of my lower front teeth. I chipped off about quarter of the front of the tooth, The dentists were closed at the time, and I wasn't in any pain. So, I just put a bit of orthodontic wax over it, as the rough bottom edge of the break was kind of bothering the inside of my lip. I also rinsed with mouthwash + a bit of hydrogen peroxide after brushing my teeth. I was able to get in right after they opened back up. It took him around 5 minutes to fix it. He used a resin bonding. I didn't even require numbing. If your break is superficial, they might be able to do the same on your tooth.

This sounds like not quite an emergency, but you probably don't want to put off getting it fixed for too long. If you can, keep your nose covered once you're in there.

[mvd]

22. I think that sounds like a dental emergency

But not deadly like COVID. If you notice any pain or signs of infection, as long as the dentist follows all the protocols, it may be good to go.

But I can’t advise as well as a professional.

[womanofthehills]

23. I definitely would not go

Most dentists will not even repair wisdom teeth - they just want to pull them. If you have no sensitivity, I see no problem waiting a few months till the numbers are going in the other direction. Why take even a small chance? I am do for a cleaning but I’m not going because I suspect my dentist a Republican and I have no idea if he wears a mask outside of his practice. Same with all his staff. What about droplets still in the air from the patient before you?

[Niagara]

26. SO recently lost an entire crown in the upper front.

We live in NYS too.

SO had a regular dental appointment scheduled back in March right before he lost the crown and they cancelled that appointment. At the moment it's not painful so he's just going to deal with it.


Unless it's painful, I would stay home. If it's a painful, I would call the dentist and let them know.


I only had 3 wisdom teeth that came in and I had to have both bottom wisdom teeth pulled at 21 years old as I could wiggle them with my tongue. When the dentist pulled them, he decided to gross me out and showed me one of them. I asked him if I had a gum disease and he told me that my wisdom teeth only had short roots, thankfully no gum disease.


Good luck, LC!

[LuckyCharms]

36. Thanks, Niagara.

The one time I had a wisdom tooth pulled, I went home, sat on my porch, got drunk on Jack and Coke, some friends came over, started slow dancing with a woman friend on my porch, fell down, cut my forehead, she laughed so hard that she puked on my front lawn, they drove me to the ER, got 18 stitches, my head was wrapped up like a wounded soldier, went out drinking again to a bar, the owner freaked out, asked what happened, made up a story about getting in a fight and getting nailed with brass knuckles.

This is why I stopped drinking a long time ago.

[PCIntern]

27. Yes

You’re safer there than anywhere else. My office certainly is.

On edit: this tooth is a time bomb with a fuse of indeterminate length. When it blows it’s gonna be a MFer

[LuckyCharms]

30. Thank you...

[handmade34]

31. mic drop...

no more replies needed

[chowder66]

47. My dentist is following many precautions but

the do not have hepa-filters for their air and it's a pretty small office. I have a cleaning and regular x-ray coming up and possibly a cavity. They will have other patients in the cubicles which are more than 6 feet apart and I'm taking the first appointment of the day mid-week.

Should I go? I was having pain but have been using sensodyne and it's better than it was.

[PCIntern]

48. Now or later, you're gonna be there.

Safer there than any elevator u might enter.

[chowder66]

51. Thank you.

[Thekaspervote]

32. I have to go next Tuesday...ughhh! Some pain in a molar that has a really old filling

Not happy about it, but don’t want to get into a emergency situation over a tooth. That would be much worse

[Ferrets are Cool]

37. All depends of the dentist and the precautions the office is taking.

Mine is WONDERFUL.

[dawg day]

38. I would go because there's a heart risk maybe

If infection gets into the tooth.

Also your poor tongue could be shredded!

Why not call and see what the procedures are. Dentists are usually super careful, and will be more now.

See if you can limit the time you spend with any one staffer. Take a break and walk around the hallway partway through, maybe change rooms. The longer the exposure, the greater risk.

I'm postponing. I was lucky and got two crowns before February.

[Vinca]

39. I would go unless the dentist is an idiot and takes no precautions.

You don't want to end up with an abcessed nerve/root and end up in an ER on the weekend for pain meds or at an emergency dental clinic where you don't know the staff.

[AJT]

40. I had a filling and new crown put on 3 weeks ago and I'm fine.

They were very careful.

[tavernier]

41. I've been in twice.

Safest place I’ve felt in months.

[LAS14]

42. Dentists are the best people, along with those performing intubations...

... to manage airborn viruses. He/she will have an N95 mask and a face shield and all the surfaces will be disinfected.

[OverBurn]

43. Here in Indy

I went to my Dentist as soon as they opened back up. I had a cracked molar that hurt when I chewed on it. So had to be looked at.

Texted when I got there. I waited in the car, they came out took temp, asked a few ?'s. I had to wear mask, had it on before she got to car anyway. No one in waiting room. Receptionist's had masks. I went straight to the chair. techs had 2 masks on and a clear shield. Said they suit up and couldn't eat, drink or go to the bathroom till after lunch, then suit up with new PPE.

Got a temp tooth cap, had to go back in 2 weeks to get permanent tooth. All went well. It's been over a month, no Covid. I'm high risk so I was a little worried. My dentist did great job minimizing the risks.

[panader0]

44. Man up, get some pliers and yank that sucker out.

Get drunk first, have some cotton gauze ready, or a few paper towels.
Make sure, if you're properly drunk, to pull the right tooth.
OK, just kidding pal, but I had all my wisdom teeth removed years ago.
That might explain a few things......
Still searching for wisdom.
I watched a friend do this with a molar before work one morning.

[Grasswire2]

45. I get my dental care at the dental school of large university teaching hospital.

I have an old root canal in a back molar that likely is infected and has been hurting off and on. Extraction is probably necessary..

Unfortunately, they are not currently seeing patients.

Referred me to a mobile dental van out of Providence Hospital Systems and this is how it works:

You show up at the certain location at 9 a.m. and wait to be seen. First come, first served. Could be waiting until 2 p.m.

I am concerned about the facility where one must wait. Not in the van itself, but where? For six hours, perhaps?

Hygiene of any restroom there? (It's a parking lot.)

I trust Providence, but am spooked.

The likely infection is affecting my blood sugar, my primary doc believes. And then there are cardiovascular implications to letting it go untreated.

Oy.

[Blue_true]

49. Give them a call and ask about their Coronavirus procedures inside the office.

When I had to find a new dentist, I called several offices and asked about their procedures for cleaning dental instruments. I chose the office that detailed the most extensive defensive procedures against blood and saliva borne pathogens.

[JI7]

50. Try to be the first patient they have that day and the only one there while you are there

Try to arrange things so you are there as early as possible and that you are the first one there . And that while you are there no other patient come in until you are gone.

[LuckyCharms]

52. UPDATE: WENT TO DENTIST THIS MORNING. HE PULLED THE TOOTH.

As far as COVID goes, I felt very safe with the precautions they took.

Thanks all for your advice.