NetWellness Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

One Side of Pallet Burning - - Why?

D Sharples DDS — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:12:00 EST

Question: Hi. The roof of my mouth on the left side is burning very badly. I am also experiencing sinus pain/pressure, and a fever. What is causing the burning and is there anything I can do to make it stop?

Answer: The most likely cause of a localized pain on the roof of the mouth is a trauma injury such as a scrape or a burn. The most common source of a burn is reheating food with a microwave and not waiting until it has cooled a little bit. Some foods heat more quickly than others. the most common example is . . .

Ask an Expert: D Sharples DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Fimbriated Fold Pain

D Sharples DDS — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:12:00 EST

Question: So three days ago, my fimbriated fold under my tongue began to feel slightly painful. The next day, it was really painful. Today, it`s still painful and my second fold feels uncomfortable. Another symptom is a dry mouth with chapped lips. I have a teeth retainer. This is really annoying because it h . . .

Answer: It is difficult to determine the cause of your pain from your description. It is possible that you could have scratched this area with something like a potato chip. It is also possible that you could have a lesion similar to a cold sore that will take 7 to 10 days to heal.

If it is not b . . .

Ask an Expert: D Sharples DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Lump Inside Tongue

John Kalmar DMD, PhD — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:12:00 EST

Question: my son has a lump the size of a small marble and it come in just over night no opening on lump under over tongue

Answer: Given the rapid onset and location, the lump most likely represents a benign process called mucocele. A mucocele is thought to develop when saliva (spit) is lost or spilled from the tube-like duct that carries if from the saliva gland to the lining of the mouth. The spill produces a painless lump of . . .

Ask an Expert: John Kalmar DMD, PhD, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Open Wide Please

David Hall DDS — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:11:00 EST

Question: unable to open my mouth very wide could do it about 1 wk ago now having problem eating anything real thick. what is going on do I need to see a dentist or medical doctor?

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. You should see your regular dentist first. You may be grinding or clenching your teeth, possibly at night. A common first step is a night/bite guard.

Ask an Expert: David Hall DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Potassium Nitrate and Male Sexual Libido

Daniel Reed DDS — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:11:00 EST

Question: Is there a decrease in male sexual libido from using potassium nitrate in anti-sensitivity toothpaste, specifically "Colgate Sensitive Multiprotection", which contains 5% potassium nitrate?

Answer: There are very low levels of potassium nitrate in any toothpaste. When you go on to consider that it is not ingested, but expectorated, there is almost none going into your system to affect libido.

Ask an Expert: Daniel Reed DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Lingual Nerve Damage

Richard Jurevic DDS, PhD — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:11:00 EST

Question: I suffered lingual nerve damage during a dental procedure about ten years ago. I am looking for help in finding a physician who specializes in this condition. I saw a local neurologist, who ran a batter of tests and determined no other neurological cause, so he concured that it happened during a rec . . .

Answer: I am sorry to hear about your problem. Your neurologist is correct that complete resolution may not be possible.

As an Oral Medicine trained dentist, I would have referred you also to either a "Pain Specialist" (usually an Anesthesiologist with specialty training in chronic pain disorders) or t . . .

Ask an Expert: Richard Jurevic DDS, PhD, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Loss of Taste

John Kalmar DMD, PhD — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:10:00 EST

Question:

I lost my sense of taste 2 months ago. It happened within 2 days starting mildly with some foods tasting odd to not being able to taste anything normally. Medications, Previous Med Conditions, and normal causes for lost of taste ruled out. No other symptoms. IM and ENT doctors examined and don` . . .

Answer: Based on what you are telling me, this may be a condition known as burning mouth syndrome (BMS). Even though it's called BMS, it really should be called "oral sensory neuropathy", which means that the nerves that transmit information to the brain about the sensations in the mouth just aren't working . . .

Ask an Expert: John Kalmar DMD, PhD, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Tongue Sensation

John Kalmar DMD, PhD — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:08:00 EST

Question: The sides of my tongue have a constant feeling that the tongue has been burnt but it hasn`t. The sides of my mouth also feel dry but aren`t. I also feel that the sides of my mouth feel somewhat enlarged because when I bite down I frequently can bite the sides of my mouth. This has been going on for . . .

Answer: Based on what you are telling me, this may be a condition known as burning mouth syndrome (BMS). Even though it's called BMS, it really should be called "oral sensory neuropathy," which means that the nerves that transmit information to the brain about the sensations in the mouth, just aren't workin . . .

Ask an Expert: John Kalmar DMD, PhD, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Swollen Lump on Gums After Infection

D Sharples DDS — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:08:00 EST

Question: Hi, I recently had an infection in an upper incisor that had already underwent root canal treatment four years ago. It needs to be redone but I was hoping to wait for a month or so before having the operation (because I`m currently overseas and don`t want to have it done until I return). The dentist . . .

Answer: It is not unusual to have a residual bump after a serious infection like you have described. It is caused by some swelling in the bone due to the infection. It can, and usually does, resolve over time. There are no long term problems with this situation unless the cause of the infection is not resol . . .

Ask an Expert: D Sharples DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Hard Palate

David Hall DDS — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:07:00 EST

Question: Why do I have broken blood vessels on the roof of my mouth there is no pain, is it something I should be concerned about?

Answer: If you have varicosities (tiny blue wiggly lines), it is probably normal/OK. However, they might indicate a more serious underlying problem if you have really high blood pressure or a bleeding/coagulation disorder. If you have, or suspect you have, any of these conditions, you . . .

Ask an Expert: David Hall DDS, Dental and Oral Health (Adults)