Ask Dr. Brad

This page will be for those of you who have ANY questions about just about anything . However, mostly about stuff pertaining to DENTISTRY. But, also I’LL be answering questions about the main character in my short stories: DR. SGT. MILKO. Or questions about myself, but then again, SGT. DR. MILKO and myself are basically one and the same. If you haven’t yet read my stories, I don’t know why you’d be reading this.

However, please remember I don’t perform DENTAL techniques anymore, haven’t for six, or seven years. A head-on collision with a boat at 60mph ended my dental career six years ago..but that's a story in the MILKO series which may or may not be true. So, anything/advice I give should be taken seriously, but, don’t try to sue me if anything goes wrong. Always talk to your dentist when you have dental problems.

Good luck to anyone who tries to blame any of their DENTAL ailments on me. I’M not there to hold your hand and make sure you're brushing your teeth regularly. And I certainly don't have my hand in your mouth, or my foot either. So please don’t try to blame me, saying well DR. BRAD said it was ok to do this, or that. Because I didn't.

If you have a question, I will do my best to answer by email. If your question has enough general interest I will post it here.
 
 

Some Dental QUESTIONS

Dr. Brad..
I have a question for you.... Last year my Mother had a hairline crack in her tooth  which caused her to have to have a root canal and cap. Now, she has days when she still feels mild pain in this tooth. Is this normal, as the nerves are not there?  
Kelley

KELLEY,
Thank you for the question.  That's a very good question, because it's  difficult to answer.  Well, having just had a cracked tooth, which unfortunately I had to  have extracted, it was cracked thru and thru. Through the FURCATION, or where the  roots split, being a PREMOLAR, having two roots, if the tooth's fractured that far or  that bad, it usually needs to see the light.  Now, you can read about this happening to me  in a story on my web page.  However, a root canal procedure wouldn't have saved that  tooth as it was already NECROTIC, or dead. Your mom's probably experiencing pain on  the tooth, really in the area around the tooth.  Because, before the root canal, or the  ENDONTIC procedure, was done on her tooth  the fracture  had allowed a tiny bit of  MICROBES to penetrate to the area surrounding the root.  Hence, she's feeling pain  from the PERIODONTIUM tissue layer having been exposed to the oral cavity.  Also,  she's still feeling pressure sensitivity from the HYDROSTATIC  pressure of the  sections of the root where it's fractured, each section moving up and down in the  ALVEOLAR socket, tooth socket, causing fluid to move in and out of the socket around  the tooth.  This is experienced as pain.  Now, in order for her to be totally pain free on  that tooth when she masticates, chews on it, she'll probably need to have it extracted,  and replaced by a FIXED  PARTIAL DENTURE or a BRIDGE like myself.

Well, that was a very good question, I hope my answer was not too technical. Please feel  free to send me any more questions like that.  That was very challenging.   Fortunately, I  just went thru all that myself.  So, it was fresh in my mind.

DR. BRAD,
I tend to grind my teeth at night, I think, and my DENTIST doesn't know or doesn't like to deal with me much because my teeth are almost flat.  What can I do about this?
DAVE-N-SHE

DAVE,
What we, us DENTAL students at the PAIN clinic at UCSF DENTAL school used to tell our patients, with BRUXISM which is what you have, is to go get a MOUTH GUARD used for FOOTBALL PLAYERS, and to do as the directions tell you on the package it comes in.  And after you've got it  fitting pretty good to your teeth, just wear it at night when you sleep.  This is a pretty inexpensive way to take care of BRUXISM. However, please be aware that these types of night guards, sometimes can make the BRUXISM worse.  So, please continue to see your DENTIST to make sure your bite doesn't change any.  And be sure to stay in touch with me, and let me know how the FOOTBALL MOUTH GUARD works for you!

DR. BRAD,
I got a mouth guard, and it works great!
DAVE-N-SHE
 

DAVE,
That's great news!  This doesn't mean you can stop going to your DENTIST.  On the contrary. Mouth guards or ANY kind of bite device you wear for any extended period of time, need to be monitored carefully, so you can make sure your bite doesn't change.  And sometimes it's been known when bruxer's such as yourself, wear a "SPLINT" as we  sometimes call them, it can make your BRUXISM worse.  However, if  it's working for you, that's great.

DR. BRAD,
The mouth guard still works, but it's wearing out. Can you reccommend something more permanent?
DAVE-N-SHE

DAVE,
I don't really know what to tell you.  I'LL tell you what we tell kids, and you can decide what to do with it.  We tell kids to, or we tell their parents to listen to them while they sleep, and if they hear their kids start to grind their teeth, to wake them up, and stop them.  Or maybe we told the parents to just tell their kids to stop grinding their teeth. Either way the kids usually stop.  I don't remember, but, I don't think it's always necessary to wake them.

You can try this. Have your wife help you at night when you're most likely doing this.  Good luck!  If it works let me know, it usually works with kids. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.  However, if that FOOTBALL mouth guard worked, maybe just keep replacing it.  And thanks for the questions.  They make me feel like, I'M still needed.

DOC BRAD

My husband had a stroke in april, 99, since then, he is unable to keep his dentures in his mouth, is unable to sing. or whistle. even though he has had a new set of dentures made. he has left side neglect, would this be the reason why he is having problems, we have tried using adhesives. but that doesn't work either. thank you. Nancy

DEAR NANCY,

Yes left side neglect could be the reason for his DENTURES' ill fitting. I have right side neglect you could say. At least my right side is the side which got paralysis, or can't be used. And wouldn't you know it I was right hand dominant before my TBI, or my latest one which left me unable to practice DENTISTRY. I don't know what to tell you specifically, and I won't pretend to know. I guess, about the only thing I can tell you is to follow closely whatever regimens the PTs and OTs give youall. That's too bad about your husband's stroke leaving him with left side neglect. I don't wear DENTURES fortunately yet. If I ever had to go to DENTURES, I think I'D probably get IMPLANTS. Hey! that's an idea that hadn't occurred to me before is that your husband could get IMPLANTS. Although, they're kind of expensive and invasive, a good set of well fitting DENTURES are expensive also. IMPLANTS are just like having your whole set of dentition. They have to be flossed and brushed just like your teeth. So, you or somebody might have to floss and brush them for him because of his left side neglect. And I don't wanta get your hopes up because I don't know, but, you might not be able to afford them. However, maybe you could find a DENTIST who does them, who will give y'all a break on them or at least let y'all make payments on them. Well, I wish you GOD'S speed on this! Bye now!

DOC BRAD

Howdy, Brad, I am REALLY glad to see you getting into the dental thing again, even if you don't have to wash your hands and wear surgical gloves!
My cat had a large oral procedure done yesterday, removal of lots of plaque and tartar, and cleaning of the gingivitis (somehow), but while the vet had the cat out, he went back behind the molars and saw large (for the cat) ulcerated areas in his mouth. He had already used prophylactic antibiotics, and also cortisone, and now we have to give amoxycillin to the cat BID. What could cause these ulcers? Allergy? Immune system screw-up? (I have chronic aphthous stomatitis.) Cleaning and decreasing the ulcers has certainly improved his breath!!! He had KILLER HALITOSIS. I could tell he was in a room if he just YAWNED! And he couldn't eat or drink H2O any more, so I got him to the Animal Medical Center on day - before- yesterday. He is eating like crazy now, and all happy already. The amoxy doses will make him despise me, though! Is it advisable to give antibiotics if this is an immune system dysfunction, Doc? Or am I just killing off all the bacteria? If this is a "yeast" problem, won't I be helping it with antibiotics??? I look forward to your reply.
Now that you are doing this, Brad, I will be coming up with more doozies for ya!
G.

DEAR G,

As far as your cat using ANTIBIOTICS, I'VE never really heard of this for animals. However I S'pose that BACTERIA are BACTERIA . THAT should work. However, I'VE never heard of using ANTIBIOTICS as a form of CHEMOTHERAPY. But, just because, I'VE never heard of it, doesn't mean it can't be possible. would think they'd just remove the ULCERS rather than trying to treat them. However, I'M not a VET. The only other reason, I can see for the ANTIBIOTIC treatment, is if because the VET is trying to stave off from having to put the cat to sleep. So, I thank you for this question. However, it's a little out of my league. Bye!

 Back to the top
 
Dental FAQs

Home