Your Comprehensive Guide to Dental Care: Common Procedures and Choosing the Best Dentist in Downey
- Monica Puentes DDS
- Apr 27, 2023
- 3 min read
There are a lot of things to think about when it comes to dental care. Most of these choices depend on your situation, what dental procedure you need, and what will best fix any problems you may have with your teeth.
There are a lot of services available in the dental field, and it can be hard to know what to choose. We wanted to break it down for you and make going to the dentist in Downey less scary. We also wanted to give you the information you need to make good decisions about your dental care.
Here are some of the most common dental procedures and more details about them to help you make a good choice:

EMERGENCY DENTAL CARE
There are a few situations that require emergency dental care. Here are a few of them and how to handle them in the best way. If you break, chip, or crack a tooth, rinse it with warm water and put a cold compress on your face. Go right away to the dentist. If the tooth was broken or chipped, bring a piece of it wrapped in wet gauze or a wet towel.
If you hurt yourself and your tooth comes loose, you should call your dentist. If a tooth has been knocked out, try to put it back in its place as gently as possible. Hold the tooth by the crown with a clean washcloth. (If the tooth is dirty, rinse the root first, but don't scrub it or pull off any tissues that are stuck to it.) If you can't put the tooth back in, hold it under your tongue and go to the dentist right away.
If your jaw is broken, put ice or a cold pack on your face first. Get help right away. In this case, a doctor may be the best person to call in an emergency.
If someone bites your tongue, clean the area with a wet cloth and put a cold compress on it to bring down the swelling. Go to your dentist or an emergency room if the bleeding doesn't stop or if it's a lot.

CHECKUPS
Every six months, you should go to the dentist for a cleaning and checkup. The dentist will check your oral health as a whole, make a treatment plan, and help you keep your teeth as healthy as possible.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Over 75% of Americans have gum disease, and most of them don't even know it. Treatments for gum disease depend on what kind it is and how bad it is. If the disease is caught early and no damage has been done to the structures that hold the teeth in place, you may only need to have your teeth cleaned by a professional. The dental team can give you a full plan for changing your dental routine and making sure your teeth are clean every day.
TAKING OUT TEETH
Teeth are often taken out because of decay, disease, or damage. A tooth extraction is when a tooth is taken out, or "pulled." You will be given something to make you feel less pain before the extraction. There are many risks associated with pulling a tooth.

FILLINGS
Most people will need some kind of filling at some point in their lives. Fillings are most often used to treat cavities, but they can also be used to fix teeth that are broken or cracked.
Most dental fillings are done in the following order:
1. A local anaesthetic is used to numb the area where the treatment will be done.
2. The decay is taken out of the teeth.
3. Repairing a tooth with a composite or another type of filling
4. Check your bite to make sure your teeth fit well.
With this information, you can choose the right dentist in Downey for your needs, no matter what they are. Contact Monica Puentes DDS today to find out more.
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